2.10.2014
Oil Spill
Tracking spending of BP spill money, restoration projects, green building
should be focus of 2014 stories, readers say
The Times-Picayune
Keeping track of the billions of dollars to be spent on natural resources
restoration projects in Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states in the
aftermath of the BP oil spill was the top issue raised during an impromptu
roundtable of environmental leaders in New Orleans this week.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/02/tracking_spending_of_bp_spill.html
Louisiana to sell $500 mln in bonds; assures on oil spill costs
Reuters
Fri, Feb 7 2014
NEW YORK, Feb 7 (Reuters) - New municipal bond issuance is set to fall to
around $3.3 billion next week, with the state of Louisiana issuing an
assurance on costs related to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
before a planned sale of nearly $500 million of state-backed debt.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/07/muni-deals-idUSL2N0LC1ZN20140207
The BP oil spill and a federal judge's family tree: James Varney
James Varney
The Times-Picayune
February 07, 2014 at 2:46 PM
The deeper one ventures into the legal thicket surrounding the BP Deepwater
Horizon oil spill, the more gnarled the underbrush becomes. In at least one
instance, a prominent Louisiana legal family is involved at myriad levels.
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2014/02/the_bp_oil_spill_and_a_federal.html
State
County agrees to ozone action plan
DeSoto Times
By BOB BAKKEN
Published: Saturday, February 8, 2014 1:05 AM CST
HERNANDO - A ready-mix concrete company that violated a permit requirement
in a DeSoto County project is agreeing to pay some of the money to help the
county educate residents about protecting the ozone.
The County Board of Supervisors last month agreed to an Ozone Action Plan
agreement with Sequatchie Concrete Service of Tennessee and the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2014/02/08/news/local/doc52f5c4dce8c6f472637199.txt
Former D'Iberville city manager Janus to change plea on corruption charges
By JEFF AMY Associated Press
February 07, 2014 - 8:40 pm EST
JACKSON, Mississippi — Former D'Iberville manager Michael Janus will change
his plea on charges that he defrauded the city of $180,000 in grant money
after admitting his guilt to FBI agents in an interview last year.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/64308ac7b0bb4149a9d5f5bb6e4d7dae/MS--MDMR-Plea
Miller says DMR 'realignment' bill won't mean firings
Sun Herald
BY PAUL HAMPTON
February 7, 2014
The executive director of the state Department of Marine Resources said he
needs to be out from under the constraint of the state Personnel Board to
finish his "realignment" of the agency.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/02/07/5321149/miller-says-dmr-realignment-bill.html
Cleveland looks to go paperless
Bolivar Commercial
by Courtney Warren
Cleveland Board of Aldermen recently approved the request to go paperless
by City Administrator Farae Wolfe.
The Cleveland School District also recently went paperless and Wolfe hopes
to get some tips from the district.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/24537587/article-Cleveland-looks-to-go-paperless?instance=latest_articles
Earning more from land focus of seminar
Clarion Ledger
Landowners can find new and innovative ways to earn extra income by
attending a Natural Resource Enterprises business workshop Feb. 25 in
Jackson.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140209/BIZ/302090001/Earning-more-from-land-focus-seminar
Keeping bees safe goal of program
Clarion Ledger
STARKVILLE — Mississippi farmers and beekeepers are working together to
protect the state's pollinators from accidental exposure to pesticides used
on crops.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140209/BIZ/302090022/Keeping-bees-safe-goal-program
Officials say it's a new Kemper County
Lower taxes open door for more businesses
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN — Terri Ferguson Smith
Kemper County taxpayers got a break this year thanks to a boost in taxes
from Mississippi Power's lignite plant under construction.
The reduction in taxes makes the county more business friendly,
according to Craig Hitt, executive director of the Kemper County Economic
Development Authority.
http://www.meridianstar.com/local/x1280780070/Officials-say-its-a-new-Kemper-County
Regional
EPA agrees to review, strengthen rules governing air pollution from
refineries after suit by Louisiana Bucket Brigade, other environmental
groups
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
February 07, 2014 at 5:47 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to review, and possibly
update, the standards controlling the release of hazardous air pollutants
from oil refineries as part of a consent agreement with environmental
groups, including the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, that was approved this week
by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/02/epa_agrees_to_require_more_pol.html#incart_river
National
Exclusive: Duo tracks double-dipping in U.S. oil firms' toxic tank cleanup
Reuters
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - A pioneer in cleaning up toxic messes,
Thomas Schruben long suspected major oil companies of being paid twice for
dealing with leaks from underground fuel storage tanks - once from
government funds and again, secretly, from insurance companies.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-usa-environment-tanks-20140209,0,575107,full.story
EPA piles up billions
The Hill
By Ben Goad
Environmental Protection Agency investigations yielded more than $5.6
billion in criminal and civil penalties over the past year, the agency said
Friday.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/197839-epa-touts-billions-in-fines
EPA set to strike key blow against coal?
Fox News
Stymied by the GOP's long resistance to cap and trade legislation, the EPA
this week began public hearings -- the next step toward a final rule -- to
cut carbon dioxide emissions from new coal plants.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/07/epa-begins-hearings-to-cut-carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-new-coal-plants/
University studies if quakes in North Texas linked to fracking
Reuters
Fri, Feb 7 2014
By Jana Pruet
DALLAS (Reuters) - A team of scientists has launched a study of seismic
activity in North Texas to determine if fracking may be the cause of a
series of earthquakes that have rattled two towns in the region since
November.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/07/us-usa-fracking-texas-idUSBREA1621320140207
Energy regs come with $70M price tag
The Hill
By Tim Devaney
The Obama administration is moving forward with tougher energy efficiency
standards that would cost manufacturers more than $70 million, but save
consumers billions of dollars in energy bills.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/197856-energy-regs-comes-with-70m-price-tag
Opinion
The EPA's CO2 'Tailoring Rule' Will Hammer Small Businesses
Forbes
By RICHARD FAULK
A funny thing happened on the way to regulating America's carbon dioxide
emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency discovered that it couldn't
comply with the Clean Air Act as it was written. Because carbon dioxide is
emitted and consumed everywhere as an essential part of Earth's ecosystem –
it seems clear that it is not a "pollutant" within the meaning of the Act.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/02/07/the-epas-co2-tailoring-rule-will-hammer-small-businesses/
Press Releases
Annual EPA Enforcement Results Highlight Focus on Major Environmental
Violations
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released
its annual enforcement and compliance results demonstrating a focus on
violations that have the most impact on public health.
"Our enforcement work over the past year reflects our focus on the biggest
violators and the cases that make the most difference in protecting
American communities from pollution," said Cynthia Giles, Assistant
Administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
"Big cases like the Deepwater Horizon disaster and Walmart's illegal
handling of pesticides and hazardous waste resulted in nationwide reforms
and billions of dollars to help affected communities. We've reduced deadly
air toxics from refineries and chemical plants and cleaned up toxic
pollution in communities. We're working with cities to cut discharges of
raw sewage and contaminated stormwater to the nation's waters. Driving
compliance and deterring violations in these sectors is a critical way EPA
protects the air, water and land on which Americans depend, and creates a
level playing field for companies that do the right thing."
Highlights from fiscal year 2013 include:
-- EPA's cases resulted in criminal sentences requiring violators to pay
more than $4.5 billion in combined fines, restitution and court-ordered
environmental projects that benefit communities, and more than $1.1 billion
in civil penalties.
-- Pursuing justice for Gulf Coast residents through the Deepwater Horizon
cases, resulting in over $3.7 billion going back to benefit the Gulf States
and communities impacted by the spill.
-- Requiring Walmart to commit to cutting edge hazardous waste handling
systems, as well as compliance and training programs that will protect
employees and nearby residents. Walmart also paid more than $80 million in
fines and penalties for mishandling pesticides and hazardous waste.
-- Ensuring that companies take responsibility and clean up the toxic
pollution they create. In a landmark settlement, AVX Corporation committed
to pay over $366 million to clean up contamination in Massachusetts's New
Bedford Harbor, the largest single-site cash settlement in Superfund
history.
-- Reducing dangerous air toxics released from industrial flares at
refineries and chemical plants, requiring companies to implement
technologies that control emissions. A recent Clean Air Act settlement with
Shell Deer Park in Texas requires continuous monitoring of cancer-causing
benzene and vehicle retrofits to reduce diesel emissions, put in place to
benefit nearby overburdened communities. See another example of innovative
pollution controls from Countrymark Refining.
-- Reducing emissions from coal fired power plants, requiring companies to
cut pollution and conduct mitigation projects that promote energy
efficiency and protect clean air for local communities. See examples from
Wisconsin Power and Light, Dominion Energy and Louisiana Generating.
-- Working with cities to cut discharges of raw sewage and contaminated
stormwater to the nation's waters through integrated planning, green
infrastructure and other innovative approaches. This helps cities manage
resources better, cut pollution and improve quality of life for local
residents. Recent settlements with Seattle and King Co., WA and Wyandotte
County, KS require cities to initially provide relief to overburdened
communities most impacted by sewage discharges. Other examples of
innovative settlements include San Antonio, TX and Jackson, MS.
More information about EPA's Fiscal Year 2013 enforcement results:
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/enforcement-annual-results-fiscal-year-fy-2013
EPA Evaluation Finds Use of Coal Ash in Concrete and Wallboard Appropriate
WASHINGTON – Using a newly developed methodology, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) today released its evaluation of the two largest
beneficial uses of encapsulated coal combustion residuals (CCR or coal
ash): use in concrete as a substitute for portland cement, and the use of
flue gas desulfurization gypsum as a substitute for mined gypsum in
wallboard. EPA's evaluation concluded that the beneficial use of
encapsulated CCRs in concrete and wallboard is appropriate because they are
comparable to virgin materials or below the agency's health and
environmental benchmarks.
These two uses account for nearly half of the total amount of coal ash that
is beneficially used.
"The protective reuse of coal ash advances sustainability by saving
valuable resources, reducing costs, and lessening environmental impacts,
including reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Mathy Stanislaus,
assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response.
In evaluating these two beneficial uses, EPA used its newly developed,
Methodology for Evaluating Encapsulated Beneficial Uses of Coal Combustion
Residuals. The methodology is intended to assist states and other
interested parties with evaluating and making informed determinations about
encapsulated beneficial uses of CCRs.
Coal ash is formed when coal is burned in boilers that generate steam for
power generation and industrial applications. Slightly more than half of
coal ash is disposed of in dry landfills and surface impoundments. The
remainder of coal ash is used beneficially, as well as in mining
applications.
More information on the methodology:
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/imr/ccps/benfuse.htm
