10/7/14
State
Mississippi tries to renew water-rights battle with Memphis
Commercial Appeal
2014-10-04
Oct. 04 --Four years after being rebuffed by the U.S. Supreme Court ,
Mississippi officials want to pursue another lawsuit claiming that Memphis
is stealing their state's water.
https://www.planning.org/news/daily/story/?story_id=id:UXT140dVocfM-8OABd_sAOhr2oCZr9AaFgrVxTrr5nmEP2QONw0hxeg5UwI2SPN7&source_type=O
Sewage flows into Coast waterways while residents wait months for city
solution
Area residents waiting months for Gulfport to fix leak
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
HARRISON COUNTY -- Uncounted gallons of sewage have spilled from a broken
pipe into waters that feed Bernard Bayou and Gulfport Lake beyond, but
property owners say city repairmen have only exacerbated the damage,
destroying their wooded property along a creek where the broken pipe runs.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/10/06/5841389_sewage-flows-into-coast-waterways.html?sp=/99/100/&rh=1
City Council asked to consider alternate recycling plan
Hattiesburg American
The City of Hattiesburg may not be renewing its contract for
curbside recycling when it expires at the end of the year.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/hattiesburg/2014/10/06/mayor-eyes-recycling-changes/16838121/
Household Hazardous Waste Day set
Event slated for Oct. 25
DeSoto Times
By ROBERT LEE LONG
Published: Tuesday, October 7, 2014 1:05 AM CDT
Give them your tired, worn-out tires and corroded old car batteries just
yearning to be tossed out.
DeSoto County's Household Hazardous Waste Day and Tire Recycle is back by
popular demand and is slated for Oct. 25.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2014/10/07/news/doc54334bf408298741697821.txt
Erosion issues plague county
DeSoto Times
By ROBERT LEE LONG
Published: Tuesday, October 7, 2014 6:13 AM CDT
The Flood of 9/11 is still reverberating across DeSoto County with costly
repairs necessary to fix erosion problems caused by the ravaging flash
floods that ripped through the area last month.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2014/10/07/news/doc54334943d1efa263378681.txt
Amite, Wilkinson form water district
Justin Vicory | Enterprise-Journal
LIBERTY — Amite County supervisors voted 5-0 Thursday to approve a joint
water and wastewater management district with Wilkinson County.
The project will be called the Wilk-Amite Regional Joint Municipal Water
and Wastewater Management District.
According to the agreement, the "cooperative effort between Amite County
and Wilkinson County is necessary for the continued abundance and quality
of the water resources of the region; such abundance and quality depend
upon the efficient and effective conservation and utilization of water and
wastewater facilities."
"The development of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale for oil and gas exploration
will require the use of water and wastewater resources of the Counties of
Amite and Wilkinson, and the development of the oil and gas reserves are
vital to the economic development and overall welfare of the communities,"
the document said.
The boards of supervisors in Amite and Wilkinson counties will establish a
board of commissioners for the district, comprised of three members of each
of their own boards. Commissioners will elect a president and a vice
president.
Also according to the document, "the county shall prescribe and collect
reasonable rates, fees, tolls, or charges for the services, facilities, and
commodities of its system or systems."
Municipal and county governments apart from the district "may levy, assess,
and collect a special tax specified by the board of commissioners of the
district, but not to exceed 2 mills," the document continues.
The board will meet monthly and also hold special meetings called by the
president or a majority of the commissioners. The board of supervisors will
hold a public hearing on the matter 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at the Amite
County courthouse.
Supervisors discussed the district in executive session before voting on
it.
Feds propose placing 'threatened' tag on snake found only in Alabama,
Mississippi
Press-Register
Brendan Kirby
October 07, 2014 at 1:38 AM
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed adding a harmless snake found
only in a handful of Alabama and Mississippi counties to its list of
"threatened" species, and has invited public comment.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2014/10/feds_propose_placing_threatene.html#incart_river
Oil Spill
Gulf State Park conference center project approved by BP oil spill trustees
Press-Register
Dennis Pillion
October 06, 2014 at 3:05 PM
Federal and state officials tasked with distributing funds from a Natural
Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) from the BP oil spill formally approved
a series of early restoration projects last week, including a controversial
$58 million lodge and conference center to be located in Gulf State Park.
http://www.al.com/news/beaches/index.ssf/2014/10/gulf_state_park_convention_cen.html#incart_river
Regional
Nearly 4,000 may get damages in Chinese drywall lawsuit, including some in
South Misssissippi
The Associated Press
October 06, 2014 at 4:45 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge has ruled that nearly 4,000 homeowners who
say Chinese drywall ruined their homes are eligible to share any further
damages he may award in lawsuits against Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd., a
government-owned manufacturer that failed to show up in court.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/10/nearly_4000_may_get_damages_in.html#incart_river
National
EPA names new No. 2
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is bringing back a retired leader
from its Atlanta office to be the No. 2 official for the agency.
Stan Meiburg worked for the EPA since 1977, most recently as deputy
regional administrator for the southeastern office before retiring earlier
this year.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/219863-epa-names-new-no-2
EPA welcomes more comments on water regs
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is again extending the comment
period on a controversial rule that would give the agency more authority to
regulate water as pressure mounts from the right to scrap the rule
altogether.
http://thehill.com/regulation/219864-epa-hits-breaks-on-waters-regulation
Supreme Court won't hear challenge to EPA ozone standard
The Hill
The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a business group's claim that the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2008 rules for ground-level ozone
are too strict.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/219853-supreme-court-wont-hear-challenge-to-epa-ozone-standard
Rail industry pushes feds to drop crude-oil reporting rule
BY CURTIS TATE
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Two railroad industry trade groups have quietly asked the U.S.
Department of Transportation to drop its requirement that rail carriers
transporting large volumes of Bakken crude oil notify state emergency
officials.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/10/06/5840963/rail-industry-pushes-feds-to-drop.html?sp=/99/102/
