12.9.13
Oil Spill
First Gulf oil spill natural resource study reveals extensive damage in
shoreline, deepwater habitats
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
December 08, 2013 at 8:35 AM
The extensive damage caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the
ensuing cleanup efforts to natural resources along the shoreline and in
deepwater habitats of the Gulf of Mexico were outlined for the first time
Friday (Dec. 6) in a comprehensive environmental assessment.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/12/bp_oil_spill_natural_resource.html#incart_river
Gulf gets more restoration projects from BP fund
AP
NEW ORLEANS — Restoring the oil-stained Gulf of Mexico coastline is
critical to the Obama administration's fight against climate change, U.S.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said Friday.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/viewart/20131207/NEWS01/131206019/Gulf-gets-more-restoration-projects-from-BP-fund-
South Mississippi gets $68.9 million more from BP fund
BY JANET MCCONNAUGHEY
Associated Press
December 6, 2013
NEW ORLEANS -- Mississippi will get $68.9 million as part of the latest
round of funding for 44 restoration projects announced Friday by U.S.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/06/5174249/mississippi-coast-gets-more-restoration.html
Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa awarded large sum
By TOM McLAUGHLIN / Daily News
Published: Friday, December 6, 2013 at 20:51 PM.
Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties received good news Friday when the
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Board of Trustees doled out $88 million
for projects to counties affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/okaloosa-walton-and-santa-rosa-awarded-large-sum-1.245781
Millions announced for local BP restoration projects
Pensacola News Journal
More than $9.5 million in BP restoration dollars are headed to Escambia and
Santa Rosa counties to restore dunes, improve beach boardwalks and boat
ramps and expand so-called living shorelines along the Pensacola Bay
estuary.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20131206/NEWS01/131206010/Millions-announced-local-BP-restoration-projects?nclick_check=1
Alabama coast in line for more cash from BP fund; public invited to
weigh-in on projects
Press-Register
Michael Finch II
December 06, 2013 at 5:07 PM
MOBILE, Alabama -- A group managing environmental restoration projects
along the Gulf Coast to undo the damage done by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon
oil spill released Friday a rough sketch of their plans for improving the
region.
http://blog.al.com/live/2013/12/alabama_coast_in_line_for_more.html
BP Investors Can't Sue as Group Over Losses, Judge Rules
Bloomberg
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and Laurel Brubaker Calkins - Dec 6, 2013
BP Plc (BP/)'s U.S. investors can't pursue as a group claims that the
company inflated its shares with misleading statements before and after the
Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a judge ruled, citing a recent Supreme Court
decision.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-06/bp-investors-can-t-sue-as-group-over-losses-judge-says.html
Lessons From the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
NY Times
By HENRY FOUNTAIN
On a cold March night in 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground off the
coast of Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the waters
of Prince William Sound and creating one of the worst oil spills in
American history. This week's Retro Report examines how that spill happened
and follows its impact over the past twenty-five years. Watch the video
above for the complete story. Below, a Times reporter who covered the BP
oil disaster of 2010 writes about how containment and cleanup evolved.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/booming/lessons-from-the-exxon-valdez-oil-spill.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1386598034-trlSTKoC/Fps4PYdhYY0fQ
State
Tis the season to recycle
Bolivar Commercial
by Courtney Stevens
12.08.13 - 12:31 pm
With Christmas fast approaching that means presents and presents mean boxes
and boxes mean recycling.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/24187395/article-Tis-the-season-to-recycle?instance=latest_articles
Judge delays DMR records ruling
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSONAND JUSTIN MITCHELL
December 6, 2013
GULFPORT -- Chancery Court Judge Jennifer Schloegel said Friday she will
wait to see how a hearing in federal court plays out before she rules on
whether the state auditor is in contempt in her court over his failure to
produce public records.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/12/06/5173274/assistant-ag-takes-stand-in-contempt.html
National
Supreme Court weighs issue of cross-state air pollution
USA Today
BELTSVILLE, Md. — Inside an unmarked trailer at the end of an
unmarked dirt road about 15 miles north of the nation's capital, a
high-tech radar monitor beeps every 10 minutes in an effort to find
out who is polluting Maryland's air.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/08/supreme-court-clean-air-pollution-states/3896299/
S.C., other states battle EPA over clean air rules
Greenville News
WASHINGTON — A legal battle over how South Carolina and other states should
help reduce air pollution that drifts downwind will reach the U.S. Supreme
Court next week.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20131208/NEWS/312080019/S-C-other-states-battle-EPA-over-clean-air-rules?nclick_check=1
Green groups press Interior and EPA on methane emissions
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
More than 90 green groups across the U.S. are calling on the Environmental
Protection Agency and Interior Department to regulate methane emissions
from oil and gas industry operations.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/192342-green-groups-press-interior-and-epa-on-methane-emissions
Wastewater Case Raises the Concept of Underground Trespassing
NY Times
By JIM MALEWITZ
A case involving the disposal of industrial wastewater pits two interests
that are dear to many Texans against each other: oil and gas resources
versus private property rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/06/us/wastewater-case-raises-the-concept-of-underground-trespassing.html?ref=earth&_r=0&pagewanted=print
Fracking waste fills WV landfills under new rule
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press
McLEAN, Va. (AP) — A memo released quietly by regulators earlier this year
has carved a major loophole in West Virginia's rules restricting the amount
of waste that can be accepted by the state's landfills, all with the intent
to ease a burgeoning problem caused by the boom in gas drilling,
environmentalists say.
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Fracking-waste-fills-WV-landfills-under-new-rule-5043921.php
EPA Final Rule on Coal Ash Not Expected Within Next 12 Months, Barring
Court Action
Friday, December 6, 2013
Bloomberg
Dec. 3 --The Environmental Protection Agency has shifted its rulemaking on
the management of coal ash to its "long-term action" list, meaning a final
regulation is unlikely in the next 12 months unless a federal court
intercedes.
http://www.bna.com/epa-final-rule-n17179880544/
Opinion
Congress needs to shake the cobwebs out of the Clean Air Act
Washington Post
By Editorial Board, Published: December 8
SINCE 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been trying to
enforce the Clean Air Act's "good-neighbor" provision, which obliges states
not to foul each other's air. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear
arguments over whether the agency's latest attempt is legal or whether it
is an overly grasping application of authorities Congress never gave it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/congress-needs-to-shake-the-cobwebs-out-of-the-clean-air-act/2013/12/08/5a7422e2-5ec5-11e3-bc56-c6ca94801fac_print.html
Ideas for Mississippi's energy growth vary
December 6th, 2013| by Jeff Ayres
Clarion Ledger
The attendees of Thursday's Governor's Energy Summit in Jackson were on the
same page in that Mississippi has vast potential to grow its energy-related
economy. But ideas vary on which type of source is most viable, and which
customer base is most desirable.
http://blogs.clarionledger.com/theprofitmargin/2013/12/06/ideas-for-mississippis-energy-growth-vary/
Press Releases
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trustees Invite Public Comment on $627 Million
in Proposed Early Restoration Gulf Projects
Public asked to consider 44 proposed projects and a plan for early
restoration decisions;10 public meetings scheduled in Gulf states
Gulf Coast (Dec. 6, 2013) ---The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural
Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (Trustees) released a draft plan that
proposes $627 million in early restoration projects across the Gulf states.
The Draft Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Draft Early
Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (draft) is
available for public review and comment through Feb. 4.
This marks the third and largest phase of early restoration to date.
Included in the draft are 44 proposed projects. Some aim to restore barrier
islands, dunes, marshes, shorelines, and oyster beds. Others, such as boat
ramps and park enhancements, seek to address the lost recreational use of
natural resources.
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director
Trudy Fisher said, "It is important that we hear from the people of
Mississippi on the four proposed projects for our state. I invite the
public to review the projects on our website at www.restore.ms, leave
comments, and plan to attend the December 17th public meeting in Long
Beach. The Trustees are considering both ecological and recreational use
restoration projects to restore injuries caused by the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill, addressing the physical and biological environment as well as
the relationship people have with the environment."
The draft also proposes a programmatic plan for continuing to pursue
early restoration. The draft, available at
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, includes the programmatic plan and the
complete list of proposed projects, with locations and descriptions. (Click
here for a list of proposed projects.)
Of the $627 million, ecological projects comprise about $397 million,
which is approximately 63 percent of the total. Lost recreational use
projects make up the remaining $230 million. Both approaches meet criteria
under the Oil Pollution Act and other applicable laws and guidelines.
The draft's release opens a 60-day public comment period that runs
through Feb. 4. The comment period will include 10 public meetings held
across the Gulf states. All meetings will begin with an interactive open
house during which Trustee staff will be available to discuss project
details. The open house will be followed by a formal presentation and
opportunity to provide comments to Trustee representatives. Meeting times,
dates and locations are listed below.
Visit www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.govto download an electronic copy
of the draft and to view a list of public libraries and community
locations across the Gulf in which copies of the draft have been placed
for public review.
In addition to verbal comments at public meetings, the public may
submit written comments:
• Online: www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
• By U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567,
Atlanta, GA 30345.
Early restoration projects represent an initial step toward
fulfilling the responsible parties' obligation to pay for restoration of
injured natural resources. Ultimately, the responsible parties are
obligated to compensate the public for the full scope of natural resource
injuries caused by the spill, including the cost of assessment and
restoration planning.
| Time | Location
| |
Date | |
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Dec. 16 | 6:00 PM Open House | The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel,
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Moonlight
| | A, 26 North Royal Street, Mobile, AL 36602
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Dec. 17 | 6:00 PM Open House | University of Southern Mississippi, FEC
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Auditorium, 730
| | East Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, MS 39560
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 14 | 5:30 PM Open House | Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Louisiana 23,
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Belle
| | Chasse, LA 70037
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 15 | 5:30 PM Open House | Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium,
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Plantation
| | Room, 310 North Canal Boulevard, Thibodaux,
| | LA 70302
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 16 | 5:30 PM Open House | Spring Hill Suites Lake Charles, Pelican
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Room, 1551 West
| | Prien Lake Road, Lake Charles, LA 70601
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 21 | 6:00 PM Open House | Port Arthur Civic Center, Hall E, 3401
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Cultural Center
| | Drive, Port Arthur, TX 77642
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 22 | 6:00 PM Open House | Texas A&M University at Galveston, Seawolf
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Parkway
| | on Pelican Island, Auditorium, Class Room
| | Lab Building, (Building #3007 on campus
| | map), Galveston, TX 77554
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 23 | 6:00 PM Open House | Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Studies
| | Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, 6300
| | Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 28 | 6:00 PM Open House | Pensacola Bay Center, 201 East Gregory
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Street,
| | Pensacola, FL 32502
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 29 | 6:00 PM Open House | Hilton Garden Inn Panama City, 1101 US
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Highway 231,
| | Panama City, FL 32405
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AWARDED TWO GRANTS FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tammy Craft, MDA Public Relations
601.359.6556, Cell: 601.383.4806, tcraft@mississippi.org
Jackson, Miss, (December 4, 2013) – The Energy and Natural Resources
Division of the Mississippi Development Authority was recently awarded two
grants from the U.S. Department of Energy's State Energy Program. The
grants are designed to help increase statewide energy savings and boost the
energy efficiency of public institutions, local governments and industrial
sectors.
A total of $4 million was awarded to 13 states for projects in three
specific areas: Advancing Industrial Energy Efficiency, Stimulating Energy
Efficiency Action in States, and Retrofitting Public Buildings. The state
of Mississippi received $100,000 for Advanced Industrial Energy Efficiency
and $500,000 for Stimulating Energy Efficiency Actions in States, for a
total of $600,000.
"Mississippi has seen a tremendous amount of momentum in the area of energy
efficiency since Governor Bryant released hisEnergy Works state energy plan
in 2012, which called for an increased focus on energy efficiency," said
Karen Bishop, director of MDA's Energy & Natural Resources Division. "These
two awards from the Department of Energy will provide Mississippi with the
resources for continued progress."
The $100,000 grant will be used to identify certain barriers in order to
improve industrial energy efficiency and combined heat and power, or CHP,
and to develop strategies to address those barriers. The state will also
promote awareness and knowledge of CHP in industry by developing and
implementing a CHP workshop and an industrial energy efficiency action
plan, while continuing to develop the Mississippi E3 (Economy, Energy, and
Environment) program through Innovate Mississippi to promote industrial
energy efficiency and CHP in Mississippi.
Utilizing the $500,000 grant, MDA will work to maximize utility and other
demand side management potential by providing critical resources to support
the development and deployment of energy efficiency programs in the state.
"We are so pleased to partner with Innovate Mississippi, the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality, and the Southeast Energy Efficiency
Alliance to achieve the goals outlined in our grant proposals. Mississippi
has gained much ground in the past year, but there is still much left to
do. We are eager to start working on these projects," said Bishop.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Energy's website.
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