Oil Spill
Governor OKs oil spill funds agreement
By MATTHEW BEATON | The News Herald
Published: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 21:29 PM.
PANAMA CITY— Gov. Rick Scott has taken a big step toward working with
Florida's oil-spill affected counties and ensuring RESTORE Act funds are
spent efficiently.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/governor-oks-oil-spill-funds-agreement-1.165761
State News
Officials: Wayne County oil spill leaks into river
The Associated Press
June 29, 2013 at 5:35 PM
WAYNESBORO, Mississippi -- Authorities are cleaning up hundreds of gallons
of oil that spilled from a well in Wayne County and leaked into the
Chickasawhay River.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/06/officials_wayne_county_oil_spi.html#incart_river
Byram's Lake Ridgelea area close to having city sewer
Clarion Ledger
Crews from Hemphill Construction are installing a main sewer line around
the Lake Ridgelea area, meaning hundreds of residents soon will ditch their
septic tanks.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130627/NEWS/306270036/Byram-s-Lake-Ridgelea-area-close-having-city-sewer?nclick_check=1
Researchers: 'Crazy ants' infest Mississippi, other Gulf Coast states
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
June 30, 2013 at 2:29 PM
(Embedded image moved to file: pic13985.jpg)University of Texas researchers
say a South American species of ant has invaded the southern states of
Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida, and it's disrupting the
ecosystem by displacing other species, USA Today is reporting.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/06/researchers_crazy_ants_infest.html#incart_river
National News
Study: EPA influence over states grows
Published June 30, 2013
FoxNews.com
The EPA's influence has grown dramatically since the start of the Obama
administration, with the agency imposing costly regulations on the states
at a record pace, according to a newly released study.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/30/study-epa-flexing-muscle-over-states/
Senate leans toward Gina McCarthy confirmation for EPA
Politico
By: Darren Goode
July 1, 2013 06:14 AM EDT
The Senate seems likely to confirm Gina McCarthy as head of the
Environmental Protection Agency in July despite warnings that President
Barack Obama's new climate agenda could torpedo her nomination.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/senate-leans-toward-mccarthy-confirmation-for-epa-93599.html?hp=r3
High court to review cross-border pollution rule
The Associated Press
Saturday, June 29, 2013 | midnight
The Supreme Court will consider reinstating a federal regulation intended
to reduce power plant pollution that contributes to unhealthy air in
neighboring states.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jun/29/us-supreme-court-epa-downwind-pollution/#axzz2XnNAIVja
Lawmakers want investigation into EPA's 'sue and settle' practices
The Hill
By Ben Goad - 06/28/13 11:51 AM ET
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton and a pair of the
panel's subcommittee chairmen called Friday for an investigation into the
Environmental Protection Agency's alleged "sue and settle tactics."
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/308441-lawmakers-want-investigation-into-epas-sue-and-settle-practices
Boxer Gives EPA Ultimatium on Chemical Safety After Blast
Bloomberg
By Mark Drajem - Jun 27, 2013
A Senate committee chairman demanded the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency act within two weeks to adopt a decade-old safety recommendation
tied to the explosive agents blamed for a fatal Texas fertilizer blast.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-27/boxer-gives-epa-ultimatium-on-chemical-safety-after-blast.html
EPA Approves Florida Water Plan for Numeric Nutrient Criteria
(Tallahassee – News Service of Florida): EPA APPROVES BUSINESS-BACKED PLAN
FOR FLORIDA'S WATER – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the
state's plan to set new water standards on Friday.
http://southeastagnet.com/2013/06/30/epa-approves-florida-water-plan-for-numeric-nutrient-criteria/
Groups oppose new EPA beach water quality standards
Originally published: June 30, 2013 5:50 PM
Newsday
Two New York-based environmental groups are challenging federal
Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards that determine
whether a beach is safe for public use, saying the new regulations are too
lax.
http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/groups-oppose-new-epa-beach-water-quality-standards-1.5599267
Opinion
MALCOLM WHITE: Summer dreamin' in Mississippi's great outdoors
By MALCOLM WHITE — A Sun Herald Forum
So many of us spend our days in front of computers or otherwise cooped up
inside. This time of year, however, beckons us outdoors to feel the sun on
our skin and the grass under our feet. Our lungs long for the fresh air
that seems to blow a little cleaner right here in Mississippi.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/06/30/4766688/malcolm-white-summer-dreamin-in.html
BP's "anti-settlement campaign" is contemptible and disgusting (Opinion
from Bobo Cunningham)
Press-Register
June 30, 2013 at 9:52 AM
(Embedded image moved to file: pic03102.jpg)By Bobo Cunningham
As part of a recently launched publicity campaign, the chairman and
president of BP America has written an opinion letter claiming the
settlement agreement BP helped author is paying fictitious and inflated
claims. The campaign is a carefully planned attempt to intimidate
businesses and their attorneys who have properly filed claims according to
the terms that BP agreed to under the settlement agreement.
http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/06/bp.html
Press releases
Cross assumes Command of Vicksburg District
Vicksburg, Miss....Major General John W. Peabody, Commander of the Corps'
Mississippi Valley Division, officiated at the Change of Command Ceremony
held Friday morning at the district headquarters building when Colonel John
W. Cross assumed command of the Vicksburg District and becomes the 58th
District Engineer / Commander for the Vicksburg District.
Colonel Cross assumed Command of the 68,000-square-mile District from
Colonel Jeffrey R. Eckstein who will now become Commander at the Engineer,
Research and Development Center.
Colonel Cross is a native of Laurel and a graduate of the University of
Southern Mississippi with a Bachelors of Science Degree in geology. He also
received a Masters Degree in business administration from the University of
Central Texas and a Masters Degree of strategic studies from the U.S. Army
War College.
During his previous assignment, Colonel Cross served as the XVIII Airborne
Corps Engineer and deployed with the Corps to Iraq. In Iraq, he served as
the Deputy Engineer to United States Forces Iraq and was responsible for
the final disposition of more than 80 bases and housing for over 50,000
soldiers as well as the construction of facilities for the Department of
State.
Colonel Cross is married and he and his wife have two sons.
