5.8.14
State
Special session will focus on tornado spending
Clarion Ledger
Gov. Phil Bryant and top lawmakers say the state has the cash to
cover tornado recovery spending in Thursday's special session, but
changes in disaster budgeting would make the expense and headache of
a special session unnecessary.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/05/08/special-session-will-focus-tornado-spending/8837107/
Mississippi lawmakers returning to Jackson to consider $20 million for
tornado recovery
The Associated Press
May 07, 2014 at 7:32 PM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Mississippi lawmakers are returning to Jackson on
Thursday for a special session to consider up to $20 million in state
funding for tornado recovery.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/05/mississippi_lawmakers_returnin.html#incart_river
Household hazardous waste collections
WTVA
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
is collecting household hazardous waste in Tupelo and Louisville this week.
http://www.wtva.com/news/national/story/Household-hazardous-waste-collections/C5AFI28SWUSrG8XlMRfYiw.cspx
County officials begin tornado debris cleanup
Itawamba County Times
by Adam Armour May 7, 2014
Supervisors have begun the process of cleaning up the significant debris
left in the wake of last week's tornado.
http://itawambatimes.com/2014/05/07/county-officials-begin-tornado-debris-cleanup/
"Dirty Water" City of Jackson Cited for Numerous Wastewater Violations
WJTV
JACKSON, Miss. - The Pearl River is one of the longest river in
Mississippi. It stretches 400 miles long. It forms in Neshoba County and
snakes its way southward through several other areas, including Hinds
County. But what you may not see, and what you may not be aware of is that
toxic metals could be potentially flowing in to the Pearl River right here
in Jackson.
http://www.wjtv.com/story/25456896/dirty-water-city-of-jackson-cited-for-numerous-wastewater-violations
Permit hearing sought by trio on Groundworx
Hattiesburg American
Three Hattiesburg residents, including Ward 2 Councilwoman Deborah Delgado,
have sent letters to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality,
objecting to the operational permit issued to Groundworx, LLC, to dispose
of the city's treated wastewater.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20140508/NEWS01/305080017/Permit-hearing-sought-by-trio-Groundworx
State tells SCUA, "Hurry up and wait"
Stone County Enterprise
By Jody O'Hara
May 1, 2014, 11:27
Having just recently informed the Stone County Utility Authority that it
must finish up all its projects or face a loss of funds, the Mississippi
Development Authority appears to be making that as difficult as possible.
http://www.stonecountyenterprise.com/article_2135.shtml
Biloxi Throws Out Bids for Edgewater Sewer Project
WXXV
Tuesday night, the Biloxi City Council threw out all of the bids for the
Beauvoir/Edgewater infrastructure repair program.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Biloxi-Throws-Out-Bids-for-Edgewater-Sewer-Project/ZhCut2D6bUi359b1bTNqvQ.cspx
County pursues solutions for treatment plant problem
Copiah County Courier
By Bonnie L. Jackson
The Copiah County Board of Supervisors met on Monday, May 5 to discuss the
status of the treatment plant and options for to meet and maintain
compliance.
http://copiahcountycourier.com/contentitem/372225/1230/county-pursues-solutions-for-treatment-plant-problem
Mayor reluctant to give Landrum sewer
Madison County Journal
MADISON - The city has agreed to provide sewage for Phase II of Longleaf
Subdivision in the county, but Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler won't endorse the
project and put her signature on the plat.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=28610
Labor Department investigates North Lee
By Robbie Ward
Daily Journal
TUPELO – A federal agency confirmed Tuesday an open investigation into the
labor practices at the North Lee County Water Association.
http://djournal.com/news/labor-department-investigates-north-lee/
Extension service celebrates 100 years of service in Mississippi
Neshoba Democrat
To celebrate 100 years of the Extension Service in Mississippi, the Neshoba
County Extension office is hosting a birthday celebration in conjunction
with the Conservation: Pass It Down event.
http://neshobademocrat.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=297&ArticleID=32475
Harrison Co. students get hands-on lesson on pollution solution
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Students in Harrison County have been reading
and talking about cleaning up the environment. On Wednesday, they put those
lessons into action.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25458469/harrison-co-students-get-hands-on-lesson-on-pollution-solution
Deer Island: Adventure within reach of almost anyone
Clarion Ledger
DEER ISLAND – Walking along the beach as the waves lap at the sand,
there are few signs of the civilized world on the island. A battered
sailboat beached by a hurricane and pilings from a pier washed away
long ago are among the few.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/life/2014/05/07/deer-island-adventure-within-reach-almost-anyone/8824447/
Shumate granted separate trial from Ziegler in DMR case
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
A federal judge has decided to grant separate trials to former state
Department of Marine Resources managers Tina Shumate and Joe Ziegler, the
two remaining defendants in the public corruption case.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/05/07/5556466/shumate-granted-separate-trial.html?sp=/99/184/
Regional
State, local officials celebrate improved quality of air
Baton Rouge Advocate
By AMY WOLD
A photograph from 1972 hangs in Michael Vince's office and shows clouds of
industrial fumes floating above the Highway 190 bridge in Baton Rouge.
With that photo projected on a screen Wednesday, Vince, a DEQ senior
scientist, told the audience at a Department of Environmental Quality news
conference that when he was a child, he would hold his breath while his
parents drove across the bridge.
http://theadvocate.com/home/9091997-125/state-local-officials-celebrate-improved
National
Obama Climate-Change Push Faces a Lukewarm Public
Polls Show Climate Change Ranks Low When Voters Are Asked to Assess
Priorities
Wall Street Journal
The White House rollout of a climate-change report this week was aimed
squarely at showing the public that inaction affects people directly,
covering everything from extreme weather to seasonal allergies.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303701304579548270013580820?mg=reno64-wsj
Elections not stopping Obama pollution rules
BY JOSH LEDERMAN
Associated Press
May 8, 2014
WASHINGTON — Within weeks, President Barack Obama's administration is set
to unveil unprecedented emissions limits on power plants across the U.S.,
much to the dismay of many Democratic candidates who are running for
election in energy-producing states. Fearful of a political backlash, they
wish their fellow Democrat in the White House would hold off until after
the voting.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/05/08/5556863/elections-not-stopping-obama-pollution.html?sp=/99/184/208/
McCain, Flake press EPA to withdraw water rule
The Hill
By Benjamin Goad - 05/07/14
Arizona's senators are urging Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Gina McCarthy to scrap plans to expand the agency's regulatory authority to
smaller bodies of water.
http://thehill.com/regulation/205465-mccain-flake-press-epa-to-withdraw-water-rule
U.S. Urges Companies to Use Sturdier Tank Cars For Oil-Trains
The Advisory Effectively Applies to About 66,500 Shipping Containers
Wall Street Journal
U.S. safety regulators urged companies shipping crude oil from North Dakota
to stop using tank cars that have been implicated in fiery accidents.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304655304579548102809710252?mg=reno64-wsj
EPA Pledges Cooperation in Internal Investigations
WASHINGTON May 6, 2014 (AP)
By DINA CAPPIELLO Associated Press
The Environmental Protection Agency assured Congress on Wednesday it will
resolve a sensational dispute with its inspector general over allegations
that an EPA office run by President Barack Obama's top political staff
interfered with independent investigations.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/epa-accused-blocking-independent-investigations-23610448
Press releases
EPA Releases EnviroAtlas Ecosystem Mapping Tool
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released
EnviroAtlas, a web-based interactive tool that integrates over 300 separate
data layers, helps decision makers understand the implications of planning
and policy decisions on our fragile ecosystems and the communities who
depend on goods and services from these ecosystems. EnviroAtlas is designed
for people from all levels of government, professionals, researchers,
educators, non-governmental organizations, and anyone interested in
considering the benefits or impacts of a decision, such as siting a new
road or city park.
"Our health and well-being, our economy and our security depend upon
healthy ecosystems," says Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator of EPA, "By
providing EnviroAtlas, which contains a wealth of information for the
United States, EPA is helping to ensure that anyone making decisions that
may impact ecosystems will have the best available knowledge to build
prosperous communities while conserving our natural resources."
EnviroAtlas can help people learn about ecosystems, and how they provide us
with benefits such as clean air and water; opportunities for recreation;
and protection from severe weather, such as hurricanes and floods.
EnviroAtlas also highlights how ecosystems provide habitats for plants,
fish, and wildlife as well as the materials people need to produce food,
clothing, shelter, and pharmaceuticals, and provides maps on all of these
topics.
EnviroAtlas integrates geospatial data from a variety of sources to allow
users to visualize and analyze how decisions impact ecosystems and their
ability to provide goods and services. Communities are often faced with
difficult decisions, such as trade-offs between transportation, residential
or commercial development and maintaining local wetlands, urban
greenspaces, or urban forests. EnviroAtlas helps communities better
understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of their decisions by
providing data, maps, information and tools to analyze relationships
between nature, health and well-being, and the economy.
EnviroAtlas combines hundreds of data layers developed through
collaboration between EPA; US Geological Survey; US Forest Service; other
federal, state, and non-profit organizations; and several universities.
Using powerful web application tools, it lets users generate customized
maps and images that show the condition of their local community's air,
water, and landscape; as well as population density and other demographic
data. Users can investigate land cover patterns, see how ecosystem services
reduce pollution, and view closer to true scale data to compare them across
selected communities.
EnviroAtlas is available to anybody with access to a computer and an
internet connection. No special software is needed. It is currently not
optimized for smartphone or tablet use, but a mobile-friendly version is
planned for the future.
Using tools like EnviroAtlas to make informed decisions will help ensure
that people can continue to enjoy economic, social, and environmental
benefits of ecosystems now and in the future.
http://enviroatlas.epa.gov/enviroatlas/
