8.27.2013
Oil Spill
Ex-BP engineer renews effort to have Gulf oil spill charges tossed
Houston Chronicle
A former BP engineer charged with obstructing justice in connection with
the investigation of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill is renewing efforts
to have the indictment against him dismissed.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/08/27/ex-bp-engineer-renews-effort-to-have-gulf-oil-spill-charges-tossed/
Gulf oil spill settlement claims administrator says BP's allegations of
fraud are 'spurious,' 'unfounded'
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
August 27, 2013 at 7:16 AM
Patrick Juneau, court-appointed administrator of the BP Deepwater Horizon
oil spill claims settlement program, came out swinging in a response to BP
allegations that his payment program is rife with fraud, charging the
company with making "spurious allegations of breaches of duty" and "broad,
unfounded criticisms of the program's internal controls and fraud detection
processes."
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/08/gulf_oil_spill_settlement_clai.html
Internal probe: No fraud at BP claims center in Mobile
The Associated Press
August 26, 2013 at 4:16 PM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The head of security for the administrator of BP's
multibillion-dollar settlement with Gulf Coast residents and businesses
says an internal probe of alleged misconduct by an employee of a Mobile,
Ala., claims center hasn't turned up any evidence of fraud.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/08/internal_probe_no_fraud_at_bp.html#incart_river
State
Dozens of Dead Chickens Dumped in Tombigbee
WCBI
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)-The Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality is investigating the discovery of dozens of dead chickens in the
Tombigbee River.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/dozens-of-dead-chickens-dumped-in-tombigbee
Mystery remains over dead chickens in river
WTVA
The Monroe County Sheriff's Department and state wildlife officials are
investigating a report about someone possibly dumping dead chickens in the
Tombigbee River.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Mystery-remains-over-dead-chickens-in-river/qj9L-GBKbUiKgqAEtm1Xfw.cspx
Ideal place for nuclear waste? Talk of storage in Miss. emerges again
Nuclear storage changed for better, some say
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi could see thousands of new jobs and billions in investments
from storing and reprocessing the nation's nuclear waste, an energy trade
group told state lawmakers Monday.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130827/NEWS01/308270021/Ideal-place-nuclear-waste-Talk-storage-Miss-emerges-again?nclick_check=1
Safety of nuclear waste concerns Richton residents
Hattiesburg American
Nuclear waste is a scary pair of words, Richton residents agreed.
Residents gave a more varied response Monday on questions about whether
today's technology can guarantee the safe storage of it near their town.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20130827/NEWS01/308270020/Safety-nuclear-waste-concerns-Richton-residents
U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo opposes plan to bring nuclear waste to Mississippi
The Associated Press
August 27, 2013 at 6:47 AM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Energy Institute is pushing for
more exploration of storing and reprocessing used nuclear fuel in the state
at the same time that one of the its congressmen is coming out against it.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/08/us_rep_steven_palazzo_opposes.html#incart_river
Sun Herald files new suit against auditor, DMR
Sun Herald
By ANITA LEE — calee@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- The Sun Herald filed a new lawsuit Monday against State Auditor
Stacey Pickering, his office and the Department of Marine Resources that
seeks copies of public records generated by the DMR.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/08/26/4902860/sun-herald-files-new-suit-against.html
Regional
Mobile County officials want U.S. Corps of Engineers to scrap oil pipeline
permits and start from scratch
Press-Register
Michael Dumas
August 26, 2013 at 9:00 PM
MOBILE, Alabama – Let's try this again from the top, OK?
That was basically the message the Mobile County Commission agreed to send
via letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday, Aug. 26,
regarding its issuance of permits to Plains Southcap for the company's
crude-oil pipeline from west Mobile to the Chevron refinery in Pascagoula,
Miss.
http://blog.al.com/live/2013/08/mobile_county_officials_want_u.html#incart_river
National
EPA chief warns against climate change on visit to Alaska glacier
BY SEAN COCKERHAM
MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU
PORTAGE GLACIER, Alaska -- As she marveled at the site of a shrinking
Alaska glacier, the newly installed leader of the Environmental Protection
Agency said Monday that the president told her that fighting climate change
should be her primary focus.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/26/3587600/epa-chief-warns-against-climate.html
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Safety or enforcement? Government agencies fight over
investigative goals
AP
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal government is fighting with itself over a
massive fire at a Chevron refinery in California that sent 15,000 people to
hospitals with respiratory ailments.
In one corner is the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board,
which conducted 119 interviews in an effort to find out what caused last
year's accident and how to prevent it from happening again. In the other is
the Environmental Protection Agency, which is conducting a criminal
investigation and wants the interviews to help it determine who's
responsible.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOVERNMENT_VS_GOVERNMENT?SITE=KING&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Study Shines Light on Tremors and Fracking in South Texas' Eagle Ford Shale
Removing Oil, Water From Ground Allows Surrounding Rock to Settle
Wall Street Journal
By TOM FOWLER
So much oil and water is being removed from South Texas' Eagle Ford Shale
that the activity has probably led to a recent wave of small earthquakes,
according to a study that appears in the online edition of the journal
Earth and Planetary Science Letters.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324906304579037181315480254.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Arkansas lawsuits test fracking wastewater link to quakes
Reuters
11:12am IST
By Mica Rosenberg
GREENBRIER, Arkansas (Reuters) - Tony Davis, a 54-year-old construction
worker in central Arkansas, said he welcomed the boom in natural gas
drilling that brought jobs and new businesses to his hometown starting
about a decade ago. But that was before the earth shook.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/08/27/us-usa-energy-quakes-insight-idINBRE97Q05N20130827
Feds change endangered species law rules despite GOP protest
The Hill
By Julian Hattem - 08/26/13 03:46 PM ET
The Obama administration is finalizing a change to the way it protects the
habitat of endangered and threatened animals.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/pending-regs/318829-gop-protest-change-to-endangered-species-law
Opinion
Reject nuclear waste storage
Clarion Ledger
Some ideas are so bad they don't deserve consideration, and such is the
case with the Mississippi Energy Institute's proposal to build a permanent
nuclear waste storage facility in Mississippi.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130827/OPINION01/308270012/Reject-nuclear-waste-storage?nclick_check=1
Forum by JAMIE MILLER: It is my hope every penny of taxpayer funds misspent
will be returned to the state
Sun Herald
Let me start by saying that I agree with the premise of Friday's editorial
in the Sun Herald, "DMR needs to recoup those misspent millions."
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/08/26/4902835/forum-by-jamie-miller-it-is-my.html
Urge Congress to continue valuable conservation programs
Clarion Ledger
Written by
Paul Schmidt
Guest columnist
The farm bill's Sept. 30 expiration date is looming. Meanwhile, farmers,
ranchers and conservationists anxiously wait for Congress to finish a
five-year bill.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130827/COL04/308270009/Urge-Congress-continue-valuable-conservation-programs
Press releases
EPA Launches Online Green Sports Resource Directory
WASHINGTON — The U. S. Environmental Protection agency (EPA) is unveiling a
new online Green Sports Resource Directory that can help teams, venues, and
leagues save money and reduce carbon pollution through increased energy
efficiency, a key part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan.
Additionally, the new directory contains information that can help teams
reduce waste and gain recognition for their programs that reduce the
environmental impact of their events. EPA Deputy Administrator Bob
Perciasepe made the announcement today during the third annual Green Sports
Alliance summit in New York City.
"As a founding partner of the Green Sports Alliance, EPA is committed to
working with its members to help teams and sports venues green their
operations, and engage fans," said Deputy Administrator Perciasepe. "EPA's
new Green Sports Resource Directory will provide easy access to information
on Agency tools and programs along with success stories to serve as
examples of what can be achieved with a winning game plan for going green."
Currently, the Green Sports Alliance has more than 180 members and is
working with more than 75 teams at both the professional and collegiate
levels and over 100 stadiums and sports venues across the country, with
participation increasing daily. This week's Summit includes a number of EPA
speakers as well as leaders from across the sports community who recognize
the potential for real environmental benefits from greening sports events
and venues, and the potential for teams to inspire fans to adopt greener
practices in their daily lives.
The Green Sports Resource Directory brings together Agency resources to
support teams and their fans, stadiums, and venues, who want to improve
their waste management, water and energy conservation, and other
sustainability efforts.
EPA compiled a Green "Scoreboard" that highlights a number of winning
efforts across numerous sports leagues and some statistics on the
environmental and saving benefits. The Scoreboard is available on the Green
Sports Resource Directory.
More on President Obama's Climate Action Plan:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf
Visit the Green Sports Resource Directory and view the Scoreboard:
http://www2.epa.gov/green-sports
More on the Green Sports Alliance, this week's Summit, or to learn if your
team is a member: http://greensportsalliance.org/
EPA Releases New Climate Change Video Series
The series supports President Obama's Climate Action Plan and highlights
benefits of reducing energy consumption
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released
a new series of short public service videos on climate change. The videos
cover a range of topics related to climate change, including its causes and
impacts, actions Americans can take to reduce their impact, and the
benefits to the economy of addressing climate change. The new video series
supports the President's Climate Action Plan by encouraging American
families to reduce the amount of energy they consume, cutting down on their
utility bills and protecting people's health.
On June 25th, President Obama announced his Climate Action Plan to cut
carbon pollution and prepare the U.S. for the impacts of climate change. A
warming climate can adversely impact water supplies, agriculture, power and
transportation systems as well as health and safety of Americans and the
nation's economy. These videos show that there are simple things that all
Americans can do to help.
Watch the video series:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBhfkkujnoRAgTFtLreccWDfpxBIspCGv
Download broadcast quality video:
http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/usepa#.Ue11v9LVB54
Learn more on climate change: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange
