6/26/14
Oil Spill
Trustees to approve $627 million of BP Phase III early restoration projects
over Texas objections
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 2:20 PM
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and several federal agencies
acting as public trustees in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural
Resource Damage Assessment process have given final approval to 44
restoration projects costing $627 million over the objections of the state
of Texas, which wanted more projects, according to a Federal Register
notice that will be published Thursday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/trustees_to_approve_627_millio.html
Oyster beds recovering after storms, oil spill
BY STACEY PLAISANCE
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- For the first time in its 100-year-plus history, one of New
Orleans' biggest oyster dealers has resorted to importing oysters to
subsidize demand for the shellfish delicacy, which in recent years, dealers
say, has become hard to harvest in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5670036/oyster-beds-recoverying-after.html?sp=/99/102/
State
EPA approves pesticide for grain sorghum producers
by MBJ Staff
Published: June 25,2014
JACKSON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved farmers in
the state of Mississippi for the use of sulfoxaflor (CAS Reg. No.
946578-00-3) on sorghum.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/25/epa-approves-pesticide-grain-sorghum-producers/
Construction to begin on Pascagoula River Audubon Center
WLOX
MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) -Construction is about to begin on the new Pascagoula
River Audubon Center in Moss Point. The project has been in the planning
stages for several years, and community leaders and Audubon supporters are
excited about moving forward.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25869039/16-m-nature-learning-center-coming-to-pascagoula-river
Five things to know about the new $1.6M Pascagoula River Audubon Center
Sun herald
BY KAREN NELSON
MOSS POINT -- The $1.6 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center will be on a
historic site right in the heart of downtown, where there once was a
trolley line to the sawmills during the lumber boom early in the last
century.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5668947/five-things-to-know-about-the.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Crane operator among 5 injured in collapse at VT Halter Marine
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -There's still no word on what caused two cranes to
collapse at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula Wednesday afternoon, injuring
five people.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25870457/crane-operator-among-5-injured-in-collapse-at-vt-halter-marine
National
Obama: Climate change steps making a difference
BY JOSH LEDERMAN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Appealing for patience and perseverance from environmental
activists, President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in his
second-term drive to combat climate change but said more must be done to
address a generational problem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669343/obama-claims-progress-on-curbing.html?sp=/99/102/
Sen. Vitter returns to the House to discuss 'systematic breakdown' at EPA
Bruce Alpert
Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 3:45 PM
WASHINGTON -- Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he's been unable to get a
Senate hearing on what he considers a "systematic breakdown" in EPA
operations. So, Vitter said, he was delighted to testify at an EPA hearing
Wednesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/sen_vitter_returns_to_the_hous.html#incart_river
EPA joins IRS lost emails club
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
June 25, 2014 02:27 PM EDT
Move over, IRS — now the EPA is having its own problems with missing
emails.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/missing-government-emails-epa-108306.html?hp=l14
EPA appeals to its workers not to poop in the hallway
USA Today
Forget toxic waste dumps, the Environmental Protection Agency
apparently has a more immediate cleanup problem in its own backyard:
An employee defecating in the hallway.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/25/epa-environmental-protection-agency-poop-defecation/11361899/
1 in 10 U.S. beaches fails bacteria test, survey finds
Storm-water runoff, including sewage, continues to threaten swimmers'
health.
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
(HealthDay News) -- Swimmers, take heed: Ten percent of water samples taken
from U.S. coastal and lake beaches fail to meet safety standards set by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a new report finds.
http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/1-in-10-us-beaches-fails-bacteria-test-survey-finds-1
North Dakota discloses oil train shipment details
BY JAMES MACPHERSON AND MATTHEW BROWN
The Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. — Dozens of mile-long trains loaded with crude are leaving
western North Dakota each week, with most shipments going through the
state's most populous county while en route to refineries across the
country.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669471/north-dakota-discloses-oil-train.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
Oil From U.S. Fracking Is More Volatile Than Expected
High Gas Content Extends Beyond North Dakota's Bakken Shale to Colorado and
Texas
Wall Street Journal
Millions of barrels of crude oil flowing from shale formations around the
country—not just North Dakota—are full of volatile gases that make it
tricky to transport and to process into fuel.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/oil-from-u-s-fracking-is-more-volatile-than-expected-1403653344
U.S. Ruling Loosens Four-Decade Ban On Oil Exports
Shipments of Unrefined American Oil Could Begin as Early as August
Wall Street Journal
The Obama administration cleared the way for the first exports of unrefined
American oil in nearly four decades, allowing energy companies to start
chipping away at the longtime ban on selling U.S. oil abroad.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ruling-would-allow-first-shipments-of-unrefined-oil-overseas-1403644494
Opinion
Editorial: Look beneath the sand
Pensacola News Journal
Monday marked a sickening anniversary for our seashores. It was four
years ago on that day when oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
washed onto our beaches. Some residents wept at the sight that day.
Others cursed in anger at the miles of coastline strewn with sludge.
http://www.pnj.com/story/opinion/2014/06/26/editorial-look-beneath-sand/11378121/
Press Releases
Southern Miss strives to lessen environmental impact
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
This is a news release from the University of Southern Mississippi
As part of the Office of Sustainability's Climate Action Plan, The
University of Southern Mississippi is working toward climate neutrality --
a net zero carbon footprint by 2050. The goal is to have zero impact on the
environment from campus operations.
According to Haley McMinn, assistant director of sustainability at Southern
Miss, the vast majority of carbon emissions on campus come from building
operations, large square footage and transportation.
"It is an important and necessary goal that our institution and our office
takes very seriously," McMinn said. "In an environmental and economic
climate where things are beginning to change, resources are getting more
expensive and budgets are getting tighter, it is imperative that we succeed
to remain viable as an institution for decades to come."
"As an institution we must operate as good stewards of the environment, of
our people and of our use of resources across the board. It's both the
right and smart thing to do."
Some of the efforts that have helped to achieve this goal include:
· The implementation of widespread lighting retrofit projects
· The installation of variable frequency drives
· Upgraded power plants and boilers
· The installation of building automated controls.
"Perhaps most importantly, we work to educate faculty, staff, students and
community members about living sustainably," McMinn said. "It is this
education that ensures the success of operational changes and extends our
reach and impact beyond our institution's walls."
Earlier this spring, Southern Miss reported to the American College &
University Presidents' Climate Commitment an updated Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory showing a baseline comparison decrease in overall
carbon dioxide equivalent of 28,748 metric tons, meeting the 2015 25%
reduction goal early
"This is a huge success for our institution and with hard work and support
from all over campus we have reached this milestone goal two years early,"
McMinn said.
Because of the University's extensive recycling program, Southern Miss
keeps an average of 37,000 pounds of recyclable material from ending up in
a landfill each month. Southern Miss ranks in the top 36 percent of 365
schools nationwide for collecting the highest gross weight of recyclables.
The six-year-old recycling program is described by the Office of
Sustainability as universal, comprehensive, single-stream and desk-side.
Every office, classroom and residence hall room is equipped with blue cans
for faculty, staff and students to place all allowable recyclable
materials. The collected material is then taken to a local recycling
facility, Sumrall Recycling, where it is weighed, sorted and processed to
sell to manufacturers.
Nearly 437,414 pounds of recyclables have been collected this fiscal year
alone. The program is steadily growing and the numbers increase each year.
The materials collected on campus are paper, plastic, cardboard, aluminum
and tin. The most recycled items on campus are paper and cardboard.
Along with the recycling program, the Office of Sustainability is working
to roll out the Sustainability Pledge and a Green Office Certification
program, in addition to other events designed to spark campus-wide
involvement.
The Green Office Certification program will provide training to all
interested employees or offices on how to "green" their operations, provide
a "green rating" to offices and departments who submit a certification
report and assist with onsite visits in which Sustainability staff can
provide feedback and guidance.
"I believe this program has the potential to generate some additional
buy-in to the Southern Miss Green Initiative and allows us the opportunity
to give hands-on help to campus constituents that want to do more," McMinn
said.
Recyclethon, a four-week recycling competition held on campus among all the
departments, brought in a total of 41,752 pounds of recyclable material.
The Physical Plant Planet Protectors won the competition with a total of
16,146 pounds of recyclables.
For a detailed list of accepted materials, pick-up schedule or other events
and programs please visitwww.usm.edu/green/.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25870317/southern-miss-strives-to-lessen-enironmental-impact
Beach Report: 10 Percent of America's Beach Water Samples Fail Safety Test
NRDC's Annual Report Reveals Nation's 35 "Superstar" Beaches, but 17
"Repeat Offenders" Highlight Need for Clean Water Protections to Safeguard
Swimmers
WASHINGTON (June 25, 2014) – Ten percent of all water quality samples
collected last year from nearly 3,500 coastal and Great Lakes beaches in
the U.S. contained bacteria levels that failed to meet the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's most protective benchmark for swimmer
safety. According to the 24th annual beach report released today by the
Natural Resources Defense Council, the findings confirm that serious water
pollution persists at many U.S. seashores, with massive stormwater runoff
and sewage overflows historically being the largest known sources of the
problem.
"Sewage and contaminated runoff in the water should never ruin a family
beach trip," said NRDC senior attorney Jon Devine. "But no matter where you
live, urban slobber and other pollution can seriously compromise the water
quality at your favorite beach and make your family sick. To help keep us
healthy at the beach and stem the tide of water pollution, our government
leaders can finalize a critical proposal – the Clean Water Protection Rule
– to restore vital protections for the streams and wetlands that help
sustain clean beaches."
Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches collects
and analyzes the latest water testing results from the EPA and state beach
coordinators at nearly 3,500 beach testing locations nationwide. The 24th
annual report card examines the various causes of water pollution that
plague America's beaches and presents crucial, timely opportunities to keep
pollution out of America's beaches, lakes and rivers.
This year, the report found 35 popular "superstar" beaches with excellent
water quality, and flagged 17 "repeat offenders" that exhibited chronic
water pollution problems. It also includes an updated, mobile-friendly map
of nearly 3,500 beaches nationwide that is searchable by zip code, making
it easier than ever for users to check important water quality information
at their local beaches.
Find the full report, superstars, repeat offenders and zip code-searchable
map here:http://www.nrdc.org/beaches.
This year's Testing the Waters report comes at a time when the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are
considering taking important action to clean up tributary streams and
wetlands around the country, a move that can help better protect people at
the beach. The agencies' proposed Clean Water Protection Rule would
strengthen pollution safeguards for nearly two million miles of streams and
millions of acres of wetlands connected to larger bodies of water. These
water bodies help filter out harmful contaminants and prevent polluted
runoff before it can reach America's beaches.
THE NATION'S 35 "SUPERSTAR" BEACHES
NRDC designated 35 popular beaches across 14 states as "superstars" –
popular beaches for consistently meeting water quality safety thresholds.
Each of these beaches met national water quality benchmarks 98% of the time
over the past five years:
· Alabama: Gulf Shores Public Beach in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Gulf State Park Pavilion in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Dauphin Island Public Beach
· California: Newport Beach in Orange County (1 of 3 monitored
sections)
o Newport Beach - 38th Street
· Delaware: Dewey Beach-Swedes in Sussex County
· Florida: Bowman's Beach in Lee County
· Florida: Coquina Beach South in Manatee County
· Florida: Fort Desoto North Beach in Pinellas County
· Georgia: Tybee Island North in Chatham County
· Hawaii: Hapuna Beach St. Rec. Area in Big Island
· Hawaii: Po'ipu Beach Park in Kauai
· Hawaii: Wailea Beach Park in Maui
· Massachusetts: Singing Beach in Essex County
· Maryland: Point Lookout State Park in St Mary's County
· Maryland: Assateague State Park in Worcester County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Main St. and Sunset Blvd. in Brunswick
County
· North Carolina: Beach at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Dare County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Salisbury Street in Wrightsville Beach
in New Hanover
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Ocean Blvd. and Crews Ave. in Topsail
Beach in Pender County
· New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands Beach at Wallis Rd. in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands State Park in Rockingham County
· New Jersey: Washington (Margate) in Atlantic County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Avalon) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Sea Isle City) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Stone Harbor at 96th St. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Upper Township at Webster Rd. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Wildwood Crest at Orchid in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Broadway (Pt. Pleasant Beach) in Ocean County
· New York: Long Beach City in Nassau County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 28th St. in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 45th St in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Back Bay Beach in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach - Little Island Beach North in Virginia
Beach County
· Washington: Westhaven State Park, South Jetty in Grays Harbor
THE NATION'S 17 "REPEAT OFFENDERS"
Over the last five years of this report, sections of 17 U.S. beaches have
stood out as having persistent contamination problems, with water samples
failing to meet public health benchmarks more than 25 percent of the time
each year from 2009 to 2013:
· California: Malibu Pier, 50 yards east of the pier, in Los Angeles
County
· Indiana: Jeorse Park Beach in Lake County (both monitored sections):
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach I
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach II
· Massachusetts: Cockle Cove Creek in Barnstable County
· Maine: Goodies Beach in Knox County
· New Jersey: Beachwood Beach in Ocean County
· New York: Main Street Beach in Chautauqua County
· New York: Wright Park – East in Chautauqua County
· New York: Ontario Beach in Monroe County
· Ohio: Lakeshore Park in Ashtabula County
· Ohio: Arcadia Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Euclid State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Noble Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Sims Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Edson Creek in Erie County
· Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee County
Important note: some of these beaches have multiple sections that are
tested for water quality, and in some instances only certain sections of a
beach qualified for the repeat offender list.
NATIONAL FINDINGS – 2013:
This year's report found that 10 percent of beach water samples taken
nationwide in 2013 failed to meet the most protective federal public health
threshold used to assess water quality at American beaches – EPA's newly
created "Beach Action Value" (BAV).
Based on EPA's BAV safety threshold, the Great Lakes region had the highest
failure rate of beach water quality samples, with 13 percent of samples
failing to pass the safety test in 2013. The Delmarva region had the lowest
failure rate, with 4 percent of samples failing the safety test. In between
were the Gulf Coast (12 percent), New England (11 percent), the Western
Coast (9 percent), the New York and New Jersey coasts (7 percent), and the
Southeast (7 percent).
Individual states with the highest failure rates of reported water samples
in 2013 were Ohio (35 percent), Alaska (24 percent) and Mississippi (21
percent). Those with the lowest failure rates last year were Delaware (3
percent), New Hampshire (3 percent) and New Jersey (3 percent).
The national results in this year's report show an uptick in failure rates
for beach water quality safety due to the Beach Action Value, which is a
more protective health benchmark used for the first time in 2013 in lieu of
a now defunct and less-protective beach water quality standard. Seven
percent of beaches failed to meet the old, less-protective standard in
2012, 8 percent in both 2011 and 2010, and 7 percent each year from 2006 to
2009. The new use of BAV has also resulted in a shift in state-based
results, showing an increase in failure rates in many states across the
country.
The EPA estimates that up to 3.5 million people become ill from contact
with raw sewage from sanitary overflows each year. Beach water pollution
nationwide causes a range of waterborne illnesses in swimmers including
stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, ear, nose and throat problems,
dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders, and
other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children and
people with weak immune systems, the results can even be fatal.
Under the federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health
(BEACH) Act, states regularly test their beach water for bacteria found in
human and animal waste. These bacteria often indicate the presence of
various pathogens. When beach managers determine that water contamination
failed relevant health standards – or in some cases when a state suspects
levels would be high, such as after heavy rain – they notify the public
through beach closures or advisories.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – PROTECTING ALL SMALL STREAMS AND WETLANDS:
The most immediate and high-priority action to address water pollution at
the nation's beaches is to finalize and adopt the Clean Water Protection
Rule proposed by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. This federal rule
would ensure tributary streams and wetlands are protected from pollution
under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule is critical to virtually all
communities and beachgoers, impacting the hundreds of billions of dollars
spent annually on outdoor recreation. The proposed rule, officially known
as the "Waters of the U.S. Rule," is open for public comment until October
20 and demands a strong showing of public support to become final.
"Small streams and wetlands are as close to us as a dip at your favorite
beach or the tap in your kitchen," said Steve Fleischli, Director of the
Water Program at NRDC. "Standing behind EPA's Clean Water Protection Rule
will ensure our families have pristine, unpolluted water to enjoy for
generations to come. The rule deserves our support."
By removing harmful pollutants and bacteria from water that passes through
them and by retaining stormwater that leads to major pollution problems,
wetlands and streams help ensure larger water bodies within the
watershed—and ultimately, beaches—are safe for various uses. That's because
streams—regardless of their size and flow pattern—and wetlands near rivers,
lakes and other waters are "physically, chemically, and biologically
connected to downstream rivers," according a major assessment by EPA
scientists published in 2013.
For the past decade, however, these headwater streams have not been fully
and clearly protected from pollution because of two U.S. Supreme Court
decisions on Clean Water Act jurisdiction in 2001 and 2006. These decisions
left many of the nation's streams and wetlands without clear protection
from polluters. As a result, the EPA is often unable to hold polluters
accountable when it comes to these waters. The proposed Clean Water
Protection Rule would help resolve this problem.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – BOOSTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE:
Every year, more than 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater,
including hundreds of billions of gallons of untreated sewage overflows,
make their way into America's waterways, according to the EPA. Contaminated
runoff has historically been the largest known source of beach water
pollution.
The best way to keep this pollution out of America's beach water is to
prevent it from the start – by investing in smarter, greener infrastructure
on land, like porous pavement, green roofs, parks, roadside plantings and
rain barrels. Green infrastructure addresses stormwater pollution by
stopping rain where it falls, enabling it to evaporate or filter into the
ground naturally instead of carrying runoff from dirty streets to our
beaches.
Sensible green infrastructure solutions keep stormwater from becoming
wastewater and prevent sewage systems from overflowing. These techniques
turn rainwater from a huge pollution liability into a plentiful, local
water supply resource. They also beautify neighborhoods, cool and cleanse
the air, reduce asthma and heat-related illnesses, save on heating and
cooling energy costs, boost economies, and support American jobs.
Already, scores of cities and states are reaping the benefits of green
infrastructure solutions to meet clean water requirements and create
healthier, more resilient communities. These improvements will enable our
cities to meet clean water goals more cost-effectively. States,
municipalities, businesses and citizens have an immediate opportunity to
clean up pollution at America's beaches by incentivizing and adopting green
infrastructure approaches. The EPA can also help cities meet clean water
goals and promote green infrastructure by using existing Clean Water Act
authority to require sources of polluted runoff to clean up.
http://www.nrdc.org/media/2014/140625.asp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A
+NRDCPressReleases+%28NRDC+Press+Releases%29
EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Agency begins process to address potential human health risks
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released
a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment
identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol
degreasers and spray fixatives. It also identifies health risks to workers
when TCE is used as a degreaser in small commercial shops and as a stain
removing agent in dry cleaning.
"EPA calls on Congress to enact legislation that strengthens our current
federal toxics law," said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for chemical
safety and pollution prevention. "Until that time, we are using the best
available science to assess and address chemical risks of TCE that now show
that it may harm human health and the environment."
The final TCE risk assessment was developed as part of the agency's Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan, which identified chemicals for
review and assessment of potential risks to people's health and the
environment. EPA developed the draft TCE risk assessment based on the best
available information and finalized the assessment after careful
consideration of comments from the public and experts during an
independent, scientific peer review of the assessment. TCE is the first
chemical to complete the work plan risk assessment process under TSCA.
EPA is conducting a workshop from July 29-30, on potential TCE degreaser
alternatives and risk reduction approaches. EPA will conduct other
activities to address TCE uses as a stain removing agent in dry cleaning
and as a clear protective spray fixative.
In the meantime, EPA recommends that people take precautions that can
reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely
well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment to reduce exposure.
Additional information on the TCE risk assessment, the July 29-30 public
workshop, and TSCA workplan chemicals can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/riskassess.html
