4.21.14
Oil Spill
MS Coast Marks Changes Four Years After BP Oil Spill
MPB
BY EVELINA BURNETT | PUBLISHED 21 APR 2014
Sunday marked four years since the deadly explosion that led to the worst
oil spill in U.S. history. MPB's Gulf Coast reporter Evelina Burnett takes
a look at how the disaster has changed the Mississippi coast.
http://mpbonline.org/News/article/ms_coast_marks_changes_four_years_after_bp_oil_spill
Fishermen Still Suffering from Effects of BP Oil Spill
WXXV
On May 2nd, 2010, 12 days following the explosion and fire of the Deepwater
Horizon, N.O.A.A. closed 6,817 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico to
commercial and recreational fishing.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Fishermen-Still-Suffering-from-Effects-of-BP-Oil/M9bTc4Fzc0WqwdzeIt1WPA.cspx
Coast Observes 4th Anniversary of BP Oil Spill This Sunday
WXXV
Sunday marks the four year anniversary of the BP oil spill. Recovery may be
slower than hoped after the disaster.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Coast-Observes-4th-Anniversary-of-BP-Oil-Spill/UeRFJ8YMpEeQu63IpvN8oA.cspx
Waveland joins move for RESTORE Act funding
Sea Coast Echo
By Geoff Belcher
Apr 18, 2014, 18:50
The city of Waveland on Wednesday officially joined Bay St. Louis and
Diamondhead in a county-wide effort to secure RESTORE Act funds.
http://www.seacoastecho.com/article_7853.shtml#.U1UQk_k7tcZ
BP oil spill: scientists struggling to understand effects four years later
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 18, 2014 at 8:39 PM
Four years after the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout and the uncontrolled
release of as much as 200 million gallons of crude oil, scientists are
still struggling to understand how the oil and the dispersant chemicals
used to break it down into tiny droplets have affected the environment of
the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and the Louisiana shoreline and wetlands where
a large amount of oil was deposited.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/04/bp_oil_spill_scientists_strugg.html#incart_river
BP Oil spill four years later: Return to Barataria Bay and Cat Island
Times-Picayune
Julia Kumari Drapkin
April 18, 2014 at 3:55 PM
When a crew of journalists and environmental groups studying the effects of
the BP Deepwater Macondo oil spill disembarked on Cat Island in Baratria
Bay last week, there was a collective gasp.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/04/bp_oil_spill_four_years_later.html#incart_river
The 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill still haunts the New Orleans seafood
industry
Doug MacCash
The Times-Picayune
April 18, 2014 at 6:31 PM
New Orleans restaurateur Frank Brigtsen said that in some ways the effects
of the deadly Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010 were profoundly damaging to both the New Orleans area's ecology and
psychology.
http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2014/04/the_2010_gulf_of_mexico_oil_sp.html
Search for oil from 2010 spill scaled back but not over
Houma Today
By Xerxes Wilson & Jacob Batte
Published: Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 6:01 a.m.
For the first time in four years, all was quiet last week on the island
beaches off southern Lafourche Parish
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20140419/articles/140419417
4 years after spill questions remain about health impacts
Cleanup workers complain
Baton Rouge Advocate
BY RICHARD THOMPSON
Ronnie Dufrene never cared much for coffee. That is, until the Lafitte
native mostly lost his sense of smell after spending months working on the
2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster response.
http://theadvocate.com/home/8950601-125/4-years-after-spill-questions
Rules proposed for BP fines
Daily Comet
Kelly Connelly
Published: Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 6:01 a.m.
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana lawmakers are preparing for the rush of billions of
dollars to state coffers due to damages from the BP oil spill by
fine-tuning legislation that will regulate the money's use.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20140419/ARTICLES/140419406/0/Author?Title=Rules-proposed-for-BP-fines
Putting a price on Deepwater Horizon: For BP, $27 billion and counting
Press-Register
Dennis Pillion
April 20, 2014 at 11:16 AM
While the ultimate impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is likely
impossible to calculate, the toll paid by BP PLC in the spill's aftermath
is much easier to pinpoint.
http://www.al.com/news/beaches/index.ssf/2014/04/tracking_the_26_billion_bp_say.html#incart_river
Deepwater Horizon oil spill timeline, updated from April 2010 through 2014
Press-Register
April 20, 2014 at 7:00 PM
The following is a detailed timeline of the events regarding the Deepwater
Horizon explosion and oil leak through the most recent government actions
and court developments. It was compiled by multiple staff members of
Alabama Media Group.
http://www.al.com/news/beaches/index.ssf/2014/04/deepwater_horizon_timeline_upd.html#incart_river
Alabama Attorney General: State first in line with lawsuit against BP for
economic losses
Press-Register
Michael Finch II
April 18, 2014 at 2:44 PM
MOBILE, Alabama -- As the oil spill's effects linger, there is one place
where BP and other companies have continued to feel grief: the courtroom.
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said Friday, two days before the
four-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, that he had no
intention to make it stop.
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/04/alabama_attorney_general_fores.html
Baldwin County Four Years After The BP Oil Spill
WKRG
GULF SHORES, Alabama -In the spring and summer of 2010, Baldwin County's
beaches looked like a war zone.
http://www.wkrg.com/story/25294132/baldwin-county-four-years-after-the-bp-oil-spill
4 Years After Spill Dauphin Island Still Recovering
WKRG
Sunday will mark the four year anniversary since Deepwater Horizon exploded
in the Gulf of Mexico spewing more than 200 million gallons of oil.
For an island that depends on being a paradise the spill was an attack to
the economy on Dauphin Island.
http://www.wkrg.com/story/25290554/4-years-after-spill-dauphin-island-still-recovering
Questions About Gulf Recovery Linger
WKRG
Mobile, AL -The biggest industrial disaster in American history has images
we'll never forget--and it seems like pieces of the spill in the form of
tar balls is something we'll never get rid of. Stefanie Christiansen
Francisco with Mobile Baykeeper is one of the people taking issue with a
statement issued by BP focusing on the positives since the spill.
http://www.wkrg.com/story/25285924/questions-about-gulf-recovery-linger
Sarasota expert helping with dolphin study following BP oil disaster
Bradenton Herald
BY SARA KENNEDY
MANATEE -- A local researcher is helping to determine whether the 2010
Deepwater Horizon oil disaster has damaged the health of dolphins off the
Louisiana coast, near where the massive spill originated.
http://www.bradenton.com/2014/04/20/5112306/sarasota-expert-helping-with-dolphin.html
BP Spill Fines Pay for Inland Cleanup
Wall Street Journal
Four years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico,
some states have started using fines paid by BP BP.LN +0.74% and its
partners to clean up inland water pollution.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304626304579507712113438266?mg=reno64-wsj
Compensation battle rages four years after BP's U.S. oil spill
Reuters
By Jemima Kelly
April 18 (Reuters) - Four years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, oil is
still washing up on the long sandy beaches of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and
some islanders are fed up with hearing from BP that the crisis is over.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/21/usa-spill-aftermath-idUSL6N0ND10J20140421
Telltale Rainbow Sheens Show Thousands Of Spills Across The Gulf
NPR
Jonathan Henderson of New Orleans-based Gulf Restoration Network is flying
Louisiana's coast looking for oil. As usual, he's found some.
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/19/304707516/telltale-rainbow-sheens-show-thousands-of-spills-across-the-gulf
Breaking Down the Myths and Misconceptions About the Gulf Oil Spill
Smithsonian
By Hannah Waters
April 17, 2014
In the months and years following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill,
telling fact from fiction regarding seafood safety and ecosystem health was
supremely difficult. Is Gulf seafood safe to eat or not? Are there really
deformed shrimp and black lesion-covered red snapper? Will the Gulf ever be
clean again?
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/clarifying-myths-and-misconceptions-about-gulf-oil-spill-180951136/?no-ist
Federal agency to release Gulf oil spill report in June
Clarion Ledger
A federal agency looking into the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig
explosion says it plans to release two volumes of a four-volume
report on the disaster on June 5.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/04/19/federal-agency-to-release-gulf-oil-spill-report/7906603/
JILL MASTROTOTARO: Mississippi raises the bar for Gulf restoration
BY JILL MASTROTOTARO
A Sun Herald Forum
April 18, 2014
As the four-year memorial of the BP oil disaster approaches, it may seem as
though restoring the Gulf Coast in the wake of our nation's worst
environmental disaster has been slow going.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/18/5506452/jill-mastrototaro-mississippi.html
Industry failed to learn lessons from major oil spills: Mark Floegel
Times-Picayune
Contributing Op-Ed columnist
April 19, 2014 at 7:37 AM
Four years after the BP oil drilling disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, it's
clear that wildlife, communities and the environment along the Gulf Coast
continue to suffer lasting damage.
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2014/04/industry_failed_to_learn_lesso.html#incart_river
State
Settlement brings new hope for Kerr-McGee cleanup
Commercial Dispatch
April 19, 2014 11:00:00 PM
Nathan Gregory
Maranatha Faith Center Pastor Steve Jamison sees the $5.15 billion
settlement from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation as a major turning point in
the 15-year fight his East Columbus church has led to remediate the
contamination from the Kerr-McGee site and protect the safety of those who
live near it.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=32752
MDEQ recognizes 2014 enHance members
Sun Herald
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has accepted three new
members and several returning and renewal members into its 2014 enHance
program that recognizes environmental leaders throughout who accomplish
goals beyond their legal requirements.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/19/5508015/bulletin-board-for-april-20.html
Two hours northwest, oil boom is in the making
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSON
Hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in southern Mississippi
to develop oil and gas production that, if successful, could cause a boom
for the Coast and the rest of the state not unlike the one North Dakota is
experiencing with its Bakken formation.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/19/5508504/two-hours-northwest-oil-boom-is.html
LNG terminal in Pascagoula poised to be a player if boom hits
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSON
The shale boom nationwide has given the United States the potential of
being a major player in the world natural gas market, by turning the tables
and exporting a product it once imported.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/19/5508507/lng-terminal-in-pascagoula-poised.html?sp=/99/184/201/
North Lee audit cites financial issues
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/
North Lee whistleblower fired
Daily Journal
TUPELO – North Lee County Water Association's outside maintenance
supervisor was told Friday morning he was fired for what he believes is
retaliation for sharing a public document that revealed non-compliance of a
federal loan, widespread financial mismanagement and unaccounted for money.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-whistleblower-fired/
Fired Whistleblower Strikes back
Daily Journal
TUPLEO – Whistleblower and former North Lee County Water Association
employee Sonny Noble has started an effort to fire North Lee County Water
Association board of directors members he holds responsible for firing him.
http://djournal.com/news/fired-north-lee-employee-seeks-job-back/
North Lee faces criminal investigation
Daily Journal
TUPELO – Lee County prosecutor James Moore plans to investigate possible
criminal wrongdoing related to the North Lee County Water Association, a
nonprofit organization that recently fired a whistleblowing employee for
disclosing the company's 2013 audit, a public document.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-faces-criminal-investigation/
New Albany selected for Liveable Community grant
WTVA
ATLANTA, Ga. (WTVA) – New Albany is among five cities selected for the 2014
Liveable Communities in Appalachia program.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/New-Albany-selected-for-Liveable-Community-grant/iFBLoRw0okOoJpvI4TRnfw.cspx
Utility Authority board meets
Picayune Item
Thursday's Pearl River County Utility Authority board meeting began with a
presentation by Roseland Park Elementary student Hannah Rouse on her award
winning science project entitled "Total suspended solids in wastewater
before and after treatment." The board also heard from Charlie Rouse about
plans to smoke test the sewer pipe system for leaks.
http://picayuneitem.com/2014/04/utility-authority-board-meets/
Pearl: Celebrate Earth Day with recycling
Clarion Ledger
The city of Pearl's Earth Day Recycling event takes place 1-5 p.m. Tuesday
in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/04/19/pearl-celebrate-earth-day-recycling/7921687/
Curbside Recycling Services Now Available in Rankin County
Mississippi Recycling Coalition
Residents in Rankin County now have the opportunity obtain curbside
collection services for their household recyclable materials.
http://www.msrecycles.org/news/othernews/356-door2door042014.html
Earth Day picnic encourages recycling in Ocean Springs
Sun Herald
BY CECILY CUMMINGS
OCEAN SPRINGS -- The Earth Day Community Picnic on Saturday recalled the
Native American proverb which says, "We do not inherit the earth from our
ancestors; we borrow it from our children."
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/19/5507828/earth-day-picnic-encourages-recycling.html?sp=/99/184/201/
Regional
Mississippi River will carry enough sand needed to build new Louisiana
wetlands for at least 600 years, new study says
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 20, 2014 at 7:24 PM
The lower Mississippi River should carry enough sand during the next six
centuries to supply the needs of sediment-capturing diversions proposed for
Louisiana to rebuild wetlands, according to a scientific letter published
online Sunday in Nature Geoscience.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/04/mississippi_river_will_carry_e.html#incart_river
National
Study: Fuels from corn waste worse than gas for global warming in the short
term
The Associated Press
April 20, 2014 at 6:30 PM
WASHINGTON — Biofuels made from the leftovers of harvested corn plants are
worse than gasoline for global warming in the short term, a study shows,
challenging the Obama administration's conclusions that they are a much
cleaner oil alternative and will help combat climate change.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2014/04/study_fuels_from_corn_waste_wo.html#incart_river
Appeals Court Rejects Challenge on Cement Plants
AP
WASHINGTON April 18, 2014 (AP)
A federal appeals court on Friday turned aside a challenge by environmental
groups to an air pollution standard for cement plants.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/appeals-court-rejects-challenge-cement-plants-23381022
Press releases
Spotlight Green City: Jackson, MS
Through the Green Cities campaign, Earth Day Network is working to help
cities transition to a cleaner, healthier and more economically viable
future through improvements in efficiency, investments in renewable
technology and regulation reform. Earth Day Network is excited to be
partnering with the city of Jackson, Mississippi as one of our highlight
cities in the campaign.
The city of Jackson is already off to a good start. It has proven its
dedication to environmental protection through programs like hazardous
waste disposal, litter removal and adoption of public space for cleanup and
maintenance. Local Jacksonians are doing their part, as well. Hundreds have
dedicated their time to cleaning up city streets and educating their peers
on the importance of environmental protection. Projects like annual tree
plantings, litter-free sports events, and graffiti removal encourage people
to get involved in the well-being of their city. Jackson is full of
hard-working, inspired citizens dedicated to helping the capital reach its
full potential.
Jackson's former mayor, Chokwe Lumumba, promoted a sustainability plan as
part of his vision for the future. His leadership set Jackson on the right
path towards achieving its goal. His recent passing has been a great loss
for the city; however, Jackson is committed to making Chokwe Lumumba's
vision a reality.
Earth Day Network has begun work with Jackson to organize a Green City
Advisory Committee. The committee will work with local organizations,
professionals and citizens to determine the most effective course of action
for the city. Earth Day Network will work with the committee to determine
and implement programs that will reduce waste in Jackson, improve
efficiency, and promote the local economy.
Earth Day Network is looking forward to working with Jackson in the coming
months to improve sustainability in Mississippi's capital. Together we will
make Jackson the most sustainable city in the southeast!
http://www.earthday.org/blog/2014/04/15/spotlight-green-city-jackson-ms
"How's My Waterway" Now More User-Friendly
App Lets Users Check Health of Waterways Anywhere in the US
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an
enhanced version of "How's My Waterway," an app and website to help people
find information on the condition of thousands of lakes, rivers and streams
across the United States from their smart phone, tablet or desktop
computer.
The How's My Waterway app and website, http://www.epa.gov/mywaterway, uses
GPS technology or a user-entered zip code or city name to provide
information about the quality of local water bodies. The new version of the
site includes data on local drinking water sources, watersheds and efforts
to protect waterways, as well as a map-oriented version of "How's My
Waterway" designed for museum kiosks, displays and touch screens, available
at: http://watersgeo.epa.gov/mywaterway/kiosk/.
"Communities and neighborhoods across the U.S. want to know that their
local lakes, rivers and streams are healthy and safe to enjoy with their
families, and providing that information is a priority for EPA," said
acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water Nancy Stoner. "The
enhanced version of 'How's My Waterway' provides easy, user-friendly access
to the health of the places we swim, fish and boat, where we get our
drinking water, and what is being done to curb water pollution. People can
get this information whether researching at a desktop or standing
streamside looking at a smart phone."
The enhanced version includes new data and improvements based on user
feedback to the original site, including localized information on:
· The waterways that supply drinking water to communities.
· The health of watersheds and organizations working to protect
watersheds.
· Permits that limit pollutant discharge into waterways.
· Efforts to restore waterways to protect and improve fish habitats by
the National Fish Habitat Partnerships.
Here's how to use "How's My Waterway":
• SEARCH: Go to http://www.epa.gov/mywaterway and allow GPS technology to
identify the nearest streams, rivers or lakes or enter a zip code or city
name.
• REVIEW: Instantly receive a list of waterways within five miles of the
search location. Each waterway is identified as unpolluted, polluted or
unassessed. A map option offers the user a view of the search area with the
results color-coded by assessment status.
• DISCOVER: Once a specific lake, river or stream is selected, the How's My
Waterway app and website provides information on the type of pollution
reported for that waterway and what has been done by EPA and the states to
reduce it. Additional reports and technical information is available for
many waterways. Read simple descriptions of each type of water pollutant,
including pollutant type, likely sources and potential health risks.
• EXPLORE: Related links page connects users to popular water information
on beaches, drinking water and fish and wildlife habitat based on a user's
search criteria.
EPA will also host a free webinar for the public on the new features of
How's My Waterway on April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. EDT. More information on the
webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/427306106
EPA U.S. EPA Administrator Kicking Off Earth Week Tour on Climate Action
Plan
McCarthy traveling to New York, Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta and Memphis
WASHINGTON – In recognition of Earth Week, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy is taking to the road to ask
Americans to act on climate change through simple actions to reduce carbon
pollution in their daily lives.
Administrator McCarthy will participate in various events to promote
President Obama's Climate Action Plan and will focus on responsible steps
to cut carbon pollution to slow the effects of climate change and leave a
cleaner, more stable environment for future generations. She will also
explain how the plan seeks to decrease the threats to public health and
anticipate challenges from severe weather associated with a changing
climate, while encouraging clean energy innovation and growth in green
jobs.
Details about the events will be made available next week.
MONDAY, APRIL 21, NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.
11 PM EDT: Administrator McCarthy will be a guest on The Daily Show with
Jon Stewart to talk about President Obama's Climate Action Plan.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22, BOSTON, MASS.
12 Noon EDT: Administrator McCarthy will participate in an event at the New
England Aquarium with U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz,
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Aquarium President & CEO Bud Ris, the
Massachusetts Congressional delegation, and teens from the Aquarium's three
youth programs to discuss action on climate change.
7 PM EDT: Administrator McCarthy and Secretary Moniz will throw the first
pitch at the Red Sox vs. Yankees Game at Fenway Park.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, CLEVELAND, OHIO
10:35 AM EDT: Administrator McCarthy will join the American Lung
Association and public health partners for a press conference on health
impacts of air pollution at the Cleveland Clinic.
11:30 AM EDT: Administrator will deliver the keynote address at the Climate
and Energy Funders Group Annual Meeting.
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, ATLANTA, GA.
6:30 PM EDT: Administrator McCarthy will join the Hip Hop Caucus "Act on
Climate Tour" to speak about the disproportionate impacts and the costs of
climate change.
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, MEMPHIS, TENN.
Time TBA: Administrator McCarthy will participate in a media tour of the
Partnership for Sustainability's investments in Memphis with HUD Secretary
Donovan and DOT Secretary Foxx. The tour will highlight the impact of
Partnership investments in the community.
To learn more about Earth Day and how you can make a difference at
www.epa.gov/earthday
