State
Groundworx civil suit against Hub City to continue
Hattiesburg American
The City of Hattiesburg's decision Tuesday night to terminate its
contract with Groundworx, LLC, will not impact the wastewater
dispersal company's civil complaint against the city.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2014/08/06/groundworx-drop-lawsuit-hattiesburg/13705015/
City to save Long Creek Reservoir
By Terri Ferguson Smith
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN — Long Creek Reservoir will not be completely drained, and
city officials are looking for ways to find $500,000 to repair the dam, a
statement from Mayor Percy Bland's office said on Wednesday.
http://www.meridianstar.com/local/x197384021/City-to-save-Long-Creek-Reservoir
Waste grant to clean illegal dumpsites
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality awarded Monroe County a solid waste assistance grant for
enforcement efforts regarding illegal dumping.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Waste-grant-to-clean-illegal-dumpsites/ERKKSGW1rUGnykU0bPOrIg.cspx
Lafayette County residents push anti-litter efforts
By Errol Castens
Daily Journal
OXFORD – Lafayette County residents asked the Board of Supervisors for help
fighting trash that seems to be a growing problem countywide.
http://djournal.com/news/lafayette-county-residents-push-anti-litter-efforts/
Diamondhead hires new city manager
Sun Herald
BY PATRICK OCHS
DIAMONDHEAD -- Clovis Reed was perfectly happy as a retiree after spending
25 years as a county administrator.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/08/06/5733204/diamondhead-hires-new-city-manager.html?sp=/99/184/
Oil Spill
Sen. Nelson Talks RESTORE Act Funds
WJHG
PANAMA CITY-- Florida officials could find out(Embedded image moved to
file: pic01018.jpg) as soon as Friday how they'll be able to use RESTORE
Act money. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson announced the latest developments
Wednesday. The money from the BP oil spill could be anywhere from 5 to 17
billion dollars.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/RESTORE-Act-Spending-Regualtions--270261661.html
National
EPA declares climate rule hearings successful
The Hill
Nearly 3,000 people attended public hearings last week on the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) carbon emissions rule for power plants, leading
the agency to declare it a "great success."
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/214496-epa-declares-climate-rule-hearings-successful
Waste Management Sees Growth With EPA Coal-Ash Disposal Rule
Bloomberg
By Harry R. Weber and Jack Kaskey August 06, 2014
(Embedded image moved to file: pic28464.jpg)
Waste Management Inc. (WM:US), North America's largest trash hauler,
expects "big growth" in sales from a pending U.S. rule that may require
coal-fired power plants to dispose of ash byproduct in engineered
landfills, Chief Executive Officer David Steiner said.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-08-06/waste-management-sees-growth-with-epa-coal-ash-disposal-rule
New 'trashy' reality TV show focuses on recyclers
BY SAMANTHA HENRY
Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J. — A new show wants to redefine the meaning of trashy
television.
"Human Resources," which debuts Friday on the Pivot network, will focus not
on hard-partying beachgoers but on a socially conscious recycling company.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/08/07/5733316/new-trashy-reality-tv-show-focuses.html?sp=/99/102/
Press Releases
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| USDA Announces Inclusion of Wood Products and Other Materials in BioPreferred Program |
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|WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a final rule|
|eliminating the restrictions on including mature market wood products and other |
|materials in the BioPreferred program. The action implements changes included in the |
|2014 Farm Bill. |
| |
| |
|"Every day, companies across the nation are expanding markets for agriculture and |
|growing job opportunities in rural America," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. |
|"The inclusion of innovative wood products furthers our commitment to strengthening the|
|biobased economy and ensures that the Federal government uses home American grown |
|products whenever possible." |
| |
| |
|The final rule establishes a procedure to designate "intermediate ingredients" so |
|products made from them can be included in the "preferred" Federal procurement process.|
|That rule establishes procedures for designating "complex assemblies" that contain one |
|or more components made from biobased ingredients. |
| |
| |
|The 2014 Farm Bill required the BioPreferred program to "promote biobased products, |
|including forest products, that apply an innovative approach to growing, harvesting, |
|sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of biobased products |
|regardless of the date of entry into the marketplace." Products that were previously |
|considered to be "mature market" products (those that had a significant market share |
|prior to 1972), and were previously ineligible for the BioPreferred program, will now |
|be included in the program if manufacturers demonstrate that they apply an "innovative |
|approach" in any part of the life cycle of their product. With the final rule, USDA is |
|deleting the text previously found in the Guidelines that excluded products that were |
|considered to be mature market products. Specifically, USDA has removed the text |
|previously found in paragraph (c)(2) of the Guidelines. |
| |
| |
|The final rule, which was initially proposed in 2012, also revises the Biobased |
|Products Federal Procurement Guidelines to incorporate changes that were made in the |
|2008 and 2014 Farm Bills. |
| |
| |
|USDA is proceeding with a separate rulemaking process to address the specific |
|provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014 regarding innovative approaches. On August |
|1, the Department conducted a meeting in Washington to obtain input and is also |
|soliciting comments in writing. Working in conjunction with the USDA Forest Products |
|Laboratory, as required by the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA is developing a process to evaluate|
|the eligibility of biobased products for the BioPreferred program based on the use of |
|innovative approaches. |
| |
| |
|The USDA BioPreferred program works to increase the purchase and use of designated |
|biobased products through a preferred procurement initiative for Federal agencies. |
|Designated products may also carry the voluntary consumer label. |
| |
| |
|The voluntary label part of the program is designed to promote broad-scale marketing of|
|biobased products to consumers. As of July 2014, USDA has certified 1,800 biobased |
|products in more than 187 product categories for the label. Certified and designated |
|products include construction, janitorial, and grounds keeping products purchased by |
|Federal agencies, to personal care and packaging products used by consumers every day. |
| |
| |
|Today's announcement was made possible 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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| U.S. Forest Service Will Award $14 Million for Working Forests |
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|WASHINGTON, August 6, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the|
|U.S. Forest Service will award more than $14 million in funding from the Land and Water|
|Conservation Fund (LWCF) to seven Forest Legacy Program projects aimed at protecting |
|over 28,000 acres of working forests. |
| |
| |
|"These investments strengthen each community's economic and ecological base," said |
|Vilsack. "Conserving critical landscapes, like the working forests protected through |
|the Forest Legacy Program, provides opportunities to reconnect Americans to the |
|outdoors and maintain benefits forests provide like clean air, clean water, and |
|wildlife habitat, while expanding recreation benefits and the economic opportunities |
|they represent." |
| |
| |
|The Forest Legacy Program has conserved over 2.3 million acres of forest lands, |
|mitigating climate change, improving water quality and protecting and improving |
|wildlife habitat. |
| |
| |
|LWCF, created by Congress in 1964, provides resources to Federal, State and local |
|governments for the conservation of important lands, waters and historical sites. Using|
|no taxpayer dollars, LWCF uses earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help |
|preserve our history, protect our lands and strengthen our economy. The LWCF State |
|Grants Program, of which the Forest Legacy Program is a key component, provides |
|matching grants to States to encourage the protection of privately owned forest lands. |
|The Forest Legacy Program is entirely voluntary. |
| |
| |
|One of the most effective tools for conservation, outdoor recreation and economic |
|growth in local communities, the program is set to expire next year without action from|
|Congress. President Obama has proposed to fully and permanently fund the innovative |
|program. |
| |
| |
|The projects selected for LWCF funding were included in the Fiscal Year 2014 |
|President's Budget. |
| |
| |
|The selected projects are: |
| |
| |
|Groton Forest Legacy Initiative, $1,895,000 |
| |
| |
|Vermont |
| |
| |
|The project will protect 3,249 acres of managed forestland, rare species, 15 miles of |
|streams and 45,000 square feet of undeveloped lake and pond frontage adjacent to the |
|second largest protected land holding in Vermont. |
| |
| |
|Windham Region Working Forest, $2,185,000 |
| |
| |
|Vermont |
| |
| |
|This project will protect over 6,000 acres of managed woodlands, critical habitat, |
|connectivity to 395,800 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest, and water |
|resources. |
| |
| |
|Sawtooth Mountain Ranch, $3,000,000 |
| |
| |
|Colorado |
| |
| |
|This 2,448-acre project will maintain scenic vistas and productive timberland, protect |
|habitat for the federally threatened Canada lynx, and conserve 11 miles of tributaries |
|of the Uncompahgre River, which provides drinking water to over 76,000 people. |
| |
| |
|Clear Creek Conservation, $595,000 |
| |
| |
|Montana |
| |
| |
|The 760-acre project provides habitat to protect the federally threatened grizzly bear,|
|provides wood products and recreational opportunities that are vital to the local |
|economy, and connects to the larger Blackfoot Community Project initiative. |
| |
| |
|Bobcat Ridge, $2,370,000 |
| |
| |
|Texas |
| |
| |
|This 7,000-acre working forest is part of a collaborative effort to conserve lands in |
|and around the new federal Neches River National Wildlife Refuge initiative along the |
|entire river corridor that links 618,000 acres of protected federal, state and private |
|lands. |
| |
| |
|Carter Mountain Working Forest Conservation Easement, $1,875,000 |
| |
| |
|Tennessee |
| |
| |
|The project will protect 4,800 acres of prime developable forest land. The property |
|includes diverse and highly productive forests, over 10 miles of scenic bluff views, |
|two federally endangered species, 10 vernal pool wetlands, and over 10 miles of |
|headwater streams. |
| |
| |
|Liberty Hill Phase I, $2,165,000 |
| |
| |
|South Carolina |
| |
| |
|The 3,452-acre project provides a unique opportunity to create a conservation corridor |
|along the Catawba River and the northern end of Lake Wateree. The project will protect |
|habitat for fish and wildlife species and the last large block of unprotected lakefront|
|property in Lancaster and Kershaw counties. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to |
|sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands |
|to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million |
|acres of public land, provides assistance to State and private landowners, and |
|maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the |
|Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year |
|through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation's |
|clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a|
|direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested |
|acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most |
|Americans live. |
| |
| |
|# |
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