4.11.14
Oil Spill
4 years after spill, questions on long-term health
BY KEVIN MCGILL AND STACEY PLAISANCE
The Associated Press
April 11, 2014
CHALMETTE, LA. — When a BP oil well began gushing crude into the Gulf of
Mexico four years ago, fisherman George Barisich used his boat to help
clean up the millions of gallons that spewed in what would become the worst
offshore spill in U.S. history.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/11/5488600/4-years-after-spill-questions.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
THE GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL AT A GLANCE
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — April 20 marks the fourth anniversary of an explosion on
the BP-operated drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which killed 11 workers
about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico and set off
the nation's worst offshore oil disaster.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/gulf-mexico-oil-spill-glance
Researchers studying health of Gulf oil spill cleanup workers to update
findings Friday
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
April 10, 2014 at 4:39 PM
Researchers with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
are set to provide an update on findings from a years-long study looking at
the impact the 2010 Gulf oil spill had on the health of those involved in
the cleanup effort. The study, launched in the early days of the spill, is
tracking the spill's impact on some 33,000 cleanup workers and volunteers.
http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2014/04/researchers_studying_health_of.html
NWF: Barataria Bay still struggling 4 years after BP oil spill
WWL
BARATARIA BAY, La. -- The BP oil spill is neither gone, nor forgotten along
coastal Louisiana.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/NWF-Barataria-Bay-Struggling--254814391.html
BP leadership addresses Gulf future with Deepwater Horizon anniversary
approaching
Jordan Blum
Houston Business Journal
BP PLC (NYSE: BP) CEO Bob Dudley said the British supermajor is a "more
compact and resilient company" as it approaches the April 20 anniversary of
the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy.
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2014/04/bp-leadership-addresses-gulf-future-with-deepwater.html?page=all
State
North Lee audit cites financial issues
By Robbie Ward
Daily Journal
TUPELO – An audit of the North Lee County Water Association revealed
widespread financial management problems in the nonprofit cooperative.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-audit-cites-financial-issues/
Right Way To Throw Away Day set for Saturday
Hattiesburg American
Local residents will be able to dispose of hazardous household waste at no
charge Saturday in the annual "Right Way To Throw Away Day" in Forrest and
Lamar counties.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20140410/NEWS01/140410013/Right-Way-Throw-Away-Day-set-Saturday
Water Not The Only Danger With Flood in Mississippi
MPB
BY JEFFREY HESS
Flood waters that are currently sitting in much of Central and Southeast
Mississippi could be contaminated with sewage and other chemicals. MPB's
Jeffrey Hess reports that officials are also warning about displaced
animals.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/water_not_the_only_danger_with_flood_in_mississippi
MDEQ issues, lifts advisories
Sun Herald
A rainy weekend has led to bacteria levels in Coast waters. Several water
advisories have been issued in the past week, and two more were issued
Thursday.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/10/5488320/around-south-mississippi.html?sp=/99/184/
MDOT Trash Bash means a cleaner South Mississippi
WLOX
ACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -The roadways in South Mississippi received a
spring cleaning Thursday, thanks to hundreds of highway department
volunteers who took part in the 24th annual Trash Bash. More than 100 miles
along six major highways in Jackson and George counties were scoured clean.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25215442/mdot-trash-bash-means-a-cleaner-south-mississippi
Regional
'Unhappy' Gulf Council approves 11-day 2014 recreational red snapper season
Press-Register
Jeff Dute
April 10, 2014 at 4:32 PM
It was another busy day in Baton Rouge with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council voting on several issues affecting the red snapper
fishery.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/04/unhappy_gulf_council_approves.html#incart_river
Congressman Byrne offers bill to repeal 'inflexible' Gulf of Mexico fishing
quotas
Press-Register
Brendan Kirby
April 10, 2014 at 1:57 PM
U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope, introduced legislation Thursday to
repeal "inflexible quotas" on commercial and recreational fishing in the
Gulf of Mexico.
http://blog.al.com/live/2014/04/congressman_byrne_offers_bill.html#incart_river
National
Digging Up Old Drilling Logs to Strike Not Oil, but Water
By JIM MALEWITZ
APRIL 10, 2014
NY Times
Daniel Ortuño pulled a small piece of Texas history from a
shelf in a building at the University of Texas at Austin.
The yellowing piece of paper said that on Dec. 19, 1951,
John L. Boyd began drilling a 1,350-foot-deep oil well
through 17 layers of shale and limestone in Crockett
County in southwest Texas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/us/digging-up-old-drilling-logs-to-strike-not-oil-but-water.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Drilling Frenzy Fuels Sudden Growth In Small Texas Town
NPR
by MELISSA BLOCK
April 10, 2014
South Texas is in the midst of a massive oil boom. In just a few years, it
has totally transformed once-sleepy communities along a crescent swoosh
known as the Eagle Ford Shale formation and has brought unexpected
prosperity — along with a host of new concerns.
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/10/295332292/drilling-frenzy-fuels-sudden-growth-in-small-texas-town
Pollution Fears Crush Home Prices Near Fracking Wells
Forbes
Whether or not fracking causes groundwater pollution, people fear the risk
enough that property values have dropped for homes with drinking-water
wells near shale-gas pads, according to new research.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/04/10/pollution-fears-crush-home-prices-near-fracking-wells/
Press Releases
EPA Strategic Plan Charts Direction for Next Four Years
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its
fiscal year (FY) 2014 to 2018 Strategic Plan today, which provides a
blueprint for advancing EPA's mission to protect public health and the
environment across the country.
The plan envisions a new era of partnerships with state and local
governments, tribes, federal agencies, businesses, and industry leaders to
achieve environmental benefits in a pragmatic, collaborative way.
"EPA will address the increasingly complex array of environmental
challenges we face by advancing a rigorous research and development agenda
that informs and supports our policy and decision making with timely and
innovative technology and sustainable solutions," said EPA Administrator
Gina McCarthy. "We are heeding President Obama's call for action on climate
change, the biggest challenge for our generation and those to come by
building strong partnerships at home and around the world. We are working
to mitigate this threat by reducing carbon pollution and other
greenhouse-gas emissions and by focusing on efficiency improvements in
homes, buildings and appliances."
The five strategic goals in EPA's plan include:
• Addressing climate change and improving air quality;
• Protecting America's waters;
• Cleaning up communities and advancing sustainable development;
• Ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution; and
• Protecting human health and the environment by enforcing laws
and assuring compliance.
The agency will continue to deliver significant health benefits to the
American public through improved air quality and reduced emissions of toxic
pollutants, and will take action to keep communities safe and healthy by
reducing risks associated with exposure to toxic chemicals in commerce, our
indoor and outdoor environments, products, and food.
The agency will also continue efforts to improve water quality, given the
nation's significant water infrastructure needs, focusing on common sense,
flexible approaches that rely on sustainable solutions, such as green
infrastructure, and build resiliency to help us adapt to the effects of a
changing climate.
The plan prioritizes environmental justice, continuing to focus on urban,
rural, and economically disadvantaged communities, to ensure that everyone,
regardless of age, race, economic status, or ethnicity, has access to clean
water, clean air, and the opportunity to live, work and play in healthy
communities.
To achieve the outcomes articulated in the FY 2014-2018 Plan, the agency
outlined four cross-agency strategies:
• Working toward a sustainable future;
• Working to make a visible difference in communities;
• Launching a new era of state, tribal, local, and international
partnerships; and
• Embracing EPA as a high-performing organization.
The EPA developed the FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan in accordance with the
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Modernization Act of 2010.
Reflecting the agency's interest in reaching out to stakeholders and
communities, the EPA requested input on a draft plan last winter from over
800 organizations and individuals and issued a Federal Register Notice to
solicit broad public feedback. As appropriate, the EPA incorporated
suggestions and comments received in the final Plan.
More information on the Strategic Plan is available at:
http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan
EPA Awards Over $9 Million to Universities for Research to Help Predict the
Implications of Chemicals on Human Health and the Environment
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced research grants to Arizona State University and the University of
California, Santa Barbara to better understand the impacts of chemicals and
nanomaterials throughout their life cycle—from design, manufacture, use and
disposal.
"EPA is committed to understanding how chemicals and materials can affect
human health and the environment," said Lek Kadeli, acting Assistant
Administrator for EPA's Office of Research and Development. "This research
will advance the science of chemical life cycle assessments and provide
tools to design safer chemicals, while enabling a healthy economy and safer
society."
Arizona State University's research will evaluate the trade-offs between
using nanomaterials to improve the functionality of consumer products and
the potential risks to humans and the environment. The University of
California, Santa Barbara's research will develop an online tool to
evaluate life cycle impacts of chemicals which industry, academia and other
decision makers can use to make more informed decisions about chemical and
product design.
As more is understood about the impacts of chemicals throughout their life
cycle, this research will influence future scientists and decision makers
to consider the associated benefits and consequences of chemicals, which
will help create a healthier economy and a safer society.
In September 2012, EPA partnered with the National Science Foundation (NSF)
to encourage collaboration in applying principles of sustainability to
chemical management issues, including design, manufacture, use, and
disposal. In 2013, NSF awarded more than $16 million in grants to Yale
University, University of Kansas, University of Arizona and Colorado State
University for research on sustainable molecular design of chemical
alternatives. These grant awards further EPA's and NSF's commitment to
increase knowledge of chemical life cycles and sustainable chemistry.
For more information on the chemical life cycle grants issued by EPA visit:
http://epa.gov/ncer/ncclcs
For more information on the sustainable molecular design awards issued by
NSF visit:
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=129235&org=NSF&from=news
EPA Releases Top 25 List of Cities with Most Energy Star Buildings
Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York, San Francisco make top
five, cutting energy costs while increasing efficiency, protecting health,
reducing pollution
WASHINGTON – Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the
sixth annual list of the top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most
Energy Star certified buildings. The cities on this list demonstrate the
economic and environmental benefits achieved by facility owners and
managers when they apply a proven approach to energy efficiency to their
buildings.
The Top 10 cities on the list are: Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta;
New York; San Francisco; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Philadelphia; and
Houston.
"Not only are the Energy Star top 25 cities saving money on energy costs
and increasing energy efficiency, but they are promoting public health by
decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings," said
Administrator Gina McCarthy. "Every city has an important role to play in
reducing emissions and carbon pollution, and increasing energy efficiency
to combat the impacts of our changing climate."
Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year.
Energy Star certified office buildings cost $0.50 less per square foot to
operate than average office buildings, and use nearly two times less energy
per square foot than average office buildings.
The data also show that more than 23,000 buildings across America earned
EPA's Energy Star certification by the end of 2013. These buildings saved
more than $3.1 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas
emissions equal to the annual electricity use from 2.2 million homes.
First released in 2008, the list of cities with the most Energy Star
certified buildings continues to demonstrate how cities across America,
with help from Energy Star, are embracing energy efficiency as a simple and
effective way to save money and prevent pollution. Los Angeles has remained
the top city since 2008 while Washington, D.C. continues to hold onto
second place for the fifth consecutive year. Atlanta moved up from the
number five to number three. For the first time, Philadelphia entered the
top 10, ranking ninth.
Commercial buildings that earn EPA's Energy Star must perform in the top 25
percent of similar buildings nationwide and must be independently verified
by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect. Energy Star
certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are
responsible for 35 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than typical
buildings. Many types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star,
including office buildings, K-12 schools, hotels, and retail stores.
Products, homes and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent
greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements
set by the U.S. EPA. In 2013 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy
Star, saved an estimated $30 billion on their utility bills and prevented
greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of more than
38 million homes. From the first Energy Star qualified computer in 1992,
the Energy Star label can now be found on products in more than 70
different categories, with more than 4.5 billion sold. Over 1.5 million new
homes and 23,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned the
Energy Star label.
The 2014 Energy Star Top Cities are:
1. Los Angeles
2. Washington, DC
3. Atlanta
4. New York
5. San Francisco
6. Chicago
7. Dallas-Fort Worth
8. Denver
9. Philadelphia
10. Houston
11. Charlotte
12. Phoenix
13. Boston
14. Seattle
15. San Diego
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul
17. Sacramento
18. Miami
19. Cincinnati
20. San Jose
21. Columbus, Ohio
22. Riverside, Calif.
23. Detroit
24. Portland, Ore.
25. Louisville
More on the 2013 top cities: www.energystar.gov/topcities
More on Energy Star certified buildings: www.energystar.gov/buildinglist
More about earning the Energy Star label for commercial buildings:
www.energystar.gov/labeledbuildings
