7.3.14
Happy 4th!
Oil Spill
After long wait, medical claims related to BP spill begin to get paid
WWL
NEW ORLEANS – Following more than a year of delays, BP has paid the first
100 of about 10,000 medical claims filed by Gulf Coast residents and
cleanup workers affected by the 2010 oil spill.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/eyewitness/davidhammer/After-long-wait-medical-claims-related-to-BP-spill-begin-to-get-paid-265302491.html
State
Attorney Gary Rikard chosen to lead Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality
The Associated Press
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Gov. Phil Bryant has named 44-year-old
environmental lawyer Gary Rikard to replace the outgoing executive director
of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/07/attorney_gary_rikard_chosen_to.html
Liberty, Mississippi residents say when it comes to fracking, no complaints
WVUE
Liberty, Mississippi -There have been tens of thousands of fracking wells
drilled in the U.S. over the past 50 years, many within 100 miles of New
Orleans.
http://www.fox8live.com/story/25929804/liberty-mississippi-residents-say-when-it-comes-to-frackingno-complaints
Firefighters assist in sea turtle rescues
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -For years, Coast firemen have been helping the Institute
for Marine Mammal studies rescue injured or stranded sea turtles, but
recently they have seen a higher amount of stranded turtles.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25929596/firefighters-assist-in-turtle-rescues
City orders stoppage of milk recycling
Stone County Enterprise
The City of Wiggins ordered Stone Recycling to cease operations of its
wet-stream operation last Friday.
http://www.stonecountyenterprise.com/article_2196.shtml
Exploring the Pascagoula
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi is home to some of the most beautiful and natural places
to be found, but among them, the Pascagoula River could be the
wildest.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/07/02/exploring-pascagoula/12117621/
National
EPA adds hearings on power plant carbon regs
The Hill
Facing higher-than-expected response to its proposed carbon dioxide
regulations for power plants, the Environmental Protection Agency is
doubling the number of public hearings it will host to gather input on the
rules.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/211158-epa-adds-hearings-on-power-plant-carbon-regs
U.S. EPA approves new fuels for federal biofuel mandate
Wed, Jul 2 2014
Reuters
By Ayesha Rascoe
WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on
Wednesday expanded the types of fuel that can be used to satisfy the
federal biofuel mandate, a move that could play a role in the agency's
delayed targets for 2014 renewable fuel use.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/02/usa-epa-biofuels-idUSL2N0PD1XB20140702
Report: Electronics waste $80B in power annually
The Hill
Turn off that X-Box, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Wednesday,
because consoles and other electronic devices like it are wasting $80
billion of power every year.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/211181-report-80b-wasted-annually-to-power-gaming-consoles-electronic
Two Senators Seek Details of Oil-Export Rulings
Lawmakers Want to Know if Rulings Violate Oil-Export Ban
Wall Street Journal
Two U.S. senators have asked the Commerce Department to provide details
about recent federal rulings that may allow exports of some American oil
that hasn't gone through the traditional refining process.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/two-senators-seek-details-of-oil-export-rulings-1404331013
Press Releases
Governor Bryant Names Rikard to Head Department of Environmental Quality
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant has named Gary Rikard to succeed Trudy Fisher as
executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Fisher, who has served as executive director since 2007, has announced her
intentions to return to the private sector at the end of the summer.
"Trudy has worked tirelessly in her capacity as executive director, and I
thank her for her service. Under her guidance, Mississippi has responded to
significant environmental disasters, and she has ensured environmental
protection while leading the agency to achieve speed and efficiency in its
permitting process—something that sets Mississippi apart among economic
competitors."
Rikard, a partner with Butler Snow, LLP, has practiced environmental law
since 1996, serving as senior attorney at MDEQ from 1996-1998. Prior to
earning his law degree, he worked as an environmental engineer at MDEQ,
specializing in permitting and water quality compliance issues. He served
more than 22 years in the Mississippi National Guard, retiring with the
rank of Major. During his service with the National Guard, he served as
assistant staff judge advocate, acting as the primary legal officer for
environmental matters.
"I am very pleased to appoint Gary to lead the Department of Environmental
Quality," Gov. Phil Bryant said. "He has the legal and technical expertise
to ensure that Mississippi's environmental conservation and economic growth
priorities are achieved in concert with one another. He has worked for the
agency previously in both a legal and in an engineering capacity, and his
experience has prepared him well to take on this leadership position."
Rikard's specialized legal experience includes negotiating complex
permitting and enforcement issues before the United States Environmental
Protection Agency and representing MDEQ before the Mississippi Supreme
Court. He is experienced in a wide array of state and federal environmental
standards including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, the Mississippi Air and Water Pollution
Control Law and the Mississippi Solid Waste Act.
He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Christian Brothers
University, has completed graduate studies in environmental engineering at
the University of Mississippi School of Engineering, and holds a juris
doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He is
admitted to the Mississippi Bar and the Tennessee Bar.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity, and I am
humbled by Gov. Bryant's choice and by his faith in me," Rikard said. "I
look forward to the challenge and to leading an agency that is tasked with
such an important mission."
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