Friday, January 24, 2014

News Clippings 1.24.14

1.24.13



Oil Spill





Researchers to hold conference in Mobile to discuss after-effects of the BP
oil spill
Press-Register
Michael Finch II
January 23, 2014 at 9:10 PM

MOBILE, Alabama -- Almost four years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

and researchers are still grappling with the after effects of the untold

amount of the substance left behind in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://blog.al.com/live/2014/01/researchers_to_hold_conference.html#incart_river





State






Crew extinguishes fire burning since Wednesday at Miss. biodiesel plant


By HOLBROOK MOHR Associated Press

January 23, 2014 - 10:17 pm



JACKSON, Mississippi — A fire at a north Mississippi biofuels plant has

been extinguished.



The fire, put out about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, had been burning since early
Wednesday at the plant near New Albany, but no injuries were reported.
There were also at least three explosions at JNS Biofuels, formerly known
as North Mississippi Biodiesel.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e32b921a6e1742159580b0723b293fa7/MS--Plant-Fire





Fire Extinguished


WCBI


New Albany, Miss. (WCBI) – The fire at the JNS Biofuels Plant was
extinguished Thursday evening. Local, state, and federal officials also
took preliminary steps to start their investigation to determine what
sparked the blast that destroyed the plant.


http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/fire-extinguished-at-new-albany-biodiesel-plant





Union County plant fire is out
WTVA



UNION COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) — Officials say the fire at a biodiesel plant
north of New Albany is out.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Union-County-plant-fire-is-out/3LSVcJcGAk-nPXD8gHskrQ.cspx





Fire extinguished at biodiesel plant; investigation continues


By JB Clark



Daily Journal



NEW ALBANY – Officials have put out a biodiesel fire that has burned for

the better part of two days.

http://djournal.com/news/fire-extinguished-biodiesel-plant-investigation-continues/




Fire out at New Albany bio-diesel plant

WMC


NEW ALBANY, MS -(WMC-TV) –The fire is finally out at the JNS Biofuels plant
in New Albany, Mississippi and investigators can begin working to figure
out what caused three separate explosions at the plant.
http://www.wmctv.com/story/24537661/fire-out-at-bio-diesel-plant-in-new-albany





Biofuel plant blaze damage may total millions
Averting environmental hazards goal during cleanup of biodiesel production
facility
Clarion Ledger


Thirty-eight hours after an initial explosion rocked a rural Union County

biodiesel plant, emergency responders extinguished the fire just before 8

p.m. Thursday.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140124/NEWS01/301240019/Biofuel-plant-blaze-damage-may-total-millions





Grant funds new compactors in Ridgeland parks
Solar recycling units save landfill space
Clarion Ledger


Sticking with its commitment to keep green, Ridgeland used state grant

funds to purchase five solar-powered recycling compactors for its parks.



The city now has 10 of the compactors, and their cost-saving measures are

just one of the highlights Mayor Gene McGee said they offer his city.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140124/NEWS01/301240021/Grant-funds-new-compactors-Ridgeland-parks?gcheck=1







Sen. Brice Wiggins of Pascagoula files DMR Accountability and

Reorganization Act

Mississippi Press

April M. Havens

January 23, 2014 at 4:05 PM



State Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, has filed a bill to hold the

Department of Marine Resources more accountable in the future.

http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/01/sen_brice_wiggins_files_dmr_ac.html#incart_river





Bill aims to keep DMR in South Mississippi, improve accountability
Senator also wants to improve agency's accountability
Sun Herald

BY ANITA LEE



A bill filed in the state Senate is designed to keep the Mississippi

Department of Marine Resources intact, allow timely agency reorganization

and improve accountability, said Sen. Brice Wiggins, the bill's sponsor.

http://www.sunherald.com/2014/01/23/5281108/sen-wiggins-files-bill-calling.html





Dems fight attack on so-called '13th check'
Clarion Ledger


A bill to stop state employees retiring after July 1 from receiving a

cost-of-living adjustment, referred to as the "13th check," until they turn

65 appears destined for the dustbin.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140124/NEWS010504/301240020/Dems-fight-attack-called-13th-check-






Mississippi PERS director against delaying '13th check'

The Associated Press

January 23, 2014 at 6:12 PM



JACKSON, Mississippi --The head of the Mississippi Public Employees

Retirement System says she opposes a bill that would make state and local

government retirees wait until they're 65 to collect an annual

cost-of-living adjustment known as the "13th check," even if they retire

years earlier.

http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/01/mississippi_pers_director_agai.html#incart_river





National





Obama: Fossil fuels are here to stay, so let's clean them up

The Hill

By Laura Barron-Lopez




President Obama said he is putting a big priority on his carbon action plan
in order to keep fossil fuels viable in a world that is battling climate
change.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/196230-obama-fossil-fuels-are-here-to-stay-so-lets-clean-them-up





NTSB pushes regulators to improve safety of crude oil trains
BY CURTIS TATE

McClatchy Washington BureauJanuary 23, 2014



WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board called Thursday for

federal regulators to take more aggressive steps to protect the public and

the environment from oil spills and fires from trains.

http://www.sunherald.com/2014/01/23/5281441/ntsb-pushes-regulators-to-improve.html








Top Republican says EPA fraudster revelations 'first layer of a very big
onion'




Fox News



The top Republican on the Senate environment committee said Thursday that
newly released transcripts showing an ex-EPA official discussing his
widespread fraud against the government -- as well as a pet "project" to
"modify" capitalism -- are likely "the first layer of a very big onion" at
the EPA.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/24/top-republican-says-epa-fraudster-claims-first-layer-very-big-onion/





Opinion





SUN HERALD | Editorial: Betrayal of public trust should not be rewarded


Employees of state government should not profit if they betray their

positions of public trust.

http://www.sunherald.com/2014/01/23/5281577/sun-herald-editorial-betrayal.html