11.14.14
State
Countdown to Coal: Impact on You
WTOK
Kemper County, Miss. It's practically a city in itself. This giant
metropolis plopped right in the middle of Kemper County, Mississippi.
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/Countdown-to-Coal-Impact-on-You-282480031.html
Countdown to Coal: Impact on Kemper County
WTOK
Across the world, energy leaders are turning to the Kemper County coal
plant to learn more about its innovations in clean coal technology. But as
the eyes of the world are turning to Kemper, what does the completion of
this plant mean for the county's residents?
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/Countdown-to-Coal-Impact-on-Kemper-County-282655341.html
More jobs on way
Justin Vicory
Enterprise-Journal
November 13, 2014 2:00 pm
Anchor Drilling Fluids CEO Robert West, left, greets Pike County Board of
Supervisors president Chuck Lambert at the McComb-Pike County Airport as
the company announced plans for Pike County.
http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_4c0660ae-6b57-11e4-a214-0f5ba0219f89.html
Recycling on the rise: Tupelo's volume has roughly tripled since 2008
By Stephanie Rebman
Daily Journal
TUPELO – Going green is getting a lot of attention in Tupelo.
The city rolled out curbside recycling in 2008 as part of a Waste
Management pilot program, and since then demand to recycle and reduce waste
has only increased.
http://djournal.com/news/recycling-rise-tupelos-volume-roughly-tripled-since-2008/
What's in Your Water Part Four
WDAM
Simple acts of cooking, drinking, bathing, washing dishes, brushing your
teeth and even making ice can become cautionary tasks when you are under a
boil water notice.
http://www.wdam.com/story/27380133/whats-in-your-water-part-four
Oil Spill
BP gross negligence ruling: Federal judge rejects attempts to amend
judgment
The Associated Press
November 13, 2014 at 7:27 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge in New Orleans is sticking to his ruling
that said BP's conduct in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster amounted
to "gross negligence."
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/11/bp_gross_negligence_ruling_fed.html#incart_river
Mississippi Sound Estuarine Program among MDEQ's 'Bucket Two' proposals to
RESTORE Council
Mississippi Press
November 13, 2014 at 3:33 PM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
today announced the restoration priorities set forth in the state's Bucket
Two proposal that will be submitted to the RESTORE Council on Monday as
part of the Council's first "funded priority list."
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/11/mississippi_sound_estuarine_pr.html#incart_river
National
EPA Guidance on Curbing Methane From Oil, Gas Wells Nearly Done, Official
Says
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency is close to issuing guidance for
reducing methane emissions from oil and natural gas wells, a senior agency
official said Nov. 13.http://www.bna.com/epa-guidance-curbing-n17179911707/
Obama to pledge $3B to aid poor nations' climate change fight
The Hill
President Obama is poised to make a hefty pledge to a fund that helps poor
nations fight and adapt to climate change.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/224161-report-obama-to-pledge-25b-to-aid-poor-countries-in-climate-fight
Press releases
Governor's Task Force to Host Water Conservation Summit
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Sam Mabry: (601) 951-8833
The Governor's Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force will host an
Irrigation and Water Conservation Summit at the Capps Center in Stoneville,
MS on December 10th from 9:30 a.m. until 3:20 p.m. The event will begin
with a General Session followed by 5 Breakout Sessions, each with 5
concurrent presentations. Producers, landowners, consultants, natural
resource professionals and other interested parties may choose which
presentation to attend during each Breakout Session. After the 2nd Breakout
Session, another General Session will be held as lunch is served before
resuming Breakout Sessions at 1:00 p.m.
The initial General Session will include introductory remarks by
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Dr. Jason Krutz, Mississippi State University Irrigation Specialist, will
then present results from the 2014 MSU RISER Program. Kay Whittington,
Director of the Office of Land and Water Resources at the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality, will discuss Task Force progress
during lunch.
Eleven different presentations will be offered during the 5 Breakout
Sessions. Presentations will include:
1. Maximizing Irrigation Efficiency in Rice
2. Maximizing Furrow Irrigation Efficiency in Corn, Cotton and Soybeans
3. Economics of Irrigation, Conservation and Water Availability
4. Using the New, Free Pipe Planner from Delta Plastics
5. Pump Performance to Increase Irrigation Efficiency
6. Cover Crops to Maximize Available Soil Water
7. Automated Irrigation Systems
8. Proper Use of Surge Values
9. Use of Meters as a Conservation Tool
10. Signing Up for NRCS Irrigation Management Practices
11. Maximizing Pivot Performance
Breakout Session speakers will include professionals from Mississippi State
University, University of Arkansas, USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service, YMD Joint Water Management District, Delta Plastics, and the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Farmers will also be
coupled with several of the speakers to share their experiences related to
the subject matter being discussed. Breakout Sessions will be offered
twice during the day.
Lunch will be provided to those attending the event, but no registration is
required. All producers, landowners, consultants, natural resource
professionals and other interested parties are welcome to attend.
Mississippi Identifies Priorities for Initial Funding from RESTORE Bucket
Two
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) today announced the restoration priorities set forth in the state's
Bucket Two proposal that will be submitted to the RESTORE Council Monday,
November 17, as part of the Council's first "funded priority list."
Mississippi has partnered with a number of other Council members to submit
three initiatives. If funded, the projects could create thousands of
additional acres of conserved lands across the Gulf region, establish the
state's first Mississippi Sound Estuarine Program, and streamline
environmental program activity in the future through coordinated efforts
around the availability of beneficial use materials.
The Council's first "funded priority list" will likely spend approximately
$160 to $180 million throughout the Gulf region out of the settlement from
the Transocean Deepwater, Inc. and related entities to fund the
Council-Selected Restoration Component (Bucket Two) projects.
"I am excited to provide this preliminary information on our state's plans
with regard to Bucket Two and look forward to releasing full detail on our
three proposals in the next two to three weeks," said Gary Rikard, MDEQ
Executive Director. "Mississippi's coastal residents have played a vital
role in shaping our submissions. These restoration priorities are
responsive to the feedback we have received for the last two years, and
they are reflective of the clear priorities represented by the over 500
projects which have been received through our project submission portal at
www.restore.ms."
Briefly described, the state's three proposals include:
1. A coordinated multi-state strategy for land protection, conservation
and enhancement of priority lands across the Gulf.
2. Creation of a Mississippi Sound Estuarine Program (MSEP) which will
provide a structured network of scientists, citizens, and communities
to focus on policy matters important to Mississippi's environment.
3. Coordination of a federal/state joint initiative to fund planning,
engineering and design, and permitting of beneficial use materials
and sites in an effort to expedite activities around readiness for
large scale environmental project work to come in the coming months
and years.
"In preparing these submissions our state has focused heavily on the
announced goal of RESTORE Bucket Two which is to fund restoration projects
and programs that contribute to the comprehensive restoration of the Gulf
ecosystem, and we have worked hard to secure partners across the Gulf,"
said Rikard.
The state's proposals will be formally submitted on Monday after which the
Restore Council will conduct an initial eligibility review, a process which
is anticipated to take approximately two weeks. As soon as the submissions
are deemed eligible, full proposals will be available for download at
www.restore.ms.
# # #
EPA Recognizes the First Existing Apartment, Condo Buildings with ENERGY
STAR Certification
Apartment and condo buildings recognized in Ark., D.C., Ill., Mass., N.Y.,
Va., Wash. with certification for leading industry in cutting energy use,
increasing affordability
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today
the first existing multifamily housing properties to earn the new ENERGY
STAR multifamily certification for superior energy performance. EPA
recognized 17 apartment and condo buildings across the country for leading
the industry in reducing energy use, increasing affordability, protecting
public health, and combating climate change.
"Communities, renters and businesses all benefit when multifamily
properties operate more efficiently," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
"When these buildings use less energy, they also prevent greenhouse gas
emissions, increase comfort, and lower costs for renters, making it a
win-win for the environment, public health and the economy."
Current estimates show multifamily properties can become 30 percent more
efficient by 2020, unlocking $9 billion in energy savings and preventing
annual greenhouse gas emissions roughly equal to those from four million
homes. By reducing the amount of energy consumed, these properties cut
utility bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing
energy, and help meet the goals of the President's Climate Action Plan,
which calls for multifamily buildings to be 20 percent more efficient by
2020.
Energy costs for renters have risen by 20 percent on average over the past
decade, so energy efficiency represents a significant opportunity to reduce
utility costs and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
production of energy, which contribute to climate change. Since multifamily
buildings can now earn EPA's ENERGY STAR, renters may choose to live in a
building that saves them money and protects the environment.
The 17 properties on the list demonstrate the economic and environmental
benefits achieved by owners and managers when they apply a comprehensive
approach to managing energy use in their buildings. These pioneering
apartment and condo buildings perform among the top 25 percent of similar
properties nationwide. They took a variety of approaches to save energy,
from investing in technological upgrades, such as high-efficiency lighting,
to low-cost operations and maintenance changes, such as adjusting the
schedules for outdoor lighting and ensuring equipment was only running when
needed.
The new ENERGY STAR multifamily score gives building owners and tenants a
way to understand their property's energy performance using a simple,
accurate, nationally-recognized metric. The new 1-100 ENERGY STAR score and
certification for existing multifamily properties is based on nationally
representative survey data provided by Fannie Mae and will be integrated
into other green building certification programs, including the U.S. Green
Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
rating system. It is the first time existing multifamily properties have
been able to be certified as ENERGY STAR. Previously, only new construction
multifamily properties have been able to earn certification by meeting
prescriptive design requirements for high performance. In addition to
Fannie Mae and USGBC, EPA is collaborating with the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Freddie Mac to improve the energy
efficiency of the nation's multifamily housing.
ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy
and are responsible for 35 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than
typical buildings. Many types of commercial buildings can earn the ENERGY
STAR, such as office buildings, K-12 schools, hotels, and retail stores.
ENERGY STAR is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For more than 20
years, people across America have looked to EPA's ENERGY STAR program for
guidance on how to save energy, save money, and protect the environment.
Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is
independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions
that contribute to climate change. Today, ENERGY STAR is the most widely
recognized symbol for energy efficiency in the world, helping families and
businesses save $300 billion on utility bills, while reducing greenhouse
gas emissions by two billion metric tons since 1992. Join the millions who
are already making a difference at energystar.gov.
The 17 ENERGY STAR certified multifamily buildings are:
· · 30-50 21st
· · 680 North Lake Shore Drive
· · The Ashley at RiverHouse
· · Aspira Apartments
· · AvalonBay Communities – The Albemarle
· · AvalonBay Communities – The Statesman
· · Castle Square
· · Circa Green Lake Apartments
· · ECO Modern Flats
· · Harvard School of Public Health - Shattuck International
House
· · Jeffery Parkway at 6731 South Jeffery Boulevard
· · Peter Cooper Village
· · Prescott Wallingford
· · River City- 800 South Wells
· · Stuyvesant Town
· · Terrific Tenements 423 W 48th Street
· · Terrific Tenements 527 W 47th Street
More on the first multifamily properties to earn the ENERGY STAR:
www.energystar.gov/multifamilyhousing
Find ENERGY STAR certified buildings: www.energystar.gov/buildinglist
More about ENERGY STAR for commercial buildings:
www.energystar.gov/buildings
