2/19/14
Oil Spill
Administering BP claims settlement is tough work but worth it, lawyer says
Baton Rouge Advocate
BY RICHARD THOMPSON
Patrick Juneau was leaving church in Lafayette recently when a woman
approached him.
http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/8403597-148/story.html
$60,0000 contract ruffles Baldwin County commissioner
Press-Register
Thyrie Bland
February 18, 2014 at 5:18 PM
A decision by the Baldwin County Commission to pay an attorney to help the
county secure BP oil spill money caused some tension at today's commission
meeting.
http://blog.al.com/live/2014/02/600000_contract_ruffles_baldwi.html
State
MS Dept. of Environmental Quality hears concerns in Pascagoula
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -Noise, dust, litter, and strange odors have driven
some Pascagoula residents over the edge. Monday night, they got a chance to
voice their concerns.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24748457/ms-dept-of-environmental-quality-hears-concerns-in-pascagoula
Ocean Springs' Scott Walker plans to plead guilty to fraud, conspiracy in
two federal cases
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
GULFPORT -- Ocean Springs businessman and former mayoral candidate Scott
Walker plans to plead guilty to one count of fraud and one count of
conspiracy in two federal corruption cases filed against him and others.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/02/18/5349683/ocean-springs-scott-walker-plans.html
Court papers say Scott Walker will plead guilty
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -There's a new development in the federal corruption case
connected to the Department of Marine Resources. Scott Walker has notified
the federal court that he will change his 'not guilty' plea in two federal
cases filed against him.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24759285/court-papers-say-scott-walker-will-plead-guilty
Ocean Springs' Scott Walker to plead guilty to counts of fraud, conspiracy
Mississippi Press
Warren Kulo
February 19, 2014 at 1:12 AM
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Scott Walker of Ocean Springs will plead
guilty to one count of federal program fraud and one count of conspiracy,
according to court documents filed electronically Tuesday with the U.S.
District Court.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/02/ocean_springs_scott_walker_to.html
Pascagoula planning for $715,000 sewer system upgrade project
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
February 18, 2014 at 8:10 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- The Pascagoula City Council tonight voted to
approve a budget amendment that will allow the city to get $715,000 in
sewer updates for a cost of $238,050.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/02/pascagoula_planning_for_715000.html#incart_river
Columbus Plans to Help West Point Recycling Program
WCBI
COLUMBUS, Miss. – (WCBI)Columbus may give West Point's new curbside
recycling program a helping hand.
The Columbus City Council tonight agreed to sell an unused paper and
cardboard baler to West Point. The only hitch is figuring out a reasonable
price.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-columbus-plans-to-help-west-point-recycling-program
CMR tackles proposed change in gill net regulations
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -The controversy over gill net fishing is flaring-up
again. Twenty years ago, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
held public hearings on gill net rules that attracted dozens of angry
commercial fishermen.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24755472/cmr-tackles-proposed-change-in-gill-net-regulations
Gill nets back on CMR's agenda; Taylor won't seek reappointment
Sun Herald
BY PATRICK OCHS
BILOXI -- Most of Tuesday's Commission on Marine Resources meeting
consisted of a back-and-forth discussion of degradable net regulations.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/02/18/5348935/taylor-wont-seek-reappointment.html
Canadian students help protect our coastal environment
WLOX
MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) -Some Canadian students are spending their spring
break in Moss Point learning how to take care of the environment. The
students from McMaster University are working at the future site of the
Pascagoula River Audubon Center.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24758603/canadian-students-help-protect-our-coastal-environment
HUD Says It Wants To See Port's Jobs Plan Within 60 Days
MPB
The Port of Gulfport is facing criticism again for the way it's kept track
of jobs under its $600 million restoration and expansion project.
But now the focus is turning to how the port is going to create – and
document - the 1,300 new jobs it's promised.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/hud_says_it_wants_to_see_ports_jobs_plan_within_60_days
National
EPA Emission Rules Face Test at High Court
Wall Street Journal
Seven years after a landmark Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for
federal regulation of greenhouse gases, the justices will consider whether
the Environmental Protection Agency has stretched its powers too far in
applying new emissions rules.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579389302045805162
Air pollution exposure may increase risk of autism, schizophrenia
Fox News
Air pollution exposure has long been suspected to increase the risk of both
heart and lung diseases, but another important organ may also be at risk of
injury from this contaminated air: the brain.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/18/air-pollution-exposure-may-increase-risk-neurodevelopmental-disorders/?intcmp=latestnews
Obama orders new green rules
The Hill
President Obama on Tuesday announced he was ordering his administration to
develop a set of new fuel efficiency standards for trucks, buses and other
heavy-duty vehicles.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/198592-obama-orders-new-green-standards-for-trucks
EPA cracks down on lead exposure violations
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday announced settlement
agreements with dozens of businesses found to have violated the agency's
regulations on lead dust exposure.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/198586-epa-cracks-down-on-lead-exposure-violations
Press Releases
EPA TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT PUBLIC FROM HARMFUL LEAD EXPOSURE
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
enforcement actions that will require 35 home renovation contractors and
training providers to take additional steps to protect communities by
minimizing harmful lead dust from home renovation activities, as required
by the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Standards. These
standards provide important, front-line protection for children and others
vulnerable to exposure to lead dust that can cause lead poisoning.
"Families deserve the peace of mind that home renovations occur without
harming children," said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA's
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Businesses that play by
the rules deserve to compete on a level playing field. EPA will continue to
enforce the nation's lead rules to protect the public from illegal and
dangerous lead exposure."
The settlements, issued between May 2013 and January 2014, include 17
contractors that failed to obtain required certification prior to
performing renovation activities on pre-1978 homes, where lead is more
likely to be present. In addition, 21 settlements involve violations for
failure to follow required lead-safe work practices, and three cases
involve general contractors who failed to ensure their subcontractors
followed the RRP standards.
The enforcement actions, which all require contractors to certify
compliance with the RRP standards, led to more than $274,000 in civil
penalties.
Three of the companies agreed to fund environmental projects to benefit
communities. HarenLaughlin Construction and Exterior Energy Consultants
will fund lead abatement work at local properties, while the New Jersey
Council of Community Colleges will provide tuition-free, EPA accredited
training courses to renovators expected to work on projects impacted by
Hurricane Sandy.
The RRP standards, which are part of the federal Toxic Substances Control
Act, are intended to ensure that owners and occupants of housing built
before 1978 and child-occupied facilities receive information on lead-based
paint hazards before renovations begin, that individuals performing such
renovations are properly trained and certified by EPA, and that, during
renovations, specific work practices are followed to reduce the potential
for lead-based paint exposure.
Contractors that are certified under EPA's RRP standards are encouraged to
display EPA's "Lead-Safe" logo on worker's uniforms, signs, websites, and
other material, as appropriate. Consumers can protect themselves by looking
for the logo before hiring a home contractor.
Between May 2013 and January 2014, EPA has settled enforcement actions with
the following companies:
Environmental Engineering & Technology, Inc. of Newport News, VA
The Training Network, Inc. of Oak Hill, VA
Professional Training Associates, Inc. of Duquesne, PA
The Home Hero, LLC of Philadelphia, PA
Thermo-Twin Industries, Inc. of Oakmont, PA
Samuel M. Lewis of Columbus, OH
Midwest College Painters, LLC of Bloomfield, MI
D&S Construction of Western Ohio, LLC of Sidney, OH
M&J Environmental Institute of Maple Grove, MN
Hannegan Construction Company of St. Charles, MO
HarenLaughlin Construction of Lenexa, KS
Jason Madura of Warsaw, MO
Nezerka Enterprises LLC d/b/a Certa Pro Painters of Shawnee
Mission, KS
James L. and Dona D. Jungers of Lincoln, NE
Dennis Barker of Fairbury, NE
Painting Done Right of Lincoln, NE
Prudent Technologies, Inc. of Kansas City, MO
Rothers Inc., d/b/a Rothers Design/Build of Kansas City, KS
Ritchie Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Puroclean Emergency Restoration
Services of Sullivan, MO
Exterior Energy Consultants, Inc. of Gladstone, MO
Philip Thornton and Stanley Thornton of Marshall, MO
Van Dyk Construction of Littleton, CO
Devex Construction LLC of Greenwood Village, CO
Thomas Breuer Construction of Sioux Falls, SD
Alaska Commercial Contractors, Inc. of Juneau, AK
VanPool Painting, Inc. of Juneau, AK
Kachina Contractor Solutions, LLC of Elkins Park, PA
Collegiate Entrepreneurs, Inc. of Braintree, MA
Bill Vizzo Contractors, LLC of Shelton, CT
James J. Welch & Co., Inc. of Salem, MA
New Hampshire Plate Glass Corp. of Portsmouth, NH
Dura-Plex, Inc. of Brick, NJ
Hernandez Painting of Hempstead, NY
Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development / New Jersey
Council of Community Colleges of Trenton, NJ
Schryer Thompson Construction, Inc. of Concord, CA
More information about the settlements:
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/lead-renovation-repair-and-painting-rule-february-2014
More information about the RRP standards and how contractors can get
certified: www.epa.gov/lead
