12/11/13
Oil Spill
Judge tosses some charges in BP supervisors' case
Posted on December 10, 2013 at 3:52 pm by Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS ? A federal judge agreed Tuesday to dismiss some of the
manslaughter charges against two BP supervisors in the deaths of 11 workers
when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/12/10/judge-tosses-some-charges-in-bp-supervisors-case/
Judge nixes mistrial request in deleted text message case
BY KEVIN MCGILL
Associated Press
A federal judge has refused to declare a mistrial in the case of former BP
drilling engineer charged with obstruction of justice following the 2010
oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://theadvocate.com/news/7809478-123/bp-engineer-attorneys-ask-for
State
Developer to plead guilty in Hancock County wetlands case
Sun Herald
BY ROBIN FITZGERALD
GULFPORT -- A real estate developer set for trial on charges of wetlands
and Clean Water Act violations in Hancock County has notified court
officials he plans to plead guilty to a reduced charge.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5183899/developer-to-plead-guilty-in-hancock.html
Lower court to hear dispute
Petal, Hattiesburg sewage lawsuit removed from feds
Hattiesburg American
A legal dispute over sewage treatment between the cities of Petal and
Hattiesburg has been remanded back to Forrest County Chancery Court from
U.S. District Court.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20131211/NEWS01/312110019/Lower-court-hear-dispute?nclick_check=1
Entergy, ITC merger rejected
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi utility regulators on Tuesday unanimously rejected a merger
proposal by Entergy Corp. and ITC Holdings Corp. of Novi, Mich., saying the
deal could have meant a $300 million rate increase for Mississippi
customers over 30 years.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131211/BIZ/312110016/Entergy-ITC-merger-rejected
National
Supreme Court tries to pierce fog of cross-state pollution laws
BY MICHAEL DOYLE
McClatchy Washington Bureau December 10, 2013
WASHINGTON ? A complicated Supreme Court fight over clean air Tuesday pit
Texas Solicitor General Jonathan F. Mitchell against the Obama
administration, among others.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/10/5184259/supreme-court-tries-to-pierce.html
Justices Express Sympathy for EPA's Tack on Pollution Crossing State Lines
Agency Focuses on Using Most Cost-Effective Methods to Cut Emissions
Wall Street Journal
By JESS BRAVIN
Updated Dec. 10, 2013 7:57 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON?Supreme Court justices on Tuesday expressed sympathy for the
Environmental Protection Agency's approach to air pollution that crosses
state lines, in a case testing the high court's view of environmental
regulations opposed by industry.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303560204579250361550008096?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
Oil groups file brief in EPA suit
The Hill
By Julian Hattem
Oil and gas industry trade organizations are accusing the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) of ignoring a series of legal deadlines in their
lawsuit against the agency.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/court-battles/192696-oil-groups-file-brief-in-epa-suit
Senators like House idea of stopping EPA's fire hydrant guidance
The HIll
By Pete Kasperowicz
A bipartisan group of four senators wants to follow the House's lead by
overriding guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that
would require fire hydrants to meet a new lead-free standard.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/energy-environment/192640-senators-like-house-idea-of-stopping-epas-fire-hydrant
Press Releases
Aberdeen, Mississippi One of Four Winners of the 2013 "Livable Communities"
Competition
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA ? The Appalachian communities of Corbin, Kentucky; Anniston,
Alabama; Pikeville, Tennessee; and Aberdeen, Mississippi have been selected
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as winners
to receive technical assistance and implementation support through the
$250,000 Livable Communities program. The assistance and support will help
these communities improve their livability by promoting economic
development, preserving rural lands, and increasing access to locally grown
food. This partnership is one example of the White House Rural Council's
commitment to leveraging community solutions to solve economic challenges
in rural America.
The 2013 Livable Communities program focuses on developing local food
systems as a means of revitalizing traditional downtowns and promoting
economic diversification. The selected communities drew on the help of
their Local Development Districts or their local university or community
college to submit their winning applications. A team of small town
development experts will work with each community to develop achievable
plans for the local production, distribution, and consumption of healthful
foods.
"It's exciting that so many Appalachian communities have a renewed interest
in revitalizing their downtowns by promoting local food systems," said EPA
Agricultural Counselor to the Administrator Sarah Bittleman. "Focusing
development in downtowns and existing neighborhoods is good for the natural
environment and human health because it helps preserve rural lands and
makes it easier for people to walk, bicycle, or drive shorter distances to
their destinations."
"ARC is pleased to partner with the Environmental Protection Agency and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture in supporting this exciting program,"
stated ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl. "The plans developed by the
winners we are announcing today will support reinvigoration of downtowns
and traditional neighborhoods in a variety of ways, including locating
farmers' markets or food hubs in 'Main Street' areas. They represent the
kind of creative approaches developing local food systems while protecting
the environment that will benefit our Appalachian communities for many
years to come."
"There is a growing momentum for the idea of integrating local food systems
into rural economic revitalization efforts," said USDA Acting Under
Secretary for Rural Development Doug O'Brien. "Local foods are a critical
component of creating stronger, healthier communities. These projects,
along with the Livable Communities Partnership between EPA, USDA and ARC,
show how innovation and cooperation are absolutely essential to successful
community development."
The winners of the competition submitted the following projects. Other
winners may be announced in the future.
Corbin, Kentucky will expand its seasonal outdoor market into a year‐round
local food network hub in downtown Corbin. Whitley County Farmers' Market
is a small market of about thirty vendors in a mainly rural county that
includes the cities of Williamsburg and Corbin. It has achieved steady
growth over the seven years of its existence. However, to expand, the
Farmers' Market must develop ways to market local foods not only to
individuals and families during the summer, but also to institutions and
businesses in the county such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, state
parks, and restaurants year‐round. This project will help meet the
technical and organizational challenges associated with this expansion.
Anniston, Alabama will develop a system of community and neighborhood
gardens tied to neighborhood and downtown revitalization efforts. Anniston
was once a thriving industrial and military community, but by 1990, its
economy was on a downward spiral. Major iron foundries and many
manufacturing facilities closed. The environmental degradation these
industries left behind began to have devastating results. This project will
build on the city's efforts to create a strong economy based on a healthier
environment for its residents.
Pikeville, Tennessee will build a farmers' market on vacant land in the
heart of downtown Pikeville, and establish a community kitchen where the
dying art of canning and jelly-making could be promoted and the homeless
and poor fed. The city and county mayors have also talked with local
artists about providing a diverse selection of products and year round
vendors for the facilities. The grant will allow the city and county to
develop and implement an action plan to pull all of these important
projects together and help create a vibrant food economy.
Aberdeen, Mississippi will establish a farmers' market and neighborhood
nutrition education center in a revitalized and refurbished former railroad
building. Among the major goals of the project is the development of food
systems managed by the residents, giving them the opportunity to feed their
families and supplement their income. The result will be a revitalized
economic landscape in the area.
Learn more at http://www.arc.gov/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=414:
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