10.16.13
Oil Spill
BP witnesses continue to bolster company's low Gulf oil spill estimates
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
October 15, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Three more BP expert witnesses on Tuesday delivered testimony during the f
ederal trial over the company's Macondo oil well blowout designed to
support BP's estimate that only 3.26 million barrels of oil were released
during the 87-day spill.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/10/bp_witnesses_continue_to_bolst.html#incart_river
More oil found at Fourchon Beach after Tropical Storm Karen
The Associated Press
October 15, 2013 at 9:31 AM
The Coast Guard says more than a ton of oil has been discovered in recent
days beneath the sand on Fourchon Beach as a result of Tropical Storm Karen
.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/10/more_oil_found_at_fourchon_bea.html#incart_river
Ex-Halliburton manager pleads guilty
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -
A former Halliburton manager has pleaded guilty to destroying evidence
after the rig explosion that spawned BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico.
http://www.wlox.com/story/23695426/ex-halliburton-manager-pleads-guilty
Deepwater Horizon Claim Center closing in Bay St. Louis
WLOX
BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) -Five Deepwater Horizon Claim Centers will be
closing for good Wednesday, and one of them is in South Mississippi.
Officials tell WLOX News the claims office is in Bay St. Louis.
http://www.wlox.com/story/23700443/deepwater-horizon-claim-center-closing-in-bay-st-louis
State
Air Quality Concerns on Plant Watson in Gulfport
WLOX
Video Only
http://www.wlox.com/category/240214/video-center?clipId=9419294&autostart=true
Drilling controversy comes before Commission on Marine Resources
WLOX
By Steve Phillips
JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) - The controversy over drilling for oil and gas
in the Mississippi Sound came before the Commission on Marine Resources on
Tuesday.
http://www.wlox.com/story/23695831/cmr-hears-from-opponents-to-offshore-drilling
CMR, public agree: proposal to drill in Mississippi waters needs much more
study
Mississippi Press
Warren Kulo
October 15, 2013 at 11:49 AM
MOSS POINT, Mississippi -- Members of the Misssissippi Commission on Marine
Resources and the public were seemingly in agreement Tuesday that a
proposal from the Mississippi Development Authority which would allow for
seismic testing and ultimately drilling for oil and gas in Mississippi
waters is in need of greater study.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/10/cmr_public_agree_proposal_to_d.html#incart_river
South Mississippians vocal in opposing offshore drilling at DMR meeting
Sun Herald
By PAUL HAMPTON — jphampton@sunherald.com
MOSS POINT -- Offshore drilling opponents cited damage to the environment
and quality of life and devastating effects on tourism as reasons the state
Department of Marine Resources should stop in its tracks a Mississippi
Development Authority move toward drilling in state waters.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/10/15/5032662/public-vocal-in-opposing-offshore.html
PSC eyes spending for Kemper plant
Project $1.5 billion over budget goals
AP
Regulators say Mississippi Power Co. needs to submit more evidence that it
has spent money prudently on the power plant it's building in Kemper
County.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131016/BIZ/310160024/PSC-eyes-spending-Kemper-plant
Former Mississippi Gov. Barbour insists Kemper power plant is a good deal
Sun Herald
By PAUL HAMPTON — jphampton@sunherald.com
BILOXI -- Haley Barbour on Tuesday told the Gulf Coast Business Council the
price of natural gas is sure to rise and that will make Mississippi Power's
Kemper plant a good deal over the long haul.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/10/15/5034166/former-mississippi-gov-barbour.html
Leaders preach importance of solidarity at energy conference
Sun Herald
By MARY MARGARET HALFORD — mhalford@sunherald.com
BILOXI -- To former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, when it comes to discussing
everything from jobs to national security in America, energy is a topic
worth mentioning.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/10/15/5032993/lott-great-new-story-in-america.html
Boley Creek cleanup said successful
1.7 tons of trash removed
By Jennifer Lenain
Picayune Item
PICAYUNE — More than 60 volunteers participated in the Boley Creek Cleanup
hosted by the Friends of Boley on Saturday morning.
http://picayuneitem.com/local/x703139112/Boley-Creek-cleanup-said-successful/?state=taberU
Jackson UPS switching fleet to natural gas
Natural gas pump installations at sites slated for '14
Clarion Ledger
Jackson's UPS hub will be the latest area business to run its vehicles on
natural gas instead of diesel by installing on-site liquefied natural gas
pumps.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20131016/BIZ/310160026/Jackson-UPS-switching-fleet-natural-gas
National
Supreme Court will review EPA's authority to regulate power-plant and
factory emissions
Washington Post
By Robert Barnes and Juliet Eilperin, Published: October 15
The Supreme Court will review whether the Environmental Protection Agency
exceeded its authority to combat global warming by attempting to regulate
greenhouse gas emissions at power plants and factories.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-will-review-epas-authority-to-regulate-power-plant-and-factory-emissions/2013/10/15/eedc1214-35ad-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_print.html
Supreme Court to hear greenhouse gas case
The Hill
By Ben Geman - 10/15/13 10:11 AM ET
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to review whether the Environmental
Protection Agency has the power to require greenhouse gas permits for big,
stationary pollution sources such as power plants, factories and
refineries.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/328525-supreme-court-to-review-epas-greenhouse-gas-permitting
SCOTUS to take narrow look at EPA climate rules
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
October 16, 2013 05:02 AM EDT
The Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will look at the EPA's early efforts
to craft greenhouse gas regulations, offering critics hope that the
justices could imperil the future of President Barack Obama's climate
strategy.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/scotus-to-take-narrow-look-at-epa-climate-rules-98364.html?hp=r8
Experts question North Dakota oil spill estimates
By JAMES MacPHERSON — Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. — Scientists who helped calculate oil spilled from a broken
BP well into the Gulf of Mexico are questioning the methodology used to
estimate the amount of crude that recently leaked from a ruptured pipeline
into a wheat field in northwestern North Dakota.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/10/16/5034389/experts-question-north-dakota.html
Press Releases
Vicksburg District Regulatory Offices Closure Due To Federal Government
Shutdown
Vicksburg, Miss...The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will close the
Vicksburg District Regulatory offices due to the absence of available
federal funding. Regulatory offices will be unable to evaluate individual
permit applications, pre-construction notifications (PCNs) for nationwide
permit (NWP) or regional general permit authorizations, or requests for
jurisdictional determinations until after current year funding is received
and the offices reopen.
During this time, should an emergency activity need to be conducted in
waters or wetlands that requires a Department of the Army authorization
under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1899, please call 601.634.5821.
Those applying for NWP authorizations are reminded that proposed NWP
activities that require PCNs must wait 45 days before beginning the
activity. Please note that certain NWP PCNs require a written response from
USACE before beginning the NWP activity. More NWP information can be found
at
http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/RegulatoryProgramandPermits/NationwidePermits.aspx.
Prospective applicants should ensure proposed activities comply with all
NWP terms and conditions, including regional conditions. They must also
obtain other required authorizations, such as Clean Water Act Section 401
water quality certification or waiver if the proposed activity involves a
discharge into waters of the United States or Coastal Zone Management Act
consistency concurrence or waiver if the proposed activity occurs in the
coastal zone, prior to conducting NWP activities.
Regional conditions that have been imposed on the 2012 NWPs are provided
online at the Vicksburg District's Regulatory Program website
http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory.aspx .
