Oil Spill
Halliburton has incentive to cut another deal
AP
NEW ORLEANS — Halliburton has resolved a Justice Department criminal probe
of its role in the Gulf oil spill by agreeing to pay a $200,000 fine and
admitting it destroyed evidence, but the company still has a powerful
incentive to cut another deal with businesses and residents.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130729/NEWS01/307290011/Halliburton-has-incentive-cut-another-deal
Did Halliburton cut a good deal with Justice?
Washington Post
By Steven Mufson, Published: July 26
Is the criminal plea agreement Halliburton struck with the Justice
Department on Thursday a good deal for the company?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/did-halliburton-cut-a-good-deal-with-justice/2013/07/26/be7654d2-f628-11e2-aa2e-4088616498b4_story.html
Halliburton plea may help BP in spill liability battle
Reuters
Sat, Jul 27 2013
By Braden Reddall and Mica Rosenberg
(Reuters) - BP Plc appeared to gain an edge in the battle over liability
for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico spill on Friday, after Halliburton abandoned
one of its arguments that tried to paint the British oil company as
unconcerned about well safety.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/26/us-halliburton-gulfspill-idINBRE96P10520130726
FSU Researchers Explore Impact of BP Oil Spill
WJHG
While many focus on the economic impact of the 2010 BP(Embedded image moved
to file: pic24179.jpg) Deepwater Horizon oil spill, researchers from the
Florida State University Coastal Marine Lab are now looking into a new area
- for the past two years, they've been looking in the deep sea.
http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/FSU-Researchers-Explore-Impact-of-BP-Oil-Spill-217331471.html
Gauging health of Louisiana fisheries is a complex task
Baton Rouge Advocate
By AMY WOLD
A few months ago, John Lopez was looking for blue crabs for a boil he was
planning at the New Canal Lighthouse in New Orleans, but the pickings were
scarce.
http://theadvocate.com/home/6586603-125/gauging-health-of-louisiana-fisheries
BP mounts heavy media campaign as judge weighs spill case
Houston Chronicle
BP's unrelenting attacks against how the Gulf oil spill civil settlement it
agreed to is being handled aims to win over the public, but the strategy
risks antagonizing a key constituent who is following every word — the
federal judge overseeing the case.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/07/29/bp-mounts-heavy-media-campaign-as-judge-weighs-spill-case/
State News
Bryant, Ala. governor call for joint oil sands assessment
AP
MOBILE — The governors of Mississippi and Alabama said Saturday their two
states will partner to study oil sands resources.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20130729/NEWS01/307290010/Bryant-Ala-governor-call-joint-oil-sands-assessment
Mississippi, Alabama partner to study oil sands resources
Sun Herald
By DONNA HARRIS — dharris@sunherald.com
MOBILE -- Mississippi and Alabama will form a partnership to further study
the oil sands resources in the two states, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced Saturday while speaking to the
Southern States Energy Board.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/27/4827766/bryant-pipeline-is-safest-way.html
Water advisory issued for Three Mile Creek, Pearl River
MDEQ: Excessive rainwater, sewage bypass reported in manhole
WAPT
A temporary water contact advisory was issued for a section of Three Mile
Creek and the Pearl River due to excessive rainwater and a sewage bypass at
a manhole off South Gallatin Street, according to the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality.
http://www.wapt.com/news/central-mississippi/jackson/water-advisory-issued-for-three-mile-creek-pearl-river/-/9156912/21208840/-/pu6w5tz/-/index.html?absolute=true
MS Power CEO defends controversial Kemper County plant
WLOX
A lot of Mississippi Power customers have been critical of the company for
getting two rate hikes approved, before the controversial Kemper County
lignite plant even goes on line. But new CEO Ed Holland said that is not
the least bit unusual.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22944001/ms-power-ceo-defends-controversial-kemper-county-plant
Endangered Mississippi gopher frog has good year in the wild and in the lab
The Associated Press
It's been a good year in the wild and in the lab for one of the world's
most endangered species, the dusky gopher frog.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/07/good_year_in_the_wild_and_in_t.html#incart_river
Fully-loaded tanker-trailer cleared from Highway 49
WDAM
A tanker truck carrying more than 8,700 gallons of a gasoline/ethanol
mixture that overturned just before 12: 30 p.m. on Saturday is now cleared
from Highway 49.
http://www.wdam.com/story/22951707/fully-loaded-tanker-trailer-cleared-from-highway-49
National News
Scientists collect water near site of blown well
By STACEY PLAISANCE — Associated Press
NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO — Scientists from several universities are working
to learn whether a gas well that blew wild last week off the Louisiana
coast is polluting the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/29/4830307/scientists-collect-water-near.html
After Delayed Vote, E.P.A. Gains a Tough Leader to Tackle Climate Change
NY Times
By JOHN M. BRODER
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — When Lisa P. Jackson announced at the end of last year
that she was stepping down as the administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, President Obama faced a choice. He could play it safe by
appointing her deputy or he could confront Congress head-on and signal a
strong commitment to tackling climate change by appointing the agency's
head of air quality, Gina McCarthy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/us/politics/after-delayed-vote-epa-gains-a-tough-leader-to-tackle-climate-change.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&&pagewanted=print
Court tosses Texas, industry challenge to EPA greenhouse gas permitting
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 07/26/13 01:22 PM ET
A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to the Environmental
Protection Agency's greenhouse gas permitting requirements, siding with the
EPA in a battle against Texas, Wyoming and industry groups over
implementation of the rules.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/313767-court-tosses-texas-industry-challenge-to-epa-greenhouse-gas-permitting
House Dems push bill to end oil and gas waste exemption
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 07/26/13 12:28 PM ET
A pair of House Democrats floated legislation Thursday that would end the
oil and gas industry's exemption to a federal waste disposal law, which
could have implications for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/313743-house-dems-push-bill-to-end-oil-and-gas-waste-exemption-
GOP lawmaker warns Interior's fracking rule could lead to cascade of new
regs
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 07/28/13 04:00 PM ET
A House Republican seeking to thwart the Interior Department's (DOI)
regulation of fracking, the controversial oil-and-gas development method,
said he's trying to prevent what he believes will become a cascade of rules
from multiple federal agencies.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/313945-gop-lawmaker-interior-fracking-rule-is-nose-under-the-tent
Internal EPA report highlights disputes over fracking and well water
An EPA staff report suggests methane from hydraulic fracturing, or
fracking, contaminated wells near Dimock, Pa., but the agency says the
water's safe to drink.
LA Times
By Neela Banerjee
WASHINGTON — One year ago, the Environmental Protection Agency finished
testing drinking water in Dimock, Pa., after years of complaints by
residents who suspected that nearby natural gas production had fouled their
wells. The EPA said that for nearly all the 64 homes whose wells it
sampled, the water was safe to drink.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-epa-dimock-20130728,0,4847442.story
Scientists Envision Fracking in Arctic and on Ocean Floor
Wall Street Journal
Scientists in Japan and the U.S. say they are moving closer to tapping a
new source of energy: methane hydrate, a crystalline form of natural gas
found in Arctic permafrost and at the bottom of oceans.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324694904578600073042194096.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Coal industry threatened by stringent new EPA standards
By Doug McKelway
Published July 26, 2013
FoxNews.com
The next time you turn on a light, ride an elevator or charge up your cell
phone, you might want to thank John Toth or 86,000 others like him still
working today to dig the coal that fuels 40 percent of the electricity in
the most productive nation ever.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/26/coal-industry-threatened-by-stringent-new-epa-standards/
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: Annual audits would help prevent complacency from
becoming corruption
We have been editorializing for months about the need for annual audits of
all government entities in Mississippi, but Stacy Pickering has perhaps
offered the most clear and effective arguments yet for why they are
necessary in protecting the taxpayers against the kind of mismanagement
that has been discovered at the state Department of Marine Resources.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/27/4826329/sun-herald-editorial-annual-audits.html
Press Releases
Mississippi, Alabama governors call for assessment of oil sands resources
MOBILE, Ala. – Mississippi and Alabama are joining to form a partnership to
further study the oil sands resources in the two states, Gov. Phil Bryant
and Gov. Robert Bentley announced today while speaking to the Southern
States Energy Board.
Gov. Bryant and Gov. Bentley signed a memorandum of understanding,
commissioning the assessment of oil sands, which is a sandy mixture found
below the surface containing bitumen. After extracting the sand, the
bitumen is transformed into refinery ready crude oil.
"As I have said before, for our nation to become more energy independent,
we must recognize the importance of a forward-thinking approach to energy
and continue to develop a comprehensive energy policy that works," Gov.
Bryant said.
"By taking this action, we're exploring the potential for safe and
reliable development of energy right here at home," Gov. Bentley said.
The effort is to be conducted as a joint effort between the Geological
Survey of Alabama/State Oil and Gas Board, the Mississippi State Oil and
Gas Board, the Mississippi Development Authority, the Mississippi Office of
Geology and the Southern States Energy Board.
Known as the Hartselle Sandstone, this underground layer of resources
stretches from north-central and northwest Alabama into northeastern
Mississippi. Various studies have been done over the years regarding the
Hartselle Sandstone. The most recent shows an estimated 7.5 billion barrels
of oil are located in the reserves.
"We need new information on the development of the area," Gov. Bryant said.
"By signing this MOU today, Mississippi looks forward to working with
Governor Bentley and his team of experts to study these resources which
will hopefully lead to commercial development. It is going to take full
cooperation from industry, state officials, and technical experts to get
this formation into production, and I am here today to offer assistance
from Mississippi."
"We all see the future promise of alternative sources of energy. However,
these sources will not be able to fulfill all of our needs for a long
time," Governor Bentley added. "That means fossil fuels will continue to
be an important source of energy for the foreseeable future. We simply
must continue to develop our North American fossil fuel resources in a safe
and responsible manner. This assessment will help us better understand the
resources that are available while also helping us meet our energy needs."
The assessment may include an inventory of existing core and well logs for
data collection; identification of data gaps; acquisition and
interpretation of additional data; detailed geologic reservoir modeling; a
refined estimate of oil reserves; and an inventory of existing and new
infrastructure needed to support the industry. Through the analysis, it
will also look into any legal or regulatory barriers to commercial
deployment across the geographical boundary between the States.
"Communities and businesses depend on reliable sources of energy," Governor
Bentley concluded. "That's why it's so important to explore our resources.
Through this assessment, we can better understand the resources we have and
the most responsible methods of developing them."
This practice of extracting oil sands is no stranger to Canada, which has a
long history of extracting from oil sands with the largest deposits located
in Alberta. The International Energy Agency (IEA) lists Canada's reserves
as being 178 billion barrels and Gov. Bryant believes there is opportunity
for our two states to learn from our Canadian neighbors.
"Canada has proven to be a leader in oil sand recovery, and we hope through
this evaluation process we can collaborate and share knowledge on best
practices," Bryant said.
###
MEMA Adds Another Element In Developing A New "Culture of Preparedness"
PEARL – Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Robert Latham has
a new priority for Mississippians to prepare for emergencies. "Given the
risks and vulnerabilities that we face in our state and our history of
disasters it is time to develop what I am calling a new "Culture of
Preparedness," said Latham. "I am often asked if we are better prepared
now than we were on August 29, 2005 when Hurricane Katrina, considered the
worst natural disaster in recent history, made landfall on the Mississippi
Gulf Coast."
Government at every level has made significant strides in preparing for the
next storm. We have rebuilt stronger and better and our response capacity
is better than it has ever been. Unfortunately I believe that our citizens
are not as prepared as they could be. This new culture of preparedness
campaign begins with individual and family preparedness and expands to
neighborhoods and communities. The outcome of a disaster as it relates to
injuries and deaths is often determined before the first responders ever
arrive on the scene. If individuals, families and communities are better
prepared we can save lives, reduce injuries and are then left to just
cleanup and rebuild. We have to do more to save lives.
If severe weather or an emergency strikes your area, it could be hours or
even days before emergency officials and other assistance can get to you if
there are downed trees and power lines blocking travel. But the connections
and plans formed by a Community Preparedness Group can save valuable
minutes when the worst happens.
A Community Preparedness Group can serve several functions, from keeping a
community informed on safety and preparedness issues, to looking out for
neighbors with special needs during times of crisis, to keeping contact
information for the neighborhood in case of emergency.
Here are just a few tips for setting up a Community Preparedness Group in
your own area:
· Meet with your County Emergency Management Director to discuss
possibilities for your group. Find out if there are other groups in
the area, what role your county EMA will have, if any, in helping
organize the group and/or conducting meetings.
· Talk to community members to see if there is interest in establishing
a group to notify neighbors and check on them in times of severe
weather or other emergencies. This can be done through word of mouth
or speaking engagements at community churches, volunteer fire
departments, and other local organizations.
· Have an organizational meeting in which attendees are broken up into
groups made of streets, neighborhoods, or a certain number of
adjacent houses.
· Discuss community concerns. What do group members expect from the
Community Preparedness Group, and what are its capabilities in a time
of crisis?
· Pick team leaders from each area who will serve as a primary contact
point for their groups.
· Through your call tree, email or text distribution list, social media
pages, or word of mouth, have team leaders notify their groups when
there are coming issues which could affect their neighborhood.
· Consistently use websites or pages on social media to communicate
risks and hazards and for posting preparedness information and
activities.
· Establish contact with your local fire department, police or
sheriff's department, and EMS service and find out who the emergency
responders in your area are. It never hurts to know the people who
will respond to your home or neighborhood in case of an emergency.
· Teach members to put together an Emergency Supply Kit, a Family
Emergency Plan, and a Family Communication Plan.
· Work with team leaders to identify neighbors and community members
with special needs, such as elderly, shut-ins, etc.
· Make a plan to have someone check on neighbors with special needs
when temperatures are extremely hot or cold, or when there is severe
weather activity or other disasters in your area.
· Encourage members to start their children on emergency plans early. A
child will keep the whole family accountable.
· Plan to have periodic meetings with your team leaders to keep
interest up and develop new ways to keep community members involved.
Invite area responders to speak at or attend the meetings to keep
awareness of and ties to your community strong.
Visit www.msema.org and click on the BE PREPARED section at the top of the
page for more information.
###
