6/13/14
Oil Spill
MDEQ plans restoration workshop
Sun Herald
BILOXI -- The state Department of Environmental Quality is sponsoring a
restoration workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Donal Snyder
Community Center, 2520 Pass Road in Biloxi. The workshop is an interactive
opportunity to teach residents how to submit restoration project ideas.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/12/5644563/around-south-mississippi.html
Fate of endangered Texas sea turtle uncertain
Houston Chronicle
By Harvey Rice
June 12, 2014
GALVESTON - A low number of nests laid by the Kemp's ridley sea turtle on
the upper Texas Gulf Coast raises fears that the endangered animal could be
facing a setback in its battle to recover from near extinction.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/science-environment/article/Fate-of-endangered-Texas-sea-turtle-uncertain-5549252.php
New trial ordered for ex-BP engineer, obstruction of justice conviction
tossed
The Associated Press
June 12, 2014 at 8:06 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- A new trial was ordered Thursday for a former BP engineer
convicted of deleting text messages related to the 2010 oil spill in the
Gulf of Mexico.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/new_trial_ordered_for_ex-bp_en.html#incart_river
State
Air monitoring coming for plagued Pascagoula neighborhood
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSON
PASCAGOULA -- The group called Concerned Citizens of Cherokee has been
going door to door this week with an informal health survey. It's trying to
determine the possible effects of toxic releases on the people who live
closest to Jackson County's industrial alley along Bayou Casotte.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/12/5647496/air-monitoring-coming-for-plagued.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Officials say agreement will preserve landfill life
Commercial Dispatch
June 12, 2014
Nathan Gregory
An agreement between the city council and Triangle Maintenance to chip
storm debris at the landfill should help preserve the landfill's lifespan
by nine months to a year, city officials say.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=34114
Forrest Co./MDEQ sponsoring County Clean Up Day
WDAM
FORREST COUNTY, MS (WDAM) -Forrest County is using a new Mississippi Dept.
of Environmental Quality grant to host a county-wide Clean Up Day this
Saturday. The event will give residents a chance to drop off non-hazardous
household waste products at various locations throughout the county and
have them disposed of properly.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25764359/forrest-comdeq-sponsoring-county-clean-up-day
First deadline approaching for Groundworx permit hearing
WDAM
The first deadline for the MDEQ evidentiary hearing is set for 4 p.m.
Friday, June 13.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25765022/first-deadline-approaching-for-groundworx-permit-hearing
Miss. landowners may see profit from natural resources
Clarion Ledger
A July 17 workshop in Hattiesburg will help landowners recognize the
income-generating potential of using their land in natural resource
enterprises.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/money/business/2014/06/12/miss-landowners-may-see-profit-natural-resources/10389085/
Boat intended for former DMR head to be auctioned for debt
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSON
GULFPORT -- A boat intended for former DMR Executive Director Bill Walker's
private marine resources foundation two years ago will be auctioned by
Competition Marine Inc. of Gulfport to satisfy debts.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/12/5646710/boat-intended-for-former-dmr-head.html?sp=/99/184/832/
Regional
EPA offers TN guidance on reducing carbon emissions
The Tennessean
WASHINGTON – In documents supporting their call for hefty reductions
in carbon emissions from Tennessee power plants, federal officials
suggest how the state can make the biggest strides — investing more
in nuclear power and renewable energy such as wind and solar.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/06/11/epa-offers-tn-guidance-reducing-carbon-emissions/10356139/
National
EPA's McCarthy: Efficiency is key to power plant carbon rules
The Hill
By Timothy Cama - 06/12/14
The biggest reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and financial benefits
from the Environmental Protection Agency's latest rules for power plants
will come from encouraging energy efficiency, Administrator Gina McCarthy
said.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209202-epas-mccarthy-efficiency-is-key-to-power-plant-carbon-rules
U.S. EPA chief: Carbon rules to lower consumer bills
Reuters
By Valerie Volcovici
WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) - Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina
McCarthy said on Thursday that newly proposed rules to slash carbon
emissions from U.S. power plants will cut electricity bills after 2030 by
forcing power plants to become more efficient.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/06/12/usa-climate-mccarthy-idINL2N0OT1T020140612
Republicans to Try to Block Funds for EPA Emissions Rules
Bloomberg
By Derek Wallbank - Jun 13, 2014
Republicans will try to block the Environmental Protection Agency's
proposed greenhouse-gas rule by denying the funding to implement it,
according to a senior member of a U.S. House appropriations panel.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-13/republicans-to-try-to-block-funds-for-epa-emissions-rules.html
States study fracking regs to stop earthquakes
The Hill
By Timothy Cama - 06/12/14
A group of states led by Ohio is working with energy companies, government
agencies and universities to research how regulations on hydraulic
fracturing, or fracking, could prevent human-caused earthquakes.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209145-states-study-fracking-regs-to-stop-earthquakes
Press Releases
EPA Identifies Safer Substitutes for Toxic Flame Retardants
Identified chemicals are persistent, accumulate in the environment and have
reproductive, developmental, and neurological toxicity
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing
safer alternatives to the flame retardants now used in consumer and
commercial products, including building insulation and products with
flexible polyurethane foam.
"EPA's findings for safer alternatives is great news for consumers and
industry," said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "We will now have safer
alternatives for use in our products from furniture to car seats to
building insulation."
Flame retardant chemicals such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and
pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE) raise concerns for human health and the
environment including potential reproductive, developmental, and
neurological effects and can be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to
aquatic organisms.
EPA is releasing the final report on alternatives to the flame retardant
HBCD and releasing an updated draft report on alternatives to the flame
retardant pentaBDE. These alternatives were identified through EPA's Design
for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment Program.
Butadiene styrene brominated copolymer is identified as a safer alternative
to HBCD used in polystyrene building insulation and is currently in
commercial production in the United States. Oligomeric phosphonate polyol
is identified as a safer alternative to pentaBDE. The pentaBDE report will
help industry choose safer alternatives to meet product flammability
standards for consumer products containing flexible polyurethane foam.
EPA's Design for the Environment Alternatives Assessment Program helps
industries choose safer chemicals and offers a basis for informed
decision-making by providing a detailed comparison of the potential public
health and environmental impacts of chemical alternatives. Throughout the
partnerships, stakeholders, including chemical suppliers, product
manufacturers, and non-government organizations have provided valuable
information to support the development of the draft and final reports.
Information on the DfE Alternatives Assessment Program:
http://www.epa.gov/dfe
Information on the HBCD final report:
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/hbcd/about.htm
Information on the foam flame retardant draft update report:
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/flameret/about.htm
Information on EPA's efforts to better understand the risks of flame
retardant chemicals:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/workplans.html
