6.21.2013
Oil Spill
Public comment period for draft BP spill restoration plan is extended until
July 8
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
June 20, 2013 at 2:52 PM
The agency that will oversee the spending of billions of dollars in Clean
Water Act fines resulting from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill has
extended until July 8 the public comment period on its initial plan and
environmental assessment report.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/06/gulf_council_extends_comment_p.html
AP: BP oil spill trial report alleges misconduct, accusations of payments
and a suspended lawyer
The Associated Press
June 20, 2013 at 11:53 PM
NEW ORLEANS — A lawyer working for the court-appointed administrator
reviewing claims as part of a multibillion-dollar settlement over BP's Gulf
oil spill has been accused of receiving payments from a law firm
representing a claimant, allegations that were discussed in a closed-door
meeting Thursday with a federal judge overseeing the case, a BP official
with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/06/ap_bp_oil_spill_trial_report_a.html#incart_river
BP Calls for Independent Investigation of US Oil Spill Claims Process
Wall Street Journal
By Selina Williams and James Herron
LONDON--Oil and gas giant BP PLC (BP) Friday called for an independent
investigation of the process used to compensate people for losses arising
from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, following reports that a lawyer
working for the claims administrator had been suspended for alleged
misconduct.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130621-703116.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
State News
MDEQ announces recycling grants
Clarion Ledger
JACKSON — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality announced
Thursday the availability of $1 million in grants for local governments to
create, improve or expand cooperative recycling programs.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130621/NEWS01/306210034/MDEQ-announces-recycling-grants
MDEQ announces recycling grants
The Associated Press
JACKSON, MISS. — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has $1
million in grants available for local governments to create, improve or
expand cooperative recycling programs.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/21/4749747/mdeq-announces-recycling-grants.html
Jackson County's Big Hill Acres development - environmental scandal, or
abuse of justice?
Sun Herald
By PAUL HAMPTON — jphampton@sunherald.com
It's supper time in Big Hill Acres.
Seaman Road is buzzing with folks heading home from work. A man and child
walk a dog on Ridgeland Road. Horses graze on a front lawn. Baby pigs
scamper around a pen.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749311/jackson-countys-big-hill-acres.html
Harrison County Utility Authority hires new director
SUN HERALD
The Harrison County Utility Authority has hired a new executive director.
Donald Scharr replaces Kamran Pahlavan, who was fired in February.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749272/harrison-county-utility-authority.html
Shifting sand threatens drainage along Pascagoula beach
Sun Herald
By KAREN NELSON — klnelson@sunherald.com
PASCAGOULA -- The city's $13 million man-made beach, created by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, has another structural problem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749361/shifting-sand-threatens-drainage.html
Area of Biloxi beach reopens
Sun Herald
A beach in the area from Grande View Drive to Brady Drive in Biloxi
reopened Thursday, according to the state Department of Environmental
Quality.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749187/around-south-mississippi.html
National News
Oil and gas companies agree to curb seismic surveys in Gulf to spare
whales, dolphins
The Associated Press
June 20, 2013 at 7:51 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- Oil and gas companies working in the Gulf of Mexico have
agreed not to use seismic surveys for the next 2 ½ years in three areas
considered critical to whales and along the coast during the peak calving
season for bottlenose dolphins.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/06/oil_and_gas_companies_agree_to.html#incart_river
House's rejection of farm bill leaves few options
By MARY CLARE JALONICK — Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The House's broad rejection of a massive farm bill could
signal a shift in the way Congress views agriculture policy.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/20/4749149/house-rejects-farm-bill-62-republicans.html
EPA Drops Fracking Probe in Wyoming
Wall Street Journal
By RYAN TRACY
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that it would drop an
investigation that had linked contaminated water to natural-gas drilling
in Wyoming, in a boost for Encana Corp. ECA.T -2.74% and other firms that
practice the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323893504578558093244210584.html
GOP lawmakers protest efforts to expand wildlife refuges
The Hill
By Julian Hattem - 06/20/13 02:26 PM ET
Republicans in the House are criticizing the Obama administration's efforts
to expand federally protected lands while the debt skyrockets.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/306875-gop-lawmakers-erupt-over-attempt-to-grow-wildlife-refuges
Opinion
Keeping BP focused on spill response in Louisiana: Editorial
The Times-Picayune By The Editorial Board
June 21, 2013 at 5:33 AM
With the Coast Guard shutting down "active cleanup operations" for the BP
oil spill in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida last week, Louisiana
officials emphasized Wednesday that the work here is not done. Garret
Graves, chairman of the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority, said that BP has been pressing to wrap up the response in
Louisiana as well. The numbers presented at the authority's meeting
Wednesday argue against that.
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/06/keeping_bp_focused_on_spill_re.html
WLOX Editorial: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources finances
We now have the first report back on just how poorly managed the finances
are at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. We don't think it
could be much worse. Even the new Director Jamie Miller called it an
environment that is susceptible to waste and abuse.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22649006/wlox-editorial
Press Releases
EPA Seeks Input on New Clean Air Standards for Solid Waste Landfills
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting
small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to
participate as Small Entity Representatives (SERs) for a Small Business
Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel. This panel will focus on the agency's review
of its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for municipal solid waste
landfills.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review new source performance standards
every eight years and revise them if necessary. EPA is under a
court-ordered deadline to complete its review and propose how to address
the results of that review by Feb. 4, 2014 and to take final action by Dec.
17, 2014.
The panel will include federal representatives from the Small Business
Administration (SBA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and EPA.
The panel members ask a selected group of SERs to provide advice and
recommendations on behalf of their company, community, or organization to
inform the panel members about the potential impacts of the proposed rule
on small entities.
EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the small entities that may be
subject to the rule requirements. Other representatives, such as trade
associations that exclusively or at least primarily represent potentially
regulated small entities, may also serve as SERs.
Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be
received by July 5, 2013.
Nominate yourself as a SER: http://www.epa.gov/rfa/landfill.html
Municipal solid waste landfills are disposal facilities in or on land for
household waste. These landfills may receive certain other types of waste,
such as non-hazardous sludge and commercial solid waste. Emissions from
municipal solid waste landfills, known as "landfill gas," occur from
decomposition of wastes.
More information on the New Source Performance Standards:
http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/landfill/landflpg.html
