State
Brian's Quick Hits: Pascagoula WMA improvements
Clarion Ledger
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks recently
completed access improvements at Pascagoula River Wildlife
Management Area in George and Jackson counties.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/outdoorsreport/2014/12/10/pascagoula-wma-improvements/20185891/
Oil Spill
BP Appeals Spill Ruling That May Spell $18 Billion Fine
Bloomberg
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and Laurel Brubaker Calkins - Dec 11, 2014
BP Plc (BP/) challenged a federal judge's ruling that the company's
exploration unit acted with gross negligence in causing the 2010 Gulf of
Mexico oil spill, a decision that exposed the U.K.-based energy company to
as much as $18 billion in fines under U.S. law.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-11/bp-appeals-spill-ruling-that-may-spell-18-billion-fine.html
Administration boosts liability limit for oil spills
The Hill
The Obama administration increased the amount of money companies must pay
after an oil spill incident on Thursday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/226805-administration-boosts-liability-limit-for-oil-spills
National Wildlife Federation recommends 5 Alabama projects for oil spill
restoration funding
Press-Register
Dennis Pillion
December 11, 2014 at 4:08 PM
In a report released this week the National Wildlife Federation recommended
oyster reef creation, land acquisition and watershed restoration among
Alabama-based projects that should be given priority as federal and state
officials begin dividing up fine money collected from BP and other
companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
http://www.al.com/news/beaches/index.ssf/2014/12/national_wildlife_federation_h.html
Regional
Gov. Scott names new chief for environmental agency
AP
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) - Florida Gov. Rick Scott is naming a new
chief for the state agency that oversees the state's environment.
Scott on Thursday announced the appointment of Jon Steverson as
secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/florida/2014/12/11/gov-scott-names-new-chief-for-environmental-agency/20276343/
National
EPA methane rules won't hit gas utilities, industry predicts
The Hill
Natural gas utilities aren't expecting to be affected very much by
potential methane leak regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA).
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/226794-epa-methane-rules-wont-hit-gas-utilities-industry-predicts
Half of Republicans back carbon limits, poll says
AP
WASHINGTON – When Republicans take control of Congress next month, top on
their agenda will be undoing environmental regulations they claim will harm
the economy, chief among them President Barack Obama's plans to limit
heat-trapping carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/12/half-republicans-back-carbon-limits-poll-says/?intcmp=latestnews
Opinion
Where Will You Be When the Lights Go Out?
The EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan would raise utility prices and threaten
the grid's reliability.
Wall Street Journal
By KEVIN CRAMER
Dec. 10, 2014 8:03 p.m. ET
Pushback against the Obama administration's complex Clean Power Plan—which
would reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30% in 2030 from 2005
levels—has mostly focused on its staggering cost. NERA Economic Consulting,
for instance, estimates the plan will increase the nationwide average price
of electricity 12% to 17% over 15 years. But a pair of recent reports
present an even more ominous picture. Not only will electricity cost more,
Americans might not be able to get it when they most need it.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/kevin-cramer-where-will-you-be-when-the-lights-go-out-1418259829?KEYWORDS=epa
Press Releases
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| USDA Seeks Public Comment on New Environmental Quality Incentives Program Rule |
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|WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2014 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is publishing a rule |
|that outlines how it will improve the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), |
|one of USDA's largest conservation programs. The interim final rule includes program |
|changes authorized by Congress in the 2014 Farm Bill. |
| |
| |
|USDA has established a 60-day comment period for the rule. The rule is expected to be |
|available in the Federal Register and regulations.gov on Friday, Dec. 12. Beginning |
|Friday, public comments can be submitted through regulations.gov or by mailing them. |
|Comments are due by Feb. 10, 2015. Full details are in the Federal Register notice. |
| |
| |
|"This interim final rule provides a roadmap to help streamline and simplify EQIP for |
|farmers and ranchers," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "We strongly encourage |
|agricultural producers, private forest landowners and stakeholders to provide comments |
|on our implementation processes. This feedback will help us improve our operation and |
|deliver technical and financial assistance more efficiently to our nation's |
|agricultural producers and forest landowners." |
| |
| |
|The changes are intended to simplify the EQIP regulation regarding conservation |
|practice scheduling, payment limitations and other administrative actions. Vilsack said|
|USDA has enhanced EQIP by streamlining the delivery of technical and financial |
|assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide. |
| |
| |
|Highlights of program changes in this rule include the following: |
| |
| |
| · Requires at least 5 percent of available EQIP funds be targeted for conservation |
| practices that promote wildlife habitat; |
| |
| |
| · Establishes EQIP as a contributing program for the Regional Conservation |
| Partnership Program; |
| |
| |
| · Increases the advanced payment from 30 percent to 50 percent for eligible |
| historically underserved producers, including beginning farmers, to help purchase|
| material or contract services; |
| |
| |
| · Targets assistance to veteran farmers and ranchers including eligibility for the |
| new 50 percent advance payment and up to 90 percent of the cost to implement EQIP|
| conservation practices; |
| |
| |
| · Increases the payment limitation for EQIP from $300,000 to a maximum of $450,000 |
| for benefits received during 2014-2018 and removes the option for a waiver to |
| exceed payment limitations; |
| |
| |
| · Eliminates the requirement for a program contract to remain in place for one year|
| after the last practice has been implemented, allowing practices to be scheduled |
| through the tenth year of a contract; |
| |
| |
| · Includes an option to waive the irrigation history requirement under certain |
| conditions; |
| |
| |
| · Incorporates the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program functions into EQIP. |
| |
| |
|This rule follows the publication of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) interim|
|final rule in the Federal Register on November 5. USDA is also seeking comments for the|
|CSP rule. |
| |
| |
|USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers EQIP, a voluntary |
|program that provides financial and technical assistance to eligible agricultural |
|producers and forest landowners to help them address soil, water, air and related |
|natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and |
|cost-effective manner. Resulting conservation and environmental benefits include |
|improved water and air quality, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved energy|
|conservation, improved grazing and forest lands, and created or improved wildlife |
|habitat on working farms, ranches and non-industrial forestlands. |
| |
| |
|EQIP has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of agricultural producers and |
|forest landowners since its launch in 1997. From that time through 2014, USDA has |
|invested in 596,481 contracts for a total of nearly $11 billion on nearly 232 million |
|acres nationwide. |
| |
| |
|For more information about interim final rules for USDA NRCS's Farm Bill conservation |
|programs, visit the EQIP Rule Page. |
| |
| |
|For more information on technical and financial assistance available through EQIP, |
|visit the EQIP Web page. |
| |
| |
|# |
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