6.5.14
Oil Spill
BP must pay Clean Water Act fines for spill, judge calls argument
'ridiculous and really desperate'
The Associated Press
June 04, 2014 at 7:29 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- The owners of the blown-out Macondo well cannot avoid
federal fines for the 2010 oil spill by blaming another company's failed
equipment, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/bp_must_pay_clean_water_act_fi.html#incart_river
State
More recycling bins planned for area
Enterprise Journal
Three more recycling bins will be placed across Pike County in June as part
of a cooperative grant from the state to reduce the trash tonnage in the
area.
http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_23bdf1f8-e97e-11e3-8ba7-001a4
bcf887a.html
Tornado cleanup nears completion
Itawamba County Times
County officials estimate between 90 and 95 percent of the debris left in
the wake of the April 28 tornado has been removed from county
right-of-ways.
According to County Administrator Gary Franks, disaster recovery group
Looks Great Services Incorporated has removed approximately 38,000 cubic
yards of storm debris from county roads. This far surpasses officials'
initial estimate of 20,000 cubic yards.
http://itawambatimes.com/2014/06/04/tornado-cleanup-nears-completion/
Fossil Road Show returns to museum June 14
New Albany Gazette
The Fossil Road Show is set for Saturday, June 14, at the Union County
Heritage Museum and as at events past, paleontologists from across the
state will gather to look at the objects and science of Mississippi's rich
fossil history.
http://newalbanygazette.com/2014/05/30/fossil-road-show-returns-museum-june-14/
National
It's Watershed vs. Pipeline in Latest Fracking Battle
High-Profile Spills Prompt Water Utilities to Fight Oil-and-Gas Pipelines
Wall Street Jouornal
In Mobile, Ala., the water utility spent decades buying 8,000 acres of land
to protect drinking water for around 200,000 people. So alarms went off
when officials learned thatPlains All American Pipeline PAA +0.07% LP
planned to build a line to transport up to 8 million gallons of crude oil a
day through the property.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/its-watershed-vs-pipeline-in-latest-fracking-battle-1401923923
Republican senators push Obama to repeal EPA proposal
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
Forty-one Republican senators sent a letter to President Obama Wednesday
urging him to withdraw the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed
regulations to limit carbon emissions from power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/208299-gop-senators-push-obama-to-repeal-epa-proposal
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: PSC opposition to nuclear waste is right decision
The Mississippi Public Service Commission is to be commended for being the
first state agency to go on record opposing storage of the nation's nuclear
waste in Mississippi.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/04/5626584/sun-herald-editorial-psc-opposition.html?sp=/99/728/
PERRY/Coal rules bad for state
Neshoba Democrat
By BRIAN PERRY
I was born in Kentucky, coal country. Well, not really. I was born in
Western Kentucky which is as removed from coal country as Pascagoula is
from the Mississippi Delta. But I like songs about coal miners. And I like
affordable energy.
http://neshobademocrat.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=302&ArticleID=32751
Press Releases
Wicker, Cochran Call on President to Revoke New EPA Rules
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Thad Cochran,
R-Miss., today signed a letter along with 39 Senators calling on President
Obama to withdraw the recently announced Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) rule to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants.
"This burdensome EPA rule would lead to higher energy costs, job losses,
and have little effect on changing the climate," Wicker said. "The rule is
a no-win situation for Americans who already face tough economic
conditions. I urge the President to withdraw this onerous rule without
delay."
"Mississippians will be forced to pay for another Obama environmental rule
that is based on questionable legal authority and rosy cost-benefit guesses
by the EPA. We've already seen the how the administration's ozone rules can
cause economic uncertainty in places like DeSoto County," Cochran said.
"The administration should revoke this new rule and work with energy
providers to find more acceptable ways to meet clean air standards without
hurting families and businesses."
The extensive letter to President Obama notes the undue strain this policy
would put on low-income families and the elderly who pay a larger
proportion of their income on energy costs. Hindering coal as a power
source would be detrimental to families and manufacturers, many of whom
rely on coal as their main source of energy.
The letter also questions the President's authority to force states to
reduce emissions, stating, "In your haste to drive coal and eventually
natural gas from the generation portfolio, your Administration has
disregarded whether EPA even has the legal authority under the Clean Air
Act to move forward with this proposal, the dubious benefit of prematurely
forcing the closure of even more base load power generation from America's
electric generating fleet, and the obvious signal this past winter's cold
snap sent regarding our continued need for reliable, affordable coal¬fired
generation."
Sen. Wicker, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee,
spoke out against EPA's new regulation before an Environment and Public
Works subcommittee hearing on Tuesday.
The letter was authored by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,
and Sen. David Vitter, R-La. Other Senators signing today's letter include
James Inhofe, R-Okla., John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Mike
Crapo, R-Idaho, John Boozman, R-Ark., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., John Cornyn,
R-Texas, Roy Blunt, R-Mo., John Thune, R-S.D., Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Pat
Toomey, R-Pa., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Mark Kirk, R-Ill.,
Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Mike Johanns, R-Neb., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, James
Risch, R-Idaho, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., John Hoeven,
R-N.D., Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Lamar Alexander,
R-Tenn., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Dean Heller, R-Nev., Rand
Paul, R-Ky., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Tim Scott, R-S.C., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Dan
Coats, R-Ind., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Richard Burr,
R-N.C., Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0e80b276-1dc3-4500-a3a6-754d7b0b27bd
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| USDA Announces Programs to Conserve Sensitive Land and Help Beginning |
| Farmers |
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| Programs that Allow Producers to Protect Land and Help New, Minority and |
| Veteran Farmers Get their Start in Agriculture |
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|WASHINGTON, June 4, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced|
|that farmers, ranchers and landowners committed to protecting and conserving|
|environmentally sensitive land may now sign up for the Conservation Reserve |
|Program (CRP). The Secretary also announced that retiring farmers enrolled |
|in CRP could receive incentives to transfer a portion of their land to |
|beginning, disadvantaged or veteran farmers through the Transition |
|Incentives Program (TIP). |
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|"CRP is one of the largest voluntary conservation programs in the country," |
|said Vilsack. "This initiative helps farmers and ranchers lead the nation in|
|preventing soil erosion, improving water quality and restoring wildlife |
|habitat, all of which will make a difference for future generations." |
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|Vilsack continued, "The average age of farmers and ranchers in the United |
|States is 58 years, and twice as many are 65 or older compared to those 45 |
|or younger. The cost of buying land is one of the biggest barriers to many |
|interested in getting started in agriculture. The Transition Incentives |
|Program is very useful as we work to help new farmers and ranchers get |
|started." |
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|The Conservation Reserve Program provides incentives to producers who |
|utilize conservation methods on environmentally-sensitive lands. For |
|example, farmers are monetarily compensated for establishing long-term |
|vegetative species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as "covers") to|
|control soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat. |
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|CRP consists of a "continuous" and "general" sign-up period. Continuous sign|
|up for the voluntary program starts June 9. Under continuous sign-up |
|authority, eligible land can be enrolled in CRP at any time with contracts |
|of up to 10 to 15 years in duration. In lieu of a general sign-up this year,|
|USDA will allow producers with general CRP contracts expiring this September|
|to have the option of a one-year contract extension. USDA will also |
|implement the 2014 Farm Bill's requirement that producers enrolled through |
|general sign-up for more than five years can exercise the option to opt-out |
|of the program if certain other conditions are met. In addition, the new |
|grassland provisions, which will allow producers to graze their enrolled |
|land, will enable producers to do so with more flexibility. |
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|The Transition Incentives Program provides two additional years of payments |
|for retired farmers and ranchers who transition expiring CRP acres to |
|socially disadvantaged, military veteran, or beginning producers who return |
|the land to sustainable grazing or crop production. Sign up will also begin |
|June 9. TIP funding was increased by more than 30 percent in the 2014 Farm |
|Bill, providing up to $33 million through 2018. |
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|As part of the 2014 Farm Bill, participants meeting specific qualifications |
|may have the opportunity to terminate their CRP contract during fiscal year |
|2015 if the contract has been in effect for a minimum of five years and if |
|other conditions are also met. |
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|The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers CRP, will coordinate |
|the various CRP program opportunities. For more information on CRP and other|
|FSA programs, visit a local FSA county office or go online to |
|www.fsa.usda.gov. |
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|Both the CRP and TIP were reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill |
|builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years,|
|while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for |
|taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement |
|each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster |
|relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; |
|expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing |
|innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets |
|for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and |
|community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For |
|more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. |
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