10.11.13
Oil Spill
BP witness says only 3.26 million barrels of oil escaped from doomed
Macondo well
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
October 10, 2013 at 7:29 PM
BP's Macondo well spilled only 3.26 million barrels of oil during the 87
days that followed the April 20, 2010 blowout that sank the Deepwater
Horizon drilling rig, killing 11 workers, a witness for the company
testified Thursday.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/10/bp_witness_says_only_326_milli.html#incart_river
Parishes could get huge oil spill settlements
Daily Comet
By Xerxes Wilson
Published: Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 10:14 a.m.
Millions of dollars are on the line for Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes
as BP and federal government attorneys argue over how much oil spewed in
2010 from the Macondo well into the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20131010/ARTICLES/131019975
Judge won't dismiss ex-BP engineer's indictment
The Associated Press
Published: Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013 - 5:39 pm
NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge Thursday refused to dismiss indictments
against a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messagesand
voicemails about the company's response to its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/10/5811927/judge-wont-dismiss-ex-bp-engineers.html
State
Documentary captures Turkey Creek community's preservation battle in
Gulfport
Sun Herald
By ANITA LEE — calee@sunherald.com
GULFPORT -- The struggle residents have faced to preserve the historic
Turkey Creek community are featured in a documentary premiering Sunday at
the New Orleans Film Festival.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/10/10/5022767/documentary-captures-turkey-creek.html
Mississippi government generally feeling little impact from federal
shutdown
The Associated Press
October 10, 2013 at 4:41 PM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Agency directors and spokesmen say Mississippi
government is feeling little effect from the federal government's partial
shutdown that started last week.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/10/mississippi_government_general.html#incart_river
National
Industry pans low-sulfur gas regulations as costly, unneeded
The Hill
By Ben Goad - 10/10/13 03:08 PM ET
The American Petroleum Institute issued a fresh call Thursday for the
Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw draft gasoline regulations,
saying they could raise production costs by as much as nine cents a gallon.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/327847-industry-pans-low-sulfur-gas-regulations-as-costly-unneeded-
EPA may reduce ethanol blending volumes for 2014 -sources
Thu, Oct 10 2013
Reuters
By Cezary Podkul
NEW YORK, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Federal environmental regulators are expected
to significantly reduce their biofuel blending mandates for next year,
marking a historic retreat from an ambitious 2007 law, according to
industry and trade sources.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/10/10/epa-ethanol-idINL1N0I018320131010
ANALYSIS-Lawsuits likely as EPA declares US ethanol blend wall a "reality"
3:29pm IST
Reuters
By Cezary Podkul
NEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters) - With two words, the U.S. environment regulator
may be handing oil refiners the biggest win of a long battle to beat back
the seemingly inexorable rise of ethanol fuel.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/10/11/us-ethanol-blendwall-idINL1N0I01HX20131011
Shutdown grounds EPA 'listening' tour
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 10/10/13 02:11 PM ET
The government shutdown will prevent the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) from hitting the road for a "listening" tour aimed at soliciting
input on carbon emissions limits for power plants.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/327817-shutdown-ground-epa-listening-tour-on-power-plant-carbon-rule
Jury Sides With BP in 2010 Texas City Case
Company Found Negligent, but Plaintiffs Denied Compensation for Injury Risk
After Fire
Wall Street Journal
By BEN LEFEBVRE
Updated Oct. 10, 2013 8:20 p.m. ET
HOUSTON—A Texas jury found BP doesn't owe compensation to people who said
they risked illness after the company's refinery emitted toxic gases in
2010. But the jury found BP was negligent for allowing the emissions after
a fire, opening the door to further lawsuits.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303382004579127790038882948?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Tesoro Logistics Pipeline Spills 20,000 Barrels in North Dakota
Accident Appears to Be the Largest to Date in Bakken Shale Formation
Wall Street Journal
By ALISON SIDER
Updated Oct. 10, 2013 6:54 p.m. ET
A pipeline owned by Tesoro Logistics has leaked more than 20,000 barrels of
crude oil into a wheat field in North Dakota, the largest spill in the
prolific Bakken shale since the drilling boom started there in 2006.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303382004579127604108354512?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Texas Fertilizer Firm Cited for Alleged Violations
U.S. Report Follows April Explosion That Killed 15
Wall Street Journal
By NATHAN KOPPEL
The owner of the West, Texas, fertilizer depot that exploded in April,
killing 15 people, has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration for two dozen alleged safety violations, including unsafe
handling and storage of fertilizer.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303382004579127534160830024.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Press Releases
GREAT CENTRAL U.S. SHAKEOUT EARTHQUAKE DRILL ONE WEEK AWAY
PEARL - Mississippi is one of ten states taking part in the fourth Great
Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:17a.m. on Oct. 17, 2013.
During the drill, millions of people simultaneously practice the
recommended response to an earthquake by following the recommended steps:
Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
· DROP to the ground.
· Take COVER under a sturdy desk or table, or cover your head/neck with
your arms.
· HOLD ON until the shaking stops.
Mississippi is located on the New Madrid fault system, which was
responsible for the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes and still has the
potential to produce large earthquakes. Since 1812, frequent smaller
earthquakes have been recorded in the area, including one in the Memphis
area just last year.
"Whether you're working to protect your family and friends, or your
business or school, this is a great opportunity to practice with millions
of other Americans on how to handle a hazard we're somewhat unfamiliar
with, largely due to its infrequency," said MEMA Executive Director Robert
Latham.
Scientists estimate that there is a 25 to 40 percent probability of a
damaging earthquake occurring in the central U.S. within a 50 year window
of time. The ShakeOut is designed to help individuals and communities get
ready for these earthquakes, practice how to protect themselves, and to
prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee are
participating in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, but the Great Shakeout is
a nationwide drill.
More than 185,000 Mississippians and 16.2 million people nationwide are
registered to participate in the drills on Oct. 17. During the ShakeOut
drill, participants perform a variety of disaster safety activities,
including practicing the "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" tactic, testing
emergency procedures, updating disaster supply kits and securing items that
may fall or cause injury during an earthquake.
The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is coordinated by the Central U.S.
Earthquake Consortium and its Member and Associate States, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and dozens of
partners. The goal of the program is to engage participants to take steps
to become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.
To participate in the ShakeOut, visit MEMA's website at www.msema.org, and
click on the ShakeOut button on the front page, or visit the ShakeOut
website directly at www.shakeout.org/centralus. There is no cost to
participate, and individuals, families, faith based organizations,
businesses and schools are encouraged to take part in this preparedness
opportunity.
On the website, many resources are available for participants to use during
the ShakeOut drill including drill manuals, audio and video drill
broadcasts, earthquake scenarios and more.
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