7.1.2014
Oil Spill
St. Bernard hopes artificial oyster reef will protect shoreline
Don Ames Reporting
St. Bernard Parish President, David Peralta, is hoping funding will come
through to complete a shoreline protection project and help restore the
marshland.
http://www.wwl.com/pages/19315452.php?contentType=4&contentId=15479764
State
Tupelo, rural water system spar
BY SUSAN PARKER
WTVA
July 1, 2014
TUPELO, MISS. — Kenneth Giles is a North Lee Water Association customer. He
describes his water quality as fair.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/07/01/5678063/tupelo-rural-water-system-spar.html?sp=/99/184/218/
MDEQ awards grants for recycling, tire disposal
WTVA
ACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
has awarded over $100,000 in grants to help with recycling and waste tire
disposal in North Mississippi.
http://www.wtva.com/news/national/story/MDEQ-awards-grants-for-recycling-tire-disposal/ltXn3TsPoUSGBNTNn6MoWQ.cspx
Rep. Nunnelee moved to Johns Hopkins
Clarion Ledger
U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee's office reports he has been moved from a
Texas hospital to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where "his
speech and left side mobility continue to improve."
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/politicalledger/2014/06/30/nunnelee-surgery-brain-mass/11800297/
National
Officials clash over beach contamination warnings
The Associated Press
June 30, 2014 at 7:48 PM
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A federal plan to lower thresholds for warning the
public about contaminated beach water is drawing protests from state
officials in the Great Lakes region and along the ocean coasts who say the
revisions could unnecessarily scare away swimmers.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/officials_clash_over_beach_con.html#incart_river
Fracking study finds new gas wells leak more
BY SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science WriterJune 30, 2014
WASHINGTON — In Pennsylvania's gas drilling boom, newer and unconventional
wells leak far more often than older and traditional ones, according to a
study of state inspection reports for 41,000 wells.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/30/5677324/fracking-study-finds-new-gas-wells.html?sp=/99/184/208/
Press Releases
First Voluntary Metering Program Goal Met
The Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force and its members are
pleased to announce that the first milestone of the Voluntary Metering
Program has been met. Cooperating producers and landowners have installed
permanent meters, and agreed to report annual water use, on at least 5% of
all permitted groundwater irrigation wells in all Mississippi Delta and
part-Delta counties on or before the June 30, 2014 deadline.
Yazoo City native Chat Philips, Chair of the Commission on Environmental
Quality, commented, "The Commission on Environmental Quality appreciates
those who chose to participate in the voluntary program. It also must be
noted that this goal would not have been met without the tireless and
collaborative efforts of each and every member of the Delta Sustainable
Water Resources Task Force."
Trudy Fisher, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality, was equally pleased: "The Delta has worked hard to
achieve this first milestone and is congratulated for these efforts. We
cannot lose our focus going forward as more milestones must be reached for
the Voluntary Metering Program to be a success. I couldn't be more pleased
with the momentum and the partnerships, and I look forward to continued
success. I would like to personally thank each and every member of the
Task Force for reaching this milestone."
According to the Voluntary Metering Program protocol adopted in April of
2013 by all members of the Task Force, the next major step in the process
is for all volunteers to submit water usage reports by
February 1, 2015. Water usage report forms will be mailed to all
volunteers later this year. There will also be an online reporting option
for volunteers to use, if they prefer.
In addition to the 5% reporting requirement on February 1, 2015, there also
must be additional meters installed to meet the overall 10% metering goal,
by county, by December 30, 2015. Subsequent water use reports must be
filed on all 10% by February 1, 2016, and by February 1 of each year
thereafter. If any milestones are not met, the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality will implement a mandatory metering program.
The Mississippi Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force serves to
facilitate and foster the development and implementation of water resource
management strategies in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. The MDEQ-led Task
Force includes Delta Council, Delta F.A.R.M., Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation, Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the
Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Joint Water Management District.
Voluntary Program Milestones
June 30, 2014 5% of all groundwater wells metered by county
February 1, 2015 2014 water use reports due on at least 5% of all
groundwater wells by county
December 30, 2015 10% of all groundwater wells metered by county
February 1, 2016 2015 water use reports due on at least 10% of all
groundwater wells by county
