7.18.14
State
MS Power tests at lignite plant, starts hiring permanent workers
WLOX
After dealing with delays and budget overruns, construction is starting to
wind down on Mississippi Power's $5 billion lignite plant in Kemper County.
Officials said after some successful test runs, a new phase is getting
underway. The company has begun hiring hundreds of permanent employees that
will run the facility. They will be putting emphasis on making those job
offers to Mississippians.
http://www.wlox.com/story/26048765/ms-power-conducts-tests-at-lignite-plant-begins-hiring-permanant-workers
Kemper power plant nearing completion
Mississippi Power officials say lignite will mean cost certainty into
future
Sun Herald
BY PATRICK OCHS
KEMPER COUNTY -- After more than four years, construction is beginning to
wind down at the 582-megawatt Kemper County energy plant. Officials have
set a deadline of May 31 as its target operation date.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/07/17/5703184/kemper-power-plant-nearing-completion.html?sp=/99/102/
North Lee proceeds with $8.9 million loan
By Robbie Ward
Daily Journal
SALTILLO – North Lee County Water Association's board of directors has
officially entered the nonprofit cooperative into a low-interest, $8.9
million federal loan financed for a 40-year period.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-proceeds-8-9-million-loan/
Utility Authority welcomes new member, appoints vice president
Picayune Item
Published 7:00am Friday, July 18, 2014
A new board member for the Pearl River County Utility Authority was
presented during Thursday's meeting. He is Bill Winborn, a former member
of the Poplarville Board of Aldermen.
http://picayuneitem.com/2014/07/utility-authority-welcomes-new-member-appoints-vice-president/
Updated USGS earthquake risk areas include Alabama, Mississippi
Al.com
Debbie M. Lord
Parts of northern Alabama and Mississippi are included on a new federal map
that highlights where geologists believe increased earthquake activity is
likely to occur during the next 50 years.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/updated_usgs_earthquake_risk_m.html#incart_river
National
NOAA: Climate change is getting worse
The Hill
Changes in the earth's climate are increasing at a steady rate, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned Thursday in a new
report.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/212577-noaa-climate-change-is-getting-worse
EPA's No. 2 leaving for climate group
The Hill
Bob Perciasepe, deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), will resign next month to lead an energy and climate advocacy group,
the agency announced Thursday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/212538-epas-no-2-to-resign
Senators join in EPA 'secret science' charge
The Hill
Eight GOP senators have introduced a bill to block the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) from using undisclosed scientific studies to
justify its regulations, joining House Republicans in the "secret science"
accusation.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/212550-senators-join-in-epa-secret-science-charge
GOP Senators probe lost EPA emails
The Hill
A group of Republican senators believe the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) broke the law when it lost emails that lawmakers are seeking in an
investigation, and they're asking the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) to help their inquiry.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/212596-gop-senators-probe-lost-epa-emails
Press Releases
EPA Awarding $2.1 Million to Revitalize Urban Waters
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding
$2.1 million to 37 organizations in 17 states and Puerto Rico to help
protect and restore urban waters, improve water quality, and support
community revitalization and other local priorities. The funding is through
EPA's Urban Waters program, which supports communities in their efforts to
access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding
land. Urban waters include canals, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers,
estuaries, bays and oceans in urbanized areas.
"People, buildings, and businesses are all concentrated in urban areas,
making it even more important to protect waterways from pollution." said
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "These communities will receive grants,
allowing them to help turn these waterways into centerpieces of urban
renewal, spurring economic development and job creation."
EPA is awarding grants ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 for projects taking
place in areas that align with the 18 designated Urban Waters Federal
Partnership locations. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is made up of
13 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their
waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and
collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts. All funded
projects work to advance environmental justice in their communities and
focus on one of the following three categories: community greening and
green infrastructure, communities and water quality data, and integration
of water quality and community development in planning.
Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from
city streets, and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities.
Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and
enhance economic, educational, recreational and social opportunities in
nearby communities. By reconnecting communities to their local urban
waters, EPA will help communities to actively participate in restoring
urban waters while improving their neighborhoods.
Information on EPA's Urban Waters program: http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters
Information on the Urban Waters Federal Partnership:
http://www.urbanwaters.gov/
To view a list of the selected projects that will be funded, visit
http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters/urban-waters-small-grants.
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| Research Projects to Improve Plant Feedstocks for Bioenergy Production |
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| Departments of Agriculture and Energy Announce Projects in 10 States |
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|WASHINGTON, July 17, 2014 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and |
|the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 10 |
|projects that are being awarded funding aimed at accelerating genetic |
|breeding programs to improve plant feedstocks for the production of |
|biofuels, biopower, and biobased products. The investment is part of the |
|Obama Administration's broader effort to diversify the nation's energy |
|portfolio and accelerate development of new clean energy technologies |
|designed to decrease dependence on foreign oil, providing a more secure |
|future for America's energy needs and enhancing rural economies. |
| |
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|"Innovative research is a critical link to stimulating rural economies and |
|creating jobs across America," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. |
|"These awards are part of the Obama Administration's 'all of the above' |
|energy policy. These projects will not only support our efforts to provide a|
|sustainable and domestic energy source for the nation, but also improve the |
|lives of rural residents." |
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|"Biofuels and bio-based products offer the potential of homegrown American |
|resources that can reduce our dependence on imported oil and also cut carbon|
|emissions," said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. "This advanced research |
|is helping us to lay the groundwork for biomass as an important part of the |
|low-carbon future." |
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|The $12.6 million in research grants are awarded under a joint DOE-USDA |
|program that began in 2006 focused on fundamental investigations of biomass |
|genomics, with the aim of harnessing nonfood plant biomass for the |
|production of fuels such as ethanol or renewable chemical feedstocks. |
|Dedicated feedstock crops tend to require less intensive production |
|practices and can grow on poorer quality land than food crops, making this a|
|critical element in a strategy of sustainable biofuels production that |
|avoids competition with crops grown for food. |
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|The projects are located in California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, |
|Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Texas, and Virginia. DOE's Office of Science |
|will provide $10.6 million in funding for eight projects, while USDA's |
|National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will award $2 million to |
|fund two projects. Initial funding will support research projects for up to |
|three years. The full list of awardees and project descriptions can be found|
|online at: http://genomicscience.energy.gov/research/DOEUSDA/index.shtml. |
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|New projects to be funded this year will build upon gains in genetic and |
|genomic resources for bioenergy and biofuels. The projects will accelerate |
|the breeding of optimized dedicated bioenergy feedstocks through a better |
|understanding of complex interactions between bioenergy feedstock plants and|
|their environment, allowing the development of new regionally-adapted |
|bioenergy feedstock cultivars with maximal biomass or seed oil yield and |
|traits leading to more sustainable production systems, such as minimal water|
|usage and nutrient input requirements. |
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|For more information on the joint DOE-USDA Plant Feedstocks Genomics for |
|Bioenergy research program, visit: |
|http://genomicscience.energy.gov/research/DOEUSDA/index.shtml |
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EPA Introduces New Graphic to Help Consumers Make Informed Choices about
Insect Repellents
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today unveiled a new
graphic that will be available to appear on insect repellent product
labels. The graphic will show consumers how many hours a product will repel
mosquitoes and/or ticks when used as directed.
"We are working to create a system that does for bug repellents what SPF
labeling did for sunscreens," said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator of
the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "By providing vital
information to consumers, this new graphic will help parents, hikers and
the general public better protect themselves and their families from
serious health threats caused by mosquitoes and ticks. We are encouraging
manufacturers to submit applications so they can add the graphic to their
registered repellent products."
In a joint statement released today, EPA and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention are urging the public to use insect repellents and
take other precautions to avoid biting insects that carry serious diseases.
In the United States, ticks can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme
disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. Mosquitoes can
transmit debilitating diseases including West Nile virus, and St. Louis
encephalitis.
Incidence of these diseases is on the rise. CDC estimates that there are
about 300,000 cases of tick-transmitted Lyme disease in the United States
each year. Effective insect repellents can protect against serious
mosquito- and tick-borne diseases. Using the right repellent and taking
other preventive actions can discourage bites from ticks, mosquitoes, and
other biting insects.
Companies' voluntary placement of the new label graphic on insect repellent
product labels will make it easier for consumers to choose a repellent. In
order to place the graphic on their labels, manufacturers must submit a
label amendment, including adequate test results to support the graphic and
meet stringent safety standards. The public could see the graphic on
repellent products early next year.
Current labels of skin-applied repellent products do not make it easy for
consumers to identify the insects repelled by a product and how long it
will work. EPA has worked with manufacturers and the public to create the
new graphic that displays consumer information in a more prominent and
standardized format. The graphic will only be placed on products that are
applied directly to the skin.
Companies will be able to request approval to use this graphic through the
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act registration process.
View the graphic and additional information:
http://www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents/repellency-awareness-graphic
See the joint statement from EPA and CDC:
http://www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents/joint-statement-insect-repellents-epa-and-cdc
See the new website on insect repellency:
http://www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents
For more information on diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks:
http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/, http://www.cdc.gov/westnile/,
http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/, http://www.cdc.gov/dengue/
