7/17/13
Oil Spill
Public invited to MDEQ meeting tonight
WLOX
On Tuesday, July 16 the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) invites the public to share thoughts on types of early restoration
they want to see utilized as part of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource
Damage Assessment (NRDA).
http://www.wlox.com/story/22854180/public-invited-to-mdeq-meeting-tonight
Study: Oil in Gulf likely came from rig wreckage
MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS, LA (AP) - A team of researchers has concluded that pockets of
oil trapped in the wreckage of the sunken Deepwater Horizon are the likely
source of oil sheens that have been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico near the
site of the deadly 2010 explosion on the BP-leased drilling rig.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22854066/study-oil-in-gulf-likely-came-from-rig-wreckage
BP asks federal court to suspend claims payments during fraud investigation
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
July 16, 2013 at 8:09 PM
Attorneys for British oil giant BP asked U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier
late Tuesday for a preliminary injunction to temporarily suspend payments
of private economic claims until former FBI Director Louis Freeh completes
an investigation of alleged fraud in the multibillion-dollar claims payment
program.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/07/bp_asks_federal_court_to_suspe.html
BP seeks halt to Gulf oil spill settlement payouts
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - BP asked a federal judge on Tuesday to temporarily halt
all settlement payments to Gulf Coast businesses and residents who claim
they lost money after the company's 2010 oil spill while former FBI
Director Louis Freeh investigates alleged misconduct by a lawyer who helped
administer the multibillion-dollar settlement program.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22858634/bp-seeks-halt-to-gulf-oil-spill-settlement-payouts
State News
Superfund Open House continues today
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE — The Superfund open house continues on Wednesday at Pleasant
Valley Baptist Church.
Michael Taylor, remedial project manager for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Administration, and members of the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality will be present to discuss the current status of the
project with the public.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x1724754700/Superfund-Open-House-continues-today
South Mississippi jubilee, not algae, contributed to fish kill, DMR
official says
Sun Herald
By PAUL HAMPTON — jphampton@sunherald.com
BILOXI -- The fish kill that hit the Coast earlier this month was
definitely a jubilee and some of the fish simply recovered and swam away
after it was over, an official with the Department of Marine Resources
official said Tuesday.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/16/4800768/south-mississippi-jubilee-not.html
Three people diagnosed with rare disease after eating buffalo fish
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE — The Mississippi State Department of Health recently confirmed
three cases of Haff disease, a rare illness caused by an unidentified
toxin. The toxin was found in buffalo fish that were caught on the Yazoo
River, said Liz Sharlot, director of communications for the Mississippi
State Department of Health.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x541275141/Three-people-diagnosed-with-rare-disease-after-eating-buffalo-fish/?state=taberU
Wildlife Tourism Is Big Bucks for Gulf Coast
MPB
A new study says wildlife tourism in the Gulf region is a $19 billion
business. With many billions still heading to the region from BP oil spill
penalties, local groups want environmental restoration to be a top
priority.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/wildlife_tourism_is_big_bucks_for_gulf_coast
Pascagoula beach makeover nearly complete
WLOX
Louisa Hall can now kick back and relax while her grandchildren have some
beach fun in Pascagoula.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22858570/pascagoula-beach-makeover-nearly-complete
CMR opens bids on two pleasure boats
WLOX
The Department of Marine Resources opened bids Tuesday on the two pleasure
boats the DMR is selling. But there's no decision yet about whether any bid
will be accepted.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22853106/cmr-opens-bids-on-two-pleasure-boats
Bobby Eleuterius is D'Iberville's new city manager
WLOX
D'Iberville has a new city manager with a very familiar name. Bobby
Eleuterius received a standing ovation at Tuesday afternoon's city council
meeting when he was introduced and approved by a unanimous vote of the city
council.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22856852/bobby-eleuterius-is-dibervilles-new-city-manager
National News
States file lawsuit against EPA over 'sue and settle' strategy
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 07/16/13 04:17 PM ET
The Republican attorneys general for a dozen states are suing the
Environmental Protection Agency for documents pertaining to the agency's
legal approach with green groups.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311425-states-file-lawsuit-against-epa-over-sue-and-settle-strategy
Moniz vows to better federal-state ties
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 07/16/13 10:58 AM ET
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said Tuesday that his agency plans to
"significantly raise our game in terms of interaction with states."
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311291-moniz-vows-to-better-federal-state-ties
Wipes in the pipes snarling sewers
USA Today
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- They are touted as disposable and even
flushable, but disinfecting wipes are causing headaches for
operators of city sewer systems.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/16/wipes-pollution/2522919/
Opinion
CHARLIE MITCHELL: Mississippians should not have to pay to find out how
their money is being spent
Suppose computers and the Internet were not a new thing. Suppose they
existed and were even commonplace back in 1817 when Mississippi was
created. As things developed and it became clear that both the law and the
public policy of the state would require that public records would be open
to public inspection, do you think the Legislature would have created or
allowed "pay walls" that required citizens to ante up?
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/16/4800600/charlie-mitchell-mississippians.html
