9/16/14
State
Court tosses challenge to Miss. Silicon's clean air permit
Mississippi Business Journal
by Ted Carter
Published: September 15,2014
An Alabama competitor to Mississippi Silicon, which is building a $200
million plant in Burnsville, came in too late with its challenge to an air
quality permit for the plant, the Tishomingo County Chancery Court has
ruled.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/09/15/court-tosses-challenge-miss-silicons-clean-air-permit/
Senators ask for extended comment period on EPA rules
WTVA
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVA) -- Mississippi Senators Thad Cochran and Roger
Wicker are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to extend the
time-frame the public has to comment on carbon emissions regulations.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Senators-ask-for-extended-comment-period-on-EPA/_Ty0rzLgw0CWZcJdwZv4EA.cspx
Renovation planned for Columbus landmark
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, MISS. — A landmark football stadium in Columbus will be getting a
makeover and a new purpose.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/09/16/5802223/renovation-planned-for-columbus.html?sp=/99/184/218/
Accident closes Evelyn Gandy exit ramps, delays traffic
WDAM
Portions of the Evelyn Gandy Parkway and the south bound lane of Highway 59
were closed on Monday September 15, due to an 18-wheeler accident.
http://www.wdam.com/story/26534578/accident-closes-exit-ramps-near-evelyn-gandy
Gulf Islands means big bucks for the coast
WLOX
OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (WLOX) -Daniel Martin from New Jersey is packing up after
a six day stay at the Davis Bayou campground. He estimates he spent about
$300 during his stay.
http://www.wlox.com/story/26536366/gulf-islands-means-big-bucks-for-the-coast
Oil Spill
BP Seeks Access to $750 Million Transocean Insurance
Bloomberg
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and R.G. Ratcliffe Sep 15, 2014 11:01 PM CT
BP Plc (BP/), which already has paid more than $28 billion for the 2010
Gulf of Mexico oil spill, seeks to get a $750 million chunk of that back by
convincing a Texas court that a missing comma may give the oil company
access to Transocean Ltd. (RIG)'s insurance policies on the Deepwater
Horizon.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-16/bp-seeks-access-to-750-million-transocean-insurance.html
National
EPA Administrator Pushes for Water Rules
AP
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said Monday
she's not backing down on her agency's efforts to implement a new rule that
would assert regulatory authority over many of the nation's streams and
wetlands despite criticisms that it amounts to a federal water grab.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/epa-administrator-pushes-water-rules-25518235
Bad fracking wells taint water, scientists find
BY SEAN COCKERHAM
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Faulty fracking wells are to blame for drinking water
contamination in Texas and Pennsylvania, according to new findings from
researchers at five universities.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/09/15/5801567/bad-fracking-wells-taint-water.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
Study Links Increased Drilling With Earthquakes
Scientists Say Tremors in Colorado, New Mexico Likely Connected to Nearby
Wastewater Injection Wells
Wall Street Journal
A magnitude-5.3 earthquake that hit Colorado in 2011 was likely caused by
the injection of wastewater into the ground, a process used in natural-gas
drilling, according to new research to be released Tuesday.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/study-links-increased-drilling-with-earthquakes-1410814821
Fracking Gives U.S. Energy Boom Plenty of Room to Run
Current Top Gas Well Produces Five Times as Much as Record Setter a Decade
Ago
Wall Street Journal
Skeptics of the U.S. energy boom say it can't last much longer because it
requires drilling an ever-increasing number of wells.
But the boom already has lasted longer than anyone would have imagined just
a decade ago and has more room to run. That's because oil and natural-gas
wells have become more productive—an unrecognized but potent trend that
should keep the fuels flowing.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/fracking-gives-u-s-energy-boom-plenty-of-room-to-run-1410728682
No Proof EPA Pollution Prevention Program Works as Claimed, Inspector
General Says
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency has no proof that a key pollution
prevention program has cut U.S. use of hazardous materials as claimed, the
agency's inspector general said in a report released Sept. 9.
http://www.bna.com/no-proof-epa-n17179894892/
GOP bill would stop EPA from garnishing wages
The Hill
Two Republican Senators introduced legislation Monday to stop the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from garnishing peoples' wages.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/217749-gop-bill-would-stop-epa-from-garnishing-wages
Press releases
Wicker & Cochran Seek More Time for Public Comment on EPA Power Plant
Emissions Rules
Bipartisan Senate Majority Wants Extended Comment Period to Review Complex
Regulatory Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Thad Cochran
(R-Miss.) have endorsed an effort to give the public and stakeholders more
time to comment on the expansive and complex carbon emissions regulations
being promoted by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Wicker and Cochran are among 53 Senators who signed a letter to EPA
Administrator Gina McCarthy that seeks a 60-day extension to the public
comment period on proposed EPA rules and guidelines for carbon dioxide
emissions from existing power plants. The Senators argue that the extra
time is warranted because of the scope and complexity of the rules that
will have significant effects on costs and use of electric generation.
"The Administration's carbon dioxide rule could be disastrous for our
economy, particularly in Mississippi," Wicker said. "A rule of this
complexity requires an opportunity for those affected by the rule to voice
their concerns. The EPA must be held accountable for this breathtaking
regulatory overreach."
"The carbon emission limits set by the EPA for our state will affect energy
costs for all Mississippians. The EPA hasn't provided our stakeholders,
including utility companies and MDEQ, with enough information to determine
whether the rules are fair, justified or even workable," Cochran said.
The letter argues that the additional 60 days would give including
utilities, state regulators, regional generation and transmission
organizations and others time to not only study the rule, but also the more
than 600 supporting documents released by EPA.
Both Wicker and Cochran are original cosponsors of S.Res.512 (
http://1.usa.gov/1jXFgGj), a resolution calling for the EPA to withdraw its
proposed rules and guidelines related to carbon dioxide emissions from
existing power plants. S.Res.512 faults the EPA and Obama administration
for an overly broad interpretation of the Clean Air Act, for disregarding
the legislative process and for failing to complete a cost-benefit analysis
of the proposed rules.
The resolution states that "the proposed rules would result in a Federal
takeover of the electricity system of the United States leading to
significant increases in electricity rates and additional energy costs for
consumers and elimination of access to abundant, affordable power, putting
the manufacturing of the United States at a competitive disadvantage,
threatening the diversity and reliability of the electricity supply, and
undermining energy security."
http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=515027c2-9657-4f12-98c8-2088df2ede62
MISSISSIPPI CONSERVATION PROJECTS GAIN FARM BILL FUNDS, COCHRAN REPORTS
Conservation Innovation Grants Authorized in 2014 Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today reported that
two Mississippi-based conservation projects have been singled out for more
than $1.0 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funding,
including a project to help socially disadvantaged farmers adopt soil and
water conservation technologies.
As authorized in the 2014 Farm bill, the Conservation Innovation Grants
(CIG) are provided on a competitive basis to encourage the development and
application of new technologies that encourage improved conservation
practices to address natural resource concerns. The 2014 CIG recipients
were announced Monday by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS).
"The Conservation Innovation Grant program allows farmers to work
voluntarily with others to improve agriculture production while making
changes that improve soil health and water quality," said Cochran, the
ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee who played a pivotal
role in crafting the 2014 farm bill.
"I am pleased that projects with a focus on adopting innovative practices
that best fit Mississippi's needs are receiving this support from the
USDA," he said.
For Mississippi, the Holmes County Food Hub in Durant was awarded a
$640,775 grant to support a project titled "Introducing Innovative
Conservation Technologies to Assist Socially Disadvantaged Farmers in West
and Central Mississippi." The goal of this project is to demonstrate to
historically underserved farm operations the agricultural sustainability
and profitability benefits of adopting conservation technologies, such as
plasticulture and subsurface irrigation.
A $438,750 grant has been approved for the Stoneville-based Delta F.A.R.M.
(BF Smith Foundation) for a project titled "Mississippi's Soil Health
Initiative: Fostering Awareness, Belief and Understanding through Local
Experience and Evaluation." In an effort to promote wider use and
acceptance of innovative practices, the Delta F.A.R.M. project will
demonstrate and field test soil health systems on 12 farms and 2,400 acres.
It will compare the use of traditional and innovative demonstrated soil
health systems to evaluate soil and water quality.
A separate $232,232 grant to Louisiana State University for soil health and
pasture ecosystem improvement would also have an impact on Mississippi.
This project seeks to demonstrate the benefits that multiple forage species
forage have on grazing pastures.
In all, the Mississippi CIG grants are among 47 awards worth $15.7 million
that were awarded nationwide by the USDA.
The NRCS determines CIG awards on a competitive basis to applicants that
propose new or improved conservation practices. It is one of several
conservation projects involving working agriculture lands that were
reformed in the 2014 farm bill to improve cost-effectiveness and
transparency. In all, the farm bill consolidated 23 conservation programs
into 13 programs, saving $6.0 billion in mandatory spending by streamlining
programs and reducing program duplication in taxpayer funding.
LINKS:
• NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant program: http://1.usa.gov/1BGS74z
• Summary of 2014 CIG awards: http://1.usa.gov/1s3UM78
• Holmes County Food Hub: http://bit.ly/1r0acax
• Delta F.A.R.M: http://deltafarm.org/
http://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=6a851907-fe10-4c70-9411-eef1f8e48049
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| Secretary Vilsack Highlights Innovative Conservation Efforts during Midwest Farm Visit |
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| Conservation Innovation Grants to help improve technologies and approaches for natural |
| resource conservation |
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|MOLINE, Ill., Sept. 15, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the |
|award of $15.7 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIGs) to 47 organizations that |
|will help develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to accelerate innovation in private |
|lands conservation. The Secretary made the announcement while visiting a farm in |
|Illinois. |
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|"These grants promote creativity and problem-solving efforts that benefit farmers and |
|ranchers and protect our natural resources," Vilsack said. "They're critical in sparking |
|new ideas and techniques for conservation on America's private lands and improving the |
|environment." |
| |
| |
|The grants announced today are funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives |
|Program. Grantees must work with producers and forestland owners to develop and |
|demonstrate the new technologies and approaches. At least 50 percent of the total cost of|
|CIG projects must come from non-federal matching funds, including cash and in-kind |
|contributions provided by the grant recipient. |
| |
| |
|Vilsack made the announcement while visiting a corn and soybean farm owned by David and |
|Tamara Erickson and their sons, Nicholas and Bradley. The Ericksons have a five-year |
|Conservation Stewardship Program contract with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation |
|Service and have also received technical assistance from NRCS. The Secretary saw soil |
|conservation practices including "no till" and grassed waterways to reduce runoff. He |
|viewed soil cores which demonstrate the benefits of efforts to improve soil health. |
| |
| |
|The National Corn Growers Association and the National Association of Conservation |
|Districts, both involved with conservation activities in Illinois, are receiving grant |
|awards to demonstrate the use of best management practices such as conservation tillage, |
|cover crops and advanced nutrient management to address soil health concerns. Almost half|
|of the grants announced today support the agency's priority of getting more conservation |
|on the ground by improving the health of our nation's soils. The National Corn Growers |
|Association will receive almost $1 million to promote soil management practices aimed at |
|improving productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes in seven states. The |
|National Association of Conservation Districts will receive $750,000 to fund a project to|
|significantly increase the number of farmed acres nationwide (including Illinois) that |
|are successfully managed for soil health. |
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|Other organizations, tribes and academic institutions will receive funding for |
|conservation projects. For example, the University of California will receive almost |
|$229,000 for the second phase of a project to support using native bees to supplement |
|crop pollination. Montana State University will receive $50,000 to study ways to improve |
|sage grouse chick and brood survival. The University of Missouri will receive almost |
|$368,000 to work on an energy recovery system that field tests show could reduce energy |
|consumption in poultry houses by 40-50 percent. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State |
|University will receive almost $382,000 to continue to develop procedures to improve soil|
|health and increase the acreage being managed with conservation tillage practices. In |
|Arizona, the Navajo Nation will receive over $28,000 for mule deer conservation efforts, |
|and the First Nations Development Institute will receive almost $69,000 to develop a |
|conservation planning process, led by Navajo livestock producers on the Navajo |
|Reservation. |
| |
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|Seven of the approved grants support conservation technologies and approaches to help |
|farmers and ranchers who historically have not had equal access to agricultural programs |
|because of race or ethnicity, or who have limited resources, or who are beginning farmers|
|and ranchers. |
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|A full list of recipients is available here: |
|http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/. |
| |
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|Entities in the following States were selected for awards: Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., |
|Calif., Colo., Fla., Ga., Hawaii, Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kan., La., Minn., Miss., |
|Mont., Mo., N.C., N.D., Neb., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Ore., Penn., S.C., Tenn., Texas, Utah, |
|Va., Vt., W.Va., Wash., Wis., and also the District of Columbia. |
| |
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|Soil health is the foundation and future of sustainable agriculture, enabling producers |
|to fare better against drought and other climatic extremes while increasing production. |
|They have greater water holding capacity, increase water infiltration, reduce soil |
|erosion, decrease soil compaction, improve crop productivity, and improve our natural |
|resource condition. |
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|NRCS has offered this grant program since 2004, investing in ways to demonstrate and |
|transfer efficient and environmentally friendly farming and ranching. In the past years, |
|the grants have helped develop trading markets for water quality and have shown how |
|farmers and ranchers may use fertilizer, water and energy more efficiently. Since 2009 |
|through this year's funding, 323 projects were or are slated to be awarded for a total |
|$126 million investment in novel conservation. |
| |
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|To enhance the value and adoption of previous CIG results, a new search tool is available|
|on the website for past awarded projects. |
| |
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|For more on this grant program, visit USDA's Conservation Innovation Grants webpage. |
| |
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|The announcement of today's funding 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 the quality of life in rural America. For more |
|information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. |
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EPA Settles with DuPont over Violations of Federal Pesticide Laws that Led
to Widespread Tree Deaths and Damage
DuPont to pay $1,853,000 penalty to resolve alleged violations of pesticide
reporting and distribution laws
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
a settlement with the E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) for
alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA). DuPont will pay a $1,853,000 penalty to resolve allegations
that the company failed to submit reports to EPA about potential adverse
effects of an herbicide product called Imprelis, and sold it with labeling
that did not ensure its safe use. When customers applied the misbranded
Imprelis product, it led to widespread death and damage to trees.
"EPA's ability to protect the public from dangerous pesticides depends on
companies complying with the legal obligation to disclose information on
the harmful effects of chemicals," said Cynthia Giles, EPA Assistant
Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "This case sends
the message that illegally withholding required information will be treated
as a very serious violation."
As part of the registration process for a pesticide or herbicide, FIFRA
requires companies to submit to EPA reports on a product's potential
adverse impacts on plants or animals that it is not intended to control.
During the registration process and after registration was approved for
Imprelis, an herbicide product intended to control weeds like dandelions,
clover, thistle, plantains and ground ivy, DuPont failed to submit 18
reports.
As a result, Imprelis – as it was registered and labeled – did not
adequately protect against damage to certain tree species. DuPont made 320
shipments of Imprelis to distributors in 2010 and 2011. This failure to
submit reports and the sale or distribution of a misbranded pesticide or
herbicide are violations of FIFRA.
DuPont has submitted over 7,000 reports to EPA of damage or death of trees
– primarily Norway spruce and white pine – related to the application of
Imprelis. Test data from DuPont confirmed certain coniferous trees,
including Norway spruce and balsam fir, as susceptible to being damaged or
killed by the application of Imprelis. There is also evidence that
non-coniferous trees such as maple, honey locusts, lilacs, sycamores, and
alders are susceptible to damage from Imprelis.
Starting in June 2011, EPA began receiving complaints from state pesticide
agencies regarding damage to trees related to the use of Imprelis when it
was applied to control weeds. Cases of tree damage and death from Imprelis
were widespread in the Midwest, especially Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Indiana investigated more than 400 cases of
tree damage related to Imprelis in 2011.
In August 2011, EPA ordered DuPont to stop selling and distributing
Imprelis without prior approval from EPA. In September 2011, the
registration for Imprelis was amended to prohibit the sale, distribution or
marketing of Imprelis. The product registration for Imprelis expired on
September 8th, 2014, and DuPont is no longer selling the product.
Imprelis was distributed and sold in 1 gallon, 2.5 gallon and 4.5 ounce
containers, primarily to pest control professionals servicing the lawn,
golf, turf and weed control sectors.
Imprelis was registered with EPA in 2010, and was marketed by DuPont for
lawn and turf applications on residential and commercial lawns, golf
courses, sod farms, schools, parks, and athletic fields.
The settlement, a consent agreement and final order, will be filed at EPA's
regional office in Philadelphia, and DuPont must submit payment of the
penalty to the U.S. Department of Treasury within 30 days.
For more information about this settlement, click here:
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/ei-du-pont-de-nemours-and-company-settlement
