12.6.2013
Oil Spill
US interior secretary about oil spill restoration
The Associated PressDecember 6, 2013
NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell is in the New Orleans
area to talk about the third and largest group of early restoration
proposals for recovery from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/06/5172529/us-interior-secretary-about-oil.html
$88 million for Gulf oil spill projects to be announced
By MATTHEW BEATON | The News Herald
Published: Thursday, December 5, 2013 at 20:24 PM.
PANAMA CITY — A bevy of Panhandle elected officials will be on hand Friday
as Gulf restoration projects totaling $88 million will be announced at the
downtown marina.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/88-million-for-gulf-oil-spill-projects-to-be-announced-1.245152
Escort Service Gets Thousands In Oil Spill Money, Says BP
WKRG
Those reading the New York Times will undoubtedly notice the full page ad
BP took out in the paper calling out by name The Gulf Settlement Program
for accepting a claim from an adult escort service.
http://www.wkrg.com/story/24150749/escort-service-gets-thousands-in-oil-spill-money-says-bp
BP goes deep to locate more oil
AP
HOUSTON, TEXAS — BP's strategy after the Deepwater Horizon tragedy: Go
deeper.
BP is leading an industrywide push to develop technology that can retrieve
oil from formations so deep under the sea floor, and under such high
pressure and temperature, that conventional equipment would melt or be
crushed by the conditions.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20131206/BIZ/312060015/BP-goes-deep-locate-more-oil
State
MGCCC partners with EPA to provide greater environmental education
opportunities for students
Mississippi Press
Warren Kulo
December 05, 2013 at 6:52 PM
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the
Environmental Protection Agency announced a partnership Thursday which will
provide greater educational opportunities for students and in return help
promote the EPA's Gulf Program.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/12/mgccc_partners_with_epa_to_pro.html#incart_river
Utility board member worries new company "more of the same"
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -The Harrison County Utility Authority considered seven
companies for a three-year contract worth about 12 million dollars.
The winning company will have to manage and maintain 12 wastewater
treatment facilities in the county.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24149270/despite-29-violations-utility-partners-is-negotiating-with-the-harrison-co-utility-aurhtority
Chemical waste drop-off Sat.
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE — County Fire Marshal Albert Lee will hold a household chemical
cleanup day on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Pearl River County
Road Department on U.S. Highway 11 in Millard.
The cleanup day is made possible through a grant from Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality, Lee said.
http://www.picayuneitem.com/local/x1566990586/Chemical-waste-drop-off-Sat
New era of energy: Mississippi could lead way in industry, Gingrich says
Mississippi could lead way in industry, Gingrich says
Clarion Ledger
Innovative companies with visionary self-starters leading them will carry
the U.S. into a new era of energy, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich
told an estimated 800 people in downtown Jackson on Thursday.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20131206/BIZ/312060017/New-era-energy-Mississippi-could-lead-way-industry-Gingrich-says?nclick_check=1
Energy Leaders: Mississippi Poised For Energy Boom
MPB
Leaders from Mississippi's energy sector say the path to rapid economic
growth is in the use of natural resources like oil and natural gas. MPB's
Jeffrey Hess reports on an energy summit that drew several hundred.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/energy_leaders_mississippi_poised_for_energy_boom
DMR hands out legislative 'wish list' at forum in Biloxi
Sun Herald
BY LAUREN WALCK
BILOXI -- A handful of Coast legislators were treated to a seafood dinner
and a fact-filled show Thursday evening, compliments of the Department of
Marine Resources.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/05/5172103/dmr-hands-out-legislative-wish.html
Auditor seeks federal court' OK to release DMR records
ASSOCIATED PRESSDecember 5, 2013
GULFPORT -- State Auditor Stacey Pickering asked a federal court Thursday
to authorize the release of state Department of Marine Resources records
the Sun Herald is seeking.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/05/5172202/auditor-seeks-federal-court-ok.html
Joe Zeigler, Tina Shumate ask for separate trials in DMR case
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GULFPORT -- The former chief of staff at the Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources wants to be tried separately from other defendants in a
federal corruption case related to the use of public money.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/05/5171019/2-defendants-ask-for-separate.html
Regional
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell discusses coastal resiliency in
metro New Orleans
Benjamin Alexander-Bloch
The Times-Picayune
December 05, 2013 at 7:55 PM
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, in her second visit to
Louisiana since becoming the nation's 51st secretary of the Interior in
April, took a foggy helicopter ride on Thursday (Dec. 5) below the cloud
line, from Kenner, over Violet, Hopedale and Shell Beach in St. Bernard
Parish, then circling North Breton Island off Plaquemines Parish to observe
the erosion that has rocked that island during the past century.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/12/secretary_of_the_interior_sall.html#incart_river
Senior Corps of Engineers official says there is 'no silver bullet' for
coastal restoration
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
December 05, 2013 at 7:33 PM
A senior Army Corps of Engineers official on Thursday warned that a "moon
shot"-like science program is needed to address the effects of global
warming on federal-state plans to restore Louisiana's eroding coastline,
including a careful review of state plans to rebuild wetlands with major
sediment and freshwater diversions along the Mississippi River.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/12/senior_corps_official_says_fed.html#incart_river
East Bank levee authority votes to reaffirm wetlands damage lawsuit against
energy companies
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
December 06, 2013 at 2:18 AM
The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East voted 5-3 during a
special meeting Thursday (Dec. 5) to reaffirm its decision to file suit
against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies to force them to restore damaged
wetlands outside the East Bank levee system or pay for damage that cannot
be restored.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/12/east_bank_levee_authority_vote.html#incart_river
National
Boaters and other groups push for end to ethanol mandate at EPA hearing
Todd Masson
The Times-Picayune
December 05, 2013 at 4:15 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency got an earful Thursday from an
assortment of interest groups, including those representing boaters, about
the nation's ethanol mandate.
http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2013/12/boaters_and_other_groups_push.html
Press Releases
Mississippi Ranked among World's Top Places for Oil and Gas Investment
JACKSON—Speaking to more than 800 attendees at the Governor's Energy
Summit, Gov. Bryant announced the Fraser Institute has again ranked
Mississippi among the world's most attractive places for oil and gas
investment. Mississippi ranks number two globally for energy policy and is
first in its tier when energy policy is considered along with proven oil
and gas reserves.
The Fraser Institute developed the rankings by surveying petroleum industry
executives about barriers to investment in 157 oil- and gas-producing
regions throughout the world. According to the report, barriers to
investment can include high taxes, cost of regulatory compliance,
uncertainty over environmental regulations and the interpretation and
administration of regulations.
"As I have said before, Mississippi's energy sector literally helps fuel
the state's economy," Gov. Phil Bryant said. "This report by the Fraser
Institute continues to prove that our energy policy, our diversity of
resources and our energy infrastructure make us a significant energy state
and one with great opportunities."
Mississippi's number two ranking with regard to energy policy bested other
top performing locations including, Saskatchewan, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas,
Alabama, North Dakota, Manitoba and the North Sea region of the
Netherlands.
This year's survey also overlays the rankings with the size of each
location's proven oil and gas reserves. Mississippi ranked first within its
tier, placing ahead of Saskatchewan, Kansas, Alabama, the Canadian province
of Manitoba, and the North Sea region of the Netherlands.
"Mississippi has achieved this ranking by building a strong business
climate and pursuing sensible, forward-thinking energy policy," Gov. Bryant
said. "These factors and the innovative legislative initiatives we have
enacted make the state an ideal location for oil and gas investment and
growth throughout the energy sector."
For more information on the report and the Fraser Institute, visit
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/.
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| Report Shows that Farm Bill Conservation Practices Reduce Runoff of |
| Nutrients, Sediment in Chesapeake Bay Watershed |
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|USDA-led conservation practices in the Bay watershed are preventing millions|
|of tons of soil erosion annually while reducing harmful runoff, report says |
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|The full report, along with a fact sheet, summary and infographic, is |
|available here. |
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|WASHINGTON, December 5, 2013 – A record number of voluntary conservation |
|practices adopted by Chesapeake Bay farmers since 2006 have significantly |
|reduced the amount of nitrogen, sediment and phosphorus leaving cultivated |
|croplands, according to a new report released today. |
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|The report, part of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) |
|Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) estimates that since 2006, |
|conservation practices applied by farmers and landowners are reducing |
|nitrogen leaving fields by 48.6 million pounds each year, or 26 percent, and|
|reducing phosphorus by 7.1 million pounds, or 46 percent. |
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|The report notes that these practices have also lowered the estimated |
|average edge-of-field losses of sediment, or eroded soil, by about 15.1 |
|million tons a year, or 60 percent – enough soil to fill 150,000 railcars |
|stretching more than 1,700 miles. The majority of the conservation practices|
|in the Chesapeake Bay were made possible through Farm Bill conservation |
|programs, which are now expired. |
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|"This report demonstrates that voluntary conservation practices made |
|possible through the Farm Bill can have a substantial impact on limiting |
|nutrient and sediment runoff from farms in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and |
|across the nation," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "These |
|conservation efforts help to clean our soil and water, boost outdoor |
|recreation that adds more than $640 billion to our economy, and ensure that |
|agriculture has the tools to remain productive in the years to come. The |
|good work of Chesapeake Bay landowners has generated substantial progress in|
|a short period of time, but more needs to be done – which is why it is |
|critical that Congress act now to pass a Farm Bill that provides the full |
|array of programs and incentives to build on these efforts." |
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|The Chesapeake Bay watershed touches six states and is home to 17 million |
|people and almost 84,000 farms and ranches. Agriculture contributes about |
|$10 billion annually to the region's economy. Conservation practices have |
|other environmental benefits, such as sequestering carbon and making farms |
|more resilient to extreme weather events linked to climate change. |
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|In order to better target conservation efforts in the region, USDA launched |
|the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, or CBWI, in 2008. USDA targeted |
|CBWI funding to priority watersheds and practices that would have the |
|biggest impact on watershed health. |
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|Due to these efforts, the report highlights a wider acceptance of innovative|
|conservation practices. Notably, some form of erosion control has been |
|adopted on 97 percent of cropland acres in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. |
|While this does not mean that all acres are fully treated to address |
|sediment and nutrient losses, it is a positive indication of a willingness |
|by farmers to do their part to help restore the Bay watershed. Additionally,|
|the report shows an increased use of cover crops by Bay watershed farmers. |
|Since 2006, land with cover crops in a cropping system increased from 12 |
|percent of acres to 52 percent. Farmers are using a variety of other |
|conservation practices, such as no-till, that help keep nutrients and |
|sediment on fields and out of nearby waterways. |
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|In October, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative expired due to the |
|expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill, reducing the technical and financial |
|assistance available to bay watershed producers. |
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|The CEAP report is part of USDA's effort to quantify the benefit of |
|conservation efforts on private lands in major watersheds, including the |
|Mississippi River and Great Lakes, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. The first |
|CEAP report for the bay was released in 2011 and included data from farmer |
|surveys conducted from 2003 to 2006. Today's release is the first CEAP |
|cropland report to revisit a particular region, and it includes data from an|
|updated farmer survey in 2011. |
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|CEAP reports combine farmer surveys, natural resource information and |
|advanced modeling techniques to assess the effects of conservation practices|
|on cultivated cropland, which account for 10 percent of the land in the Bay |
|watershed. By comparing losses of sediment and nutrients from cultivated |
|cropland to losses that would be expected if conservation practices weren't |
|used, CEAP reports give science-based insight into the approaches with the |
|most benefits. |
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|The full report, along with a fact sheet, summary and infographic, is |
|available here. Learn more about USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment |
|Project. |
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EPA Releases Updated Sustainability Plan
WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan to cut carbon
pollution and lead in clean energy, EPA today released its 2013 Strategic
Sustainability Performance Plan that outlines actions planned over the next
year to cut energy use and waste in agency operations. President Obama
signed Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental,
Energy, and Economic Performance in October 2009, setting aggressive
targets for reducing waste and pollution in Federal operations by 2020.
EPA's 2013 Sustainability Plan builds on four years of progress under the
Executive Order and provides an overview of how the agency is saving
taxpayer dollars, reducing carbon emissions, and saving energy.
The 2013 Sustainability Plan will also help guide EPA's actions to meet the
new goal President Obama set today with a Presidential Memorandum directing
the Federal Government to consume 20 percent of its electricity from
renewable sources by 2020 – more than double the current level. Meeting
this renewable energy goal will reduce pollution in our communities,
promote American energy independence, and support homegrown energy produced
by American workers.
Since 2009, EPA has:
- Reduced energy use by almost 8%; allowing EPA to avoid $1.5 million in
utility costs annually. Compared to the 2003 baseline, EPA has reduced
energy by more than 25%
- Used renewable energy and purchased Green Power Renewable Energy Credits
equal to 100% of its conventional electricity use. Use of Green Power,
coupled with energy conservation and fleet management efforts, reduce EPA
Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas emissions by nearly half from FY 2008 levels.
- Reduced annual water use by more than 25% – that's more than 30 million
gallons per year.
The 2013 Sustainability Plan outlines actions planned for the upcoming year
to continue progress in meeting the President's goals, including:
- Pursuing reconstruction of key EPA research infrastructure. Projects
completed at the Cincinnati, OH, A.W. Breidenbach Environmental Research
Center, EPA's second largest research center, have already reduced energy
use by more than 30%.
- Consolidating the Research Toxicology Laboratory in Durham, NC into the
Main laboratory at Research Triangle Park, NC. This project will reduce
agency rent costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and result in a net
reduction in EPA space without impacting research capacity.
- Continuing work on EPA's award winning water conservation program.
Federal Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans are available now
at http://sustainability.performance.gov
