6.7.2013
Oil Spill
Gulf of Mexico oil-cleanup progress slow, funding still uncertain
By KATE IRBY — Sun Herald
WASHINGTON -- Three years after the infamous BP oil spill off the Gulf
Coast, lawmakers are still trying to nail down the effectiveness of past,
present and future relief efforts backed by billions of dollars.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/06/4717937/gulf-of-mexico-oil-cleanup-progress.html
3 years after oil spill, recovery accelerating
Hattiesburg American
WASHINGTON — Three years after the BP oil spill ravaged the Gulf Coast in
the nation's worst environmental disaster, federal officials and coastal
communities say the pace of government-sponsored recovery efforts is slowly
starting to pick up.
…Trudy Fisher, executive director of the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality, told committee members it's important to spend the
money wisely.
"The most important factor in our effort going forward with multiple
funding sources is that we get it right," she testified. "Getting it right
means taking the necessary time — with a sense of urgency — to consider and
resolve important issues and questions, most of which have never been
addressed before or have never been addressed in an effort of this scale."
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20130607/NEWS01/306070009/3-years-after-oil-spill-recovery-accelerating
Judge hands partial victory to former BP engineer charged in Gulf oil spill
case
Houston Chronicle
A former BP engineer accused of obstructing the investigation of the 2010
Gulf oil spill by deleting hundreds of text and voice mail messages scored
a partial victory Thursday when a federal judge ruled prosecutors may
mention only a handful of the voice messages to jurors.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/06/06/judge-hands-partial-victory-to-former-bp-engineer-charged-in-gulf-oil-spill-case/
State News
Senators back bill aimed at EPA's guidance policy
by MBJ Staff
Published: June 6,2013
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
have renewed their fight to halt the Environmental Protection Agency from
using regulatory guidance to expand the scope of the Clean Water Act.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/06/06/senators-back-bill-aimed-at-epas-guidance-policy/
Gulfport residents speak out on potential port evacuation site
WLOX
Leaders with the Port of Gulfport want to use property on 33rd Street and
34th Avenue for container storage in the case of a hurricane. It's one of
the multiple proposed locations for an evacuation site.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22526430/gulfport-residents-speak-out-on-potential-port-evacuation-site
With lifting of advisories, all Coast beaches open
by MBJ Staff
Published: June 6,2013
HARRISON COUNTY — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, has lifted two water contact
advisories issued June 1 for stretches of Harrison County beach.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/06/06/with-lifting-of-advisories-all-coast-beaches-open/
National News
Bills boosting states' environmental oversight pass first hurdle
The HIll
By Julian Hattem - 06/06/13 01:37 PM ET
Four Republican-authored bills to give states more authority over
environmental regulation passed through a House subcommittee with little
opposition on Thursday and will now head to the full panel.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/303959-bills-boosting-states-environmental-oversight-pass-first-hurdle
Path forward remains murky for EPA nominee McCarthy
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 06/06/13 05:59 PM ET
STATE OF PLAY: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he hopes the
logjam on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominee Gina McCarthy will
break when the Senate takes up immigration legislation.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/304051-overnight-energy-path-forward-remains-murky-for-epa-nominee-mccarthy
House GOP adds pressure on EPA over FOIA fees
The Hill
By Julian Hattem - 06/06/13 05:22 PM ET
Republican lawmakers are piling on demands that the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) addresses accusations that it discriminated against
conservative groups in the fees it charges for retrieving public records.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/304047-house-gop-add-pressure-on-epa-over-foia-fees
Few objections to fracking rule from oil industry, says Obama's Interior
chief
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 06/06/13 12:33 PM ET
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said she hasn't heard many complaints from
the oil-and-gas industry about the Obama administration's draft hydraulic
fracturing, or fracking, rule.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/303917-few-objections-to-fracking-rule-from-oil-industry-says-obamas-interior-chief
Interior pumps brakes on fracking regs
The Hill
By Ben Goad - 06/06/13 10:11 AM ET
The Obama administration has agreed to slow down the implementation of new
oil and gas fracking rules on public lands, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell
announced Thursday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/303853-administration-again-pumping-brakes-on-fracking-regulations
Tri-state water wars taking a toll on Apalachicola Bay oysters
Press Register
By Dennis Pillion | dpillion@al.com
on June 06, 2013 at 4:28 PM
APALACHICOLA, Florida -- The battle over fresh water between Alabama,
Georgia and Florida may be extending to people's dinner plates.
http://blog.al.com/gulf-coast/2013/06/tri-state_water_wars_taking_a.html#incart_river
Meetings focus on genetically modified crops
The Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, LA. — Meetings planned in four states will ask people what they
think about using genetically modified crops on refuges to provide food for
migrating waterfowl.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/07/4718310/meetings-focus-on-genetically.html
An obscure new rule on microwaves can tell us a lot about Obama's climate
policies
Washington Post
By Brad Plumer, Updated: June 5, 2013
What does zapping a frozen burrito in the microwave have to do with
tackling climate change? Quite a bit, it turns out.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/05/what-an-obscure-microwave-rule-says-about-obamas-climate-plans/
Press Releases
Wicker: Mississippi Committed to Full Recovery After Deepwater Horizon
Spill
Miss. Senator Leads Senate Hearing to Review Progress of Gulf Coast
Restoration
Thursday, June 6, 2013
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today served as the
leading Republican during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Subcommittee hearing to review the progress of Gulf Coast restoration
efforts following the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
"Mississippi is committed to making a full recovery, and we are taking
aggressive steps to protect the future livelihood of Gulf Coast residents,"
Wicker said. "Our state has made enormous strides in organizing efforts to
protect the environment, help spur needed job creation, and increase vital
economic opportunities.
"The 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill was the largest in U.S. history, and the
full extent of environmental damage will not be established for years to
come. Federal, state, local, and private entities have worked well together
to spearhead recovery efforts. The result has been an unprecedented
allocation of funds that will be available to assist in the revitalization
of the region's environment and economy."
In 2011, Senator Wicker co-sponsored the "Resources and Ecosystems
Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf
Coast States Act" (RESTORE Act), which dedicated 80 percent of all "Clean
Water Act" penalties paid by those responsible for the 2010 gulf oil
disaster to Gulf Coast restoration. The remaining 20 percent of the fines
are directed to the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
"The ability of local leaders and coastal residents to play a powerful role
in the recovery of their communities is central to the mission of the
RESTORE Act,"Wicker continued. "A successful recovery also depends on
coordination and communication. I believe today's hearing helped a great
deal by reviewing the progress of the Gulf Coast recovery and the
challenges we face ahead."
Ms. Trudy Fisher, director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality, also testified at today's hearing. Ms. Fisher has served as the
agency's director since 2007 and is tasked with leading Mississippi's
recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
NOTE: Click on the following link to view a video of Senator Wicker's
statement:wicker_jun6.MP4.
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