Oil Spill
BP Opposes Extending Spill Accord to Moratorium Losses
Bloomberg
By Laurel Brubaker Calkins and Margaret Cronin Fisk - Sep 10, 2013
BP Plc (BP/)'s oil-spill claims administrator shouldn't be allowed to
extend a settlement to cover the claims of losses caused by the Obama
administration's deep-water drilling ban, the company told a court.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-10/bp-opposes-extending-spill-accord-to-moratorium-losses.html
State
Barbour backs nuclear storage
Says technology is safe for Miss.
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi should study the idea of storing and reprocessing the nation's
nuclear waste but shouldn't try to do it until it has the right geological
formation, logistics, facility and technology in place, former Gov. Haley
Barbour says.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130911/NEWS010504/309110044/Barbour-backs-nuclear-storage
Barbour: US needs variety of energy sources
By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS — Associated Press
RIDGELAND -- Former Gov. Haley Barbour on Tuesday defended a coal-fired
power plant that's under construction in Kemper County, saying the U.S.
should develop a variety of energy sources, including Mississippi-mined
lignite that will be used at the plant.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/09/10/4941567/barbour-us-needs-variety-of-energy.html
Energy efficiency program begins
Clarion Ledger
The Mississippi Development Authority has begun an Energy Efficiency Lease
Program designed to provide public and private nonprofit entities access to
the lowest cost of financing for energy efficiency projects.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130911/BIZ/309110023/Energy-efficiency-program-begins
Moss Point's Steve Renfroe sworn in, officially joins Mississippi Public
Service Commission
The Associated Press
September 10, 2013 at 11:28 AM
(Embedded image moved to file: pic27179.jpg) JACKSON, Mississippi -- New
Southern District Public Service Commissioner Steve Renfroe of Moss Point
has officially joined the utility regulatory body.
Renfroe, appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to replace Leonard Bentz, was sworn
in Tuesday morning in Jackson.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/09/moss_points_steve_renfroe_swor.html#incart_river
Group releasing watchdog report on Port of Gulfport
Sun Herald
By ANITA LEE — calee@sunherald.com
After holding onto a watchdog report on state port spending for three
months, the PEER Committee of state legislators voted unanimously Tuesday
afternoon to release it.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/09/10/4940132/governor-says-watchdog-report.html
MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS PROFILE — Engineering success for Mississippi in
Waggoner Engineering
MBJ
by Alan Turner
At a point in his early life, Waggoner Engineering CEO thought he might
wind up taking over the family farm. He loves the country and farming, and
in fact, does still have the family farm in Newton. He thought of becoming
a veterinarian, which would have allowed him to stay close to farming.
However, Joe's father urged him to consider other career options,
suggesting he attend law school, which he did (at the Jackson School of
Law, now MC Law).
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/09/06/mississippi-business-profile-engineering-success-mississippi-waggoner-engineering/
Regional
Plains Southcap asks for court's help in acquiring property for Gulf Coast
pipeline
Press-Register
John Sharp
September 10, 2013 at 6:58 PM
MOBILE, Alabama – Attorneys with Plains Southcap want a court to determine
the value of property it wants to seize in order to complete the Gulf Coast
pipeline through the Big Creek Lake watershed, according to a filing
Tuesday in Mobile County Probate Court.
http://blog.al.com/live/2013/09/plains_southcap_seeks_valuatio.html#incart_river
National
Report questions EPA pesticide approvals
Politico
By: Jenny Hopkinson
September 10, 2013 03:03 PM EDT
The Environmental Protection Agency is giving the green light to some
pesticides without enough data to prove they are safe, a report for
Congress warns.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/epa-pesticide-approvals-report-96567.html
House GOP to unveil water infrastructure bill
The Hill
By Keith Laing - 09/10/13 12:57 PM ET
Republican leaders in the House are planning to unveil their version of a
bill to reauthorize federal waterways funding on Wednesday, lawmakers in
the lower chamber announced on Tuesday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/ports/321343-house-gop-to-unveil-water-infrastructure-bill
Exxon Charged With Illegally Dumping Waste in Pennsylvania
Bloomberg
By Will Kennedy - Sep 11, 2013
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), the world's largest energy company, was charged
with illegally dumping more than 50,000 gallons (189,000 liters) of
wastewater at a shale-gas drilling site in Pennsylvania.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-11/exxon-charged-with-illegally-dumping-waste-water-in-pennsylvania.html
BP Faces Claims Over Refinery's Pollutants
Trial to Begin Over Allegations That Texas City Plant's Emissions Put
Residents at Risk; Company Says No Impact on Health
Wall Street Journal
A Texas jury on Wednesday will begin hearing arguments in a lawsuit in
which neighbors of a former BP PLC refinery allege the oil giant's release
of toxic gases exposed residents to potential health dangers.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323864604579067371639047710.html?KEYWORDS=TOM
+FOWLER
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: PEER finally lifts the veil on port report
On Tuesday, members of the Joint Committee on Performance Evaluation and
Expenditure Review finally agreed to release a report on the state Port of
Gulfport they had kept under wraps since June.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/09/10/4940992/sun-herald-editorial-peer-finally.html
Press Releases
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| USDA Awards Funds to Improve Conservation on Agricultural Lands |
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| Conservation Innovation Grants to help improve technologies and approaches |
| for natural resource conservation on private lands |
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| |
|WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2013 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the|
|award of 33 Conservation Innovation Grants awarded to entities across the |
|nation to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to accelerate private |
|lands conservation. Grant recipients will demonstrate innovative approaches |
|to improve soil health, conserve energy, manage nutrients and enhance |
|wildlife habitat in balance with productive agricultural systems. USDA's |
|Natural Resources Conservation Service administers this competitive grants |
|program. |
| |
| |
|"Conservation Innovation Grants activate creativity and problem-solving to |
|benefit conservation-minded farmers and ranchers," Vilsack said. "These |
|grants are critical for developing and demonstrating new ideas for |
|conservation on America's private lands and strengthening rural communities.|
|Everyone relies on our nation's natural resources for food, fiber, and clean|
|water and will benefit from these grants." |
| |
| |
|"The Conservation Innovation Grant program brings together the strength and |
|innovation of the private and non-profit sectors, academia, producers, and |
|others to develop and test cutting-edge conservation tools and technologies |
|and work side-by-side with producers to demonstrate how solutions work on |
|the land," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. |
| |
| |
|As climate changes, extreme weather events are becoming more common, these |
|partnership grants drive cutting-edge conservation techniques that can make |
|our nation's landscape more resilient to these changes. |
| |
| |
|The awards total $13.3 million. Six of the approved grants support |
|conservation technologies and approaches to help farmers and ranchers who |
|historically have not had equal access to agricultural programs because of |
|race or ethnicity, or who have limited resources, or who are beginning |
|farmers and ranchers. |
| |
| |
|The 33 grants announced today include: |
| |
| |
| · U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities: A grant of $700,000 to |
| demonstrate sustainable forestry technologies and create a support |
| system and market access for historically underserved landowners in |
| South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama; |
| |
| |
| · Wes-Mon-Ty Resource Conservation and Development Council: A grant of |
| $49,000 to demonstrate the use of low-cost technology on a |
| demonstration farm to expand cover crop adoption by historically |
| underserved, small-scale specialty crop producers in West Virginia; |
| |
| |
| · Pheasants Forever: A grant of $631,218 to explore and demonstrate ways|
| to integrate pollinator habitat into bioenergy crop production |
| systems; |
| |
| |
| · University of Tennessee: A grant of $634,107 to quantify and |
| demonstrate the long-term impacts of cover crops, crop rotations and |
| no-till farming systems on soil health and crop productivity; |
| |
| |
| · Conservation Technology Information Center: A grant of $482,000 to |
| work with farmers in the Midwest to examine and share the economic, |
| agronomic and environmental benefits of cover crops; and, |
| |
| |
| · National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: A grant of $821,324 to |
| demonstrate and expand the use of manure injection technology in the |
| Chesapeake Bay watershed, which can significantly reduce nutrient |
| losses from animal agriculture production systems. |
| |
| |
|A full list of recipients is available here. |
| |
| |
|The grants are funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. |
|Grantees must work with producers and forestland owners to develop and |
|demonstrate the new technologies and approaches. |
| |
| |
|At least 50 percent of the total cost of CIG projects must come from |
|non-federal matching funds, including cash and in-kind contributions |
|provided by the grant recipient. |
| |
| |
|NRCS has offered this grant program since 2004, investing in ways to |
|demonstrate and transfer efficient and environmentally friendly farming and |
|ranching. In the past nine years, the grants have helped develop trading |
|markets for water quality and have shown how farmers and ranchers may use |
|fertilizer, water and energy more efficiently. |
| |
| |
|Secretary Vilsack said today's announcement is another reminder of the |
|importance of USDA programs to rural America. A comprehensive five-year |
|Food, Farm and Jobs Bill would further expand the rural economy, Vilsack |
|added, saying that is just one reason why Congress must get a comprehensive |
|Bill done as soon as possible. |
| |
| |
|For more on this grant program, visit USDA's Conservation Innovation Grants |
|webpage or contact your local NRCS office. |
| |
| |
|# |
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EPA Announces 2nd Environmental Youth Symposium for Colleges & Universities
in the Southeast
"Creating Action Through Environmental Stewardship and Encouraging Climate
Resiliency"
Contact: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host the 2nd
Environmental Youth Symposium for Colleges & Universities in the Southeast
on September 13, 2013. The event will be held at the Sam Nunn Atlanta
Federal Center in Atlanta, GA.
The conference is an opportunity for students, faculty members, higher
education administrators, and other environmental and sustainability
stakeholders to develop partnerships, network, and collaborate on
sustainable environmental strategies and practices.
Who: Stan Meiburg, Acting EPA Regional Administrator
Thomas Brennan, EPA Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office
What: 2nd Environmental Youth Symposium for Colleges & Universities in the
Southeast
When: Sept. 13, 2013
Where: Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth St. SW
Atlanta, Ga. 30303-8960
The agenda will include sessions and presentations on environmental
stewardship and climate resilience with a focus on collegiate institutions
mostly in the Southeast. The conference will provide opportunities for
students, faculty members, administrators, and other environmental and
sustainability stakeholders to network, develop partnerships and
collaborate on sustainable environmental practices. Students in attendance
will have an opportunity to participate in seminars on federal employment
as part of the concurrently held Youth Environmental Summit.
Please see symposium agenda for a complete list of experts and
presentations.
http://www.epa.gov/region4/newsevents/youth/Detailed-Agenda2013-August-6-2013.pdf
This event will be livestreamed at 9:00 a.m. EDT:
http://www.ustream.tv/search?q=EnvYouthSymposium2013
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @USEPASoutheast, #ecoyouth2013
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