6.30.14
Oil Spill
Approval of BP restoration money in final stage
Pensacola News Herald
Securing millions of dollars BP has earmarked for 15 local, proposed
projects — including a fish hatchery and research center for
Pensacola's bayfront and a national seashore ferry service — has
made it through a critical hurdle.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/28/bp-restoration-funds-final-stage/11656171/
BP-funded Mahogany Mill boat ramp opens in Pensacola with eco-friendly
design
Press-Register
Dennis Pillion
June 27, 2014 at 7:23 PM
PENSACOLA, Florida -- State and county officials gathered at the site of
the old Mahogany Mill on the waters of Bayou Chico to cut the ribbon on
Florida's first major construction project to be funded with money from the
Natural Resources Damage Assessment funded by BP PLC in the wake of the
2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
http://www.al.com/news/beaches/index.ssf/2014/06/bp-funded_mahogany_mill_boat_r.html
Final plan released for $627 million early restoration projects to remedy
BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Press-Register
Michael Finch II
June 27, 2014 at 4:45 PM
MOBILE, Alabama -- The third phase of plans to remedy some of the damage
done by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were finalized Thursday after a
months-long public comment period. The $627 million provided by BP would be
allocated toward 44 projects in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and
Mississippi.
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/06/final_plan_released_of_627_mil.html
Ex-BP executive can be charged with lying to Congress, court rules
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 28, 2014 at 11:44 AM
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Friday threw out a lower court's
dismissal of a charge of obstruction of Congress against former BP
exploration vice president David Rainey for providing low-ball estimates of
the amount of oil being released during the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill,
finding that the judge misinterpreted the meaning of the word "committee"
in the obstruction statute.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/appeals_court_reverses_dismiss.html#incart_river
BP seeks return of claim 'overpayments'
AP
By KEVIN McGILL
Published: Jun 27, 2014
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - BP wants a federal judge to order restitution - plus
interest - of what it says are hundreds of millions of dollars in
overpayments to some businesses that claimed losses due to the 2010 Gulf
oil spill.
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=nqpMTwfd
State
Celebrations make a splash on reservoir
Clarion Ledger
The banks of the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Madison and Rankin
counties on Saturday were decked in red, white and blue for the
annual Waterfest and Independence Day Celebration.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/06/28/celebrations-make-splash-reservoir/11697919/
Residents quiz Gulf LNG, FERC officials about emissions, safety for
proposed $8 billion expansion in Pascagoula
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
June 27, 2014 at 8:11 AM
MOSS POINT, Mississippi -- Gulf LNG Liquefaction Co., which is considering
an $8 billion project to add on to an existing liquefied natural gas
storage terminal in Pascagoula, drew a steady crowd Thursday night during a
community open house.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/residents_ask_about_emissions.html#incart_river
"Hattiesburg Stink Fest" focuses on music, foul odors
WDAM
Music promoters in Hattiesburg Saturday hoped some hard rockin' sounds
would focus attention on some unpleasant downtown smells. The "Hattiesburg
Stink Fest" was a music and arts event with the goal of bringing attention
to the ongoing problems of foul odors in the eastern part of town.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25896334/hattiesburg-stinkfest-focuses-on-eliminating-downtown-odors
Mississipppi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo features two new changes
Mississippi Press
Al Jones
June 30, 2014 at 7:13 AM
GULFPORT, Mississippi - The 66th annual Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo
is set to begin Thursday at the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-sports/2014/06/mississipppi_deep_sea_fishing.html#incart_river
Auditor still mum on DMR case, but restitution dollars trickling in
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
BILOXI -- State Auditor Stacey Pickering has collected at least 3 percent
of the money he demanded in November from former employees of the state
Department of Marine Resources, his office and court records indicate.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/28/5675102/auditor-still-mum-on-dmr-case.html?sp=/99/184/832/
Is CH2M Hill overkill? Port of Gulfport's commissioner thinks so, but
director says engineering firm needed
CH2M Hill gets $200K each month from port
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
GULFPORT -- The state port continues to pay international engineering firm
CH2M Hill well over $200,000 a month for managing a restoration and
expansion project, although an engineer on the port board says the expenses
give him "heartburn" and he would prefer to see a local firm managing the
job.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/27/5673582/is-ch2m-hill-overkill-port-of.html?sp=/99/184/185/
Local optometrist has an eye for fossils
BY EMILY HAM PRICE
Hattiesburg AmericanJune 29, 2014
HATTIESBURG, MISS. — Growing up in the Panama Canal Zone, Dr. John Turner
realized that he had an eagle's eye when it came to finding fossils and
artifacts. But little did he know the keepsakes of years past would play a
part in major scientific discoveries for Panama and paleontologists around
the globe.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/29/5675483/local-optometrist-has-an-eye-for.html?sp=/99/184/218/
Regional
Environmental lawsuit against 92 energy companies belongs in federal court,
judge rules
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 28, 2014 at 10:12 PM
The controversial environmental damages lawsuit filed by the Southeast
Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East against 92 oil, gas and pipeline
companies will remain in federal court, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/federal_judge_rules_east_bank.html#incart_river
Recycling has $13 billion impact in South Carolina
AP
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A new study shows that the recycling industry has a
$13 billion impact on South Carolina's economy.
http://www.wspa.com/story/25865988/recycling-has-13-billion-impact-in-south-carolina
National
EPA science advisors urge stricter limits on lung-damaging ozone
LA Times
A committee of scientific advisors has urged the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency to adopt a tougher federal standard for ozone, saying
current limits on the lung-damaging pollutant fail to protect public
health.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ozone-science-advisors-epa-20140627-story.html
EPA finds rail yards transfer pollutants as well as freight
Agency says diesel soot can trigger number of health conditions
Chicago Tribune
June 27, 2014|By Michael Hawthorne and Alex Richards, Tribune reporters
From the sidewalk in front of her apartment in Cicero, Yolanda Foster can
see long freight trains and an endless line of trucks rumbling day and
night through the sprawling rail yard across the street.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-06-27/news/ct-railyard-diesel-pollution-met-20140627_1_diesel-soot-diesel-pollution-freight
Everglades restoration project has had modest impact, report shows
Reuters
Fri, Jun 27 2014
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $13.5 billion project to restore the Florida
Everglades has had limited impact even as the embattled ecosystem faces
threats from climate change and invasive species, a progress report said on
Friday.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/06/27/us-usa-everglades-idINKBN0F223920140627
EPA bans sewage discharge all along Mass. coast
Boston Globe
By David Abel
For decades, the large ferries that plied the cobalt waters south of Cape
Cod dumped tons of specially treated sewage as they made their runs back
and forth to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/06/27/epa-bans-sewage-discharge-from-vessels-all-along-mass-coast/fiYADcMM5VGThBe0hzImdL/story.html
Oklahoma looks for answers on earthquakes
AP
By TIM TALLEY
Associated Press
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) - Central Oklahoma residents are demanding to know
whether earthquake swarms that have shaken their homes and their nerves in
recent months are caused by oil and gas drilling operations in the area.
http://www.wjtv.com/story/25874232/oklahoma-looks-for-answers-on-earthquakes
Press Releases
EPA Proposes Approval of New Climate-Friendly Refrigerants
Proposal supports president's Climate Action Plan by curbing emissions of
potent greenhouse gases
WASHINGTON – In support of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to increase the options
for refrigerants in the United States that offer better climate protection
without harming the ozone layer. This is the agency's first action that
addresses refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan, which calls on EPA's
Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and approve
additional climate-friendly chemicals.
Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA's SNAP Program evaluates
substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer.
This proposed action would expand the list of SNAP-approved substitutes to
include more low-global warming potential (GWP) alternatives that can
replace both the ozone-depleting substances and high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs).
"Last June, President Obama introduced a broad set of initial steps
designed to slow the effects of climate change, including reducing potent
greenhouse gases," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "This proposal is
a great example of how businesses and EPA can foster innovation by working
together to identify refrigerants that better protect our environment."
After receiving input from industry, environmental groups, and others, EPA
is proposing to list additional low GWP hydrocarbon refrigerants in six
refrigeration and air conditioning applications: stand-alone commercial and
household refrigerators and freezers; very low temperature refrigeration;
non-mechanical heat transfer; vending machines; and room air conditioning
units. The proposal also adds one lower-GWP HFC (HFC-32) that has just
one-third the GWP of the conventional refrigerants currently being used in
room air conditioning units. These refrigerants are already in use in many
of these applications in Europe and Asia.
In addition to adding these climate friendly alternatives, EPA is also
revising the current venting prohibition to account for four of these
substitutes, as current evidence suggests that their venting, release, or
disposal does not pose a threat to the environment.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days following publication
in the Federal Register.
Learn more about EPA's SNAP Program and the proposal:
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html
Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
News Clippings 6/27/14
6/27/14
Oil Spill
Final plan for $627 million Phase III BP oil spill early restoration
projects released
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 26, 2014 at 1:41 PM
The final plan and accompanying environmental impact statement for the $627
million, 44-project Phase III BP oil spill early restoration plan were made
available to the public on federal and state websites Wednesday (June 25).
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/final_plan_for_627_million_pha.html#incart_river
Dispersant chemical found in beach oil patties four years after BP
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, new study says
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 26, 2014 at 6:41 PM
Traces of a chemical contained in dispersants used to break up oil during
the 87-day BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 were found in material
deposited on deepwater corals six months after the spill, and in weathered
oil patties on Gulf Coast beaches four years later, according to a
scientific letter published online this week in Environmental Science &
Technology, the peer-reviewed research journal of the American Chemical
Society.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/dispersant_chemical_found_in_b.html#incart_river
State
A Q&A with Gov. Phil Bryant — Energy, oil and other things
MBJ
by Ted Carter
Published: June 26,2014
Gov. Phil Bryant earlier this month delivered a keynote address to oil
company executives and others gathered in Houston for the Tuscaloosa Marine
Shale Summit.
Upon his return, the governor's office agreed to answer a series of
questions on the subject of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/26/qa-gov-phil-bryant-energy-oil-things/
Repairs expected soon for pair of Lamar County dams
Hattiesburg American
PURVIS – Bids to repair a pair of diminished dams in the Lake Serene
system are expected to be let next month, though Lamar County will
have to do it with three contracts instead of two.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/lamar-county/2014/06/26/don-walker-lake-serene-dams-repairs-lamar-county/11428499/
Big investment in Halcón drilling reflects confidence in a lucrative TMS
MBJ
by Ted Carter
Published: June 26,2014
A private equity firm's pledge to invest up to $400 million in Halcón
Resources' deep drilling in Mississippi and Louisiana could lead to a
doubling of Halcón's 2015 operations in the region.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/26/big-investment-halcon-drilling-reflects-confidence-lucrative-tms/
CMR votes to give the DMR right to extend recreational red snapper season
in July in state waters
Mississippi Press
Al Jones
June 26, 2014 at 5:52 PM
BILOXI, Mississippi - The Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources voted
Thursday to give Jamie Miller, the current executive director of the
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources in Biloxi, the option to extend
the recreational red snapper season within state waters.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-sports/2014/06/cmr_votes_to_give_the_dmr_righ.html#incart_river
Keith Davis named DMR's new Chief of Marine Patrol
Mississippi Press
Warren Kulo
BILOXI, Mississippi --Moss Point Police Chief Keith Davis has been named
the new Chief of Marine Patrol for the Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources.
Davis resigned from the MPPD June 12 and his last day is Friday. He begins
his new job Tuesday.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/keith_davis_named_dmrs_new_chi.html#incart_river
Gulfport dredging project to begin in September
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -A project to dredge the ship channel at the Port of
Gulfport will begin in September. The port authority board on Thursday
approved an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25883031/gulfport-dredging-project-to-begin-in-september
National
White flag waved by U.S. EPA on Texas environmental air permitting issue
Austin American-Statesman
Marking an end to bitter debate between federal and state regulators, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday gave final approval to
Texas' flexible permit program.
http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/salsa-verde/2014/jun/26/white-flag-waved-us-epa-texas-environmental-air-pe/
DOE project hits carbon-capture milestone
The Hill
The Department of Energy (DOE) touted the carbon-capture technology it is
funding Thursday, saying a project at a hydrogen production facility in
Port Arthur, Texas, has now captured more than 1 million tons of carbon
dioxide.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210681-doe-project-hits-carbon-capture-milestone
Norfolk Southern to Require Legal Protection Against Older Tank Cars
Change Would Take Effect Nine Days After Anniversary of Lac-Mégantic
Derailment and Explosion
Wall Street Journal
Norfolk Southern Corp. NSC -0.65% has become the first big American freight
railroad to require its customers to give the railroad legal protection
against damages from fires, explosions or the release of hazardous
materials carried in tank cars that don't meet the rail industry's latest
standards.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/norfolk-southern-to-require-legal-protection-against-older-tank-cars-1403822751
Air Pollution Spikes In Homes Near Fracking Wells
Forbes
Levels of particulate matter spike at night inside homes near gas wells in
Southwest Pennsylvania, the director of an environmental health monitoring
project said Wednesday.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/06/26/air-pollution-spikes-in-homes-near-fracking-wells/
FEDS NIX EAGLE PENALTIES FOR CALIFORNIA WIND FARM
AP
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A California wind farm will become the first in the
nation to avoid prosecution if eagles are injured or die when they run into
the giant turning blades, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/feds-nix-wind-farm-penalties-eagle-deaths
Press Releases
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces the 2014 National Urban and |
|Community Forestry Challenge Grants to Support Climate Resilience and Green |
| Infrastructure |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, June 26, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today |
|announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service's National Urban and Community |
|Forestry Challenge grant recipients. The grants provide funding that will |
|help enhance urban forest stewardship, support new employment opportunities,|
|and help build resilience in the face of a changing climate. Close to 80 |
|percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas and depends on the |
|essential ecological, economic, and social benefits provided by urban trees |
|and forests. Climate and extreme weather events pose threats to urban trees |
|and forests requiring increased investment in management, restoration and |
|stewardship. |
| |
| |
|"Our urban and community forests provide clean water, clean air, energy |
|conservation and other important benefits for the health and economic |
|well-being of communities across the country," said Vilsack. "The grants |
|announced today will help catalyze investment and strengthen stewardship of |
|our urban forests to maintain their many contributions amid new risks from |
|climate change." |
| |
| |
|In the United States alone, urban trees store over 708 million tons of |
|carbon and can help further reduce emissions by lowering electricity demand |
|for summer air conditioning and winter heating. Well maintained urban |
|forests can help address climate and extreme weather impacts through |
|reducing runoff, buffering high winds, controlling erosion, and minimizing |
|the impacts of drought. Urban forests also provide critical social and |
|cultural benefits that may strengthen community resilience to climate change|
|through promoting social interaction and community stability. |
| |
| |
|The grant proposals were recommended by the Secretary's National Urban and |
|Community Forestry Advisory Council and will address urban forest resiliency|
|to extreme weather events and the long-term impacts of climate change; |
|strategies for bolstering green jobs; and opportunities to use green |
|infrastructure to manage and mitigate stormwater and improve water quality. |
| |
| |
|Today's announcements were made in connection with the one-year anniversary |
|of President Obama's Climate Action Plan and support the plan's objectives |
|of maintaining the role of forests in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and |
|preparing communities for the impacts of a changing climate. Over the past |
|year, USDA has announced numerous initiatives in support of the President's |
|Climate Action Plan including the availability of over $320 million for |
|renewable energy and energy efficiency investments and the launch of the |
|first ever Regional Hubs that will help farmers, ranchers and forest |
|landowners get the information and data they need to make informed decisions|
|in response to a changing climate. USDA has also led efforts to address |
|risks and support recovery from severe wildfire and drought and has provided|
|over $740 million in assistance and disaster relief to support communities |
|and producers impacted by drought thus far in 2014. In addition, through the|
|2014 Farm Bill, USDA will invest $880 million dollars towards renewable |
|energy production such as wind and solar, advanced biofuel production, |
|energy efficiency for rural small businesses and farms as well as research |
|and development for fuels and products that replace petroleum and other |
|energy-intensive products. |
| |
| |
|The 2014 grant recipients are: |
| |
| |
|Category 1: Making Urban Trees and Forests More Resilient to the Impacts of |
|Natural Disasters and the Long-term Impacts of Climate Change |
| |
| |
|University of Florida, Mobile Tree Failure Prediction for Storm Preparation |
|and Response; |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $281,648 |
| |
| |
|This proposed modeling system will assist urban forest managers in |
|predicting tree failure during storms by developing a data collection model |
|and a mobile Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping application to |
|quantify tree risk in communities. The results and a best management |
|practices manual will be made available to all researchers and professionals|
|through the International Tree Failure Database, providing the standardized |
|data needed to enhance our understanding of wind-related tree failure. |
| |
| |
|Category 2: Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis |
| |
| |
|Jobs for the Future, Jobs for the Future Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $175,000 |
| |
| |
|Jobs for the Future will conduct a labor market analysis that will build a |
|business case for important green infrastructure investments in our |
|communities. This will include strategies for expanding green infrastructure|
|job growth in both the private and public sectors. |
| |
| |
|Category 3: Utilizing Green Infrastructure to Manage and Mitigate Stormwater|
|to Improve Water Quality |
| |
| |
|University of South Florida, From Gray to Green: Tools for Transitioning to |
|Vegetation-Based Stormwater Management |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $149,722 |
| |
| |
|Many communities lack systematic strategies to transition from the existing |
|conventional (gray) drainage systems to green infrastructure. This project |
|will provide natural resource managers, planners, and engineers with |
|decision-support tools to aid the strategic planning process for |
|transitioning to green infrastructure systems that emphasize trees and urban|
|forests. |
| |
| |
|University of Tennessee, Storm Water Goes Green: Investigating the Benefit |
|and Health of Urban Trees in Green Infrastructure Installations |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $200,322 |
| |
| |
|The contribution of trees to storm water management is not well understood. |
|Project will demonstrate the role of trees in bio retention areas and |
|provide recommendations regarding system design and tree species selection |
|to maximize bio retention area functionality and tree health. |
| |
| |
|Center for Watershed Protection, Making Urban Trees Count: A Project to |
|Demonstrate the Role of Urban Trees in Achieving Regulatory Compliance for |
|Clean Water Research |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $103,120 |
| |
| |
|Project will assist storm water managers with how to "credit" trees for |
|runoff and pollutant load reduction in order to compare with other best |
|management practices. A proposed design specification model for urban tree |
|planting will address crediting, verification, cost-effectiveness, and tree |
|health. |
| |
| |
|For more information about the National Urban and Community Forestry |
|Advisory Council, please visit www.fs.fed.us/ucf/nucfac.html. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the 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 U.S. 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 also 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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Oil Spill
Final plan for $627 million Phase III BP oil spill early restoration
projects released
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 26, 2014 at 1:41 PM
The final plan and accompanying environmental impact statement for the $627
million, 44-project Phase III BP oil spill early restoration plan were made
available to the public on federal and state websites Wednesday (June 25).
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/final_plan_for_627_million_pha.html#incart_river
Dispersant chemical found in beach oil patties four years after BP
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, new study says
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 26, 2014 at 6:41 PM
Traces of a chemical contained in dispersants used to break up oil during
the 87-day BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 were found in material
deposited on deepwater corals six months after the spill, and in weathered
oil patties on Gulf Coast beaches four years later, according to a
scientific letter published online this week in Environmental Science &
Technology, the peer-reviewed research journal of the American Chemical
Society.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/dispersant_chemical_found_in_b.html#incart_river
State
A Q&A with Gov. Phil Bryant — Energy, oil and other things
MBJ
by Ted Carter
Published: June 26,2014
Gov. Phil Bryant earlier this month delivered a keynote address to oil
company executives and others gathered in Houston for the Tuscaloosa Marine
Shale Summit.
Upon his return, the governor's office agreed to answer a series of
questions on the subject of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/26/qa-gov-phil-bryant-energy-oil-things/
Repairs expected soon for pair of Lamar County dams
Hattiesburg American
PURVIS – Bids to repair a pair of diminished dams in the Lake Serene
system are expected to be let next month, though Lamar County will
have to do it with three contracts instead of two.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/lamar-county/2014/06/26/don-walker-lake-serene-dams-repairs-lamar-county/11428499/
Big investment in Halcón drilling reflects confidence in a lucrative TMS
MBJ
by Ted Carter
Published: June 26,2014
A private equity firm's pledge to invest up to $400 million in Halcón
Resources' deep drilling in Mississippi and Louisiana could lead to a
doubling of Halcón's 2015 operations in the region.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/26/big-investment-halcon-drilling-reflects-confidence-lucrative-tms/
CMR votes to give the DMR right to extend recreational red snapper season
in July in state waters
Mississippi Press
Al Jones
June 26, 2014 at 5:52 PM
BILOXI, Mississippi - The Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources voted
Thursday to give Jamie Miller, the current executive director of the
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources in Biloxi, the option to extend
the recreational red snapper season within state waters.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-sports/2014/06/cmr_votes_to_give_the_dmr_righ.html#incart_river
Keith Davis named DMR's new Chief of Marine Patrol
Mississippi Press
Warren Kulo
BILOXI, Mississippi --Moss Point Police Chief Keith Davis has been named
the new Chief of Marine Patrol for the Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources.
Davis resigned from the MPPD June 12 and his last day is Friday. He begins
his new job Tuesday.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/keith_davis_named_dmrs_new_chi.html#incart_river
Gulfport dredging project to begin in September
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -A project to dredge the ship channel at the Port of
Gulfport will begin in September. The port authority board on Thursday
approved an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25883031/gulfport-dredging-project-to-begin-in-september
National
White flag waved by U.S. EPA on Texas environmental air permitting issue
Austin American-Statesman
Marking an end to bitter debate between federal and state regulators, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday gave final approval to
Texas' flexible permit program.
http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/salsa-verde/2014/jun/26/white-flag-waved-us-epa-texas-environmental-air-pe/
DOE project hits carbon-capture milestone
The Hill
The Department of Energy (DOE) touted the carbon-capture technology it is
funding Thursday, saying a project at a hydrogen production facility in
Port Arthur, Texas, has now captured more than 1 million tons of carbon
dioxide.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210681-doe-project-hits-carbon-capture-milestone
Norfolk Southern to Require Legal Protection Against Older Tank Cars
Change Would Take Effect Nine Days After Anniversary of Lac-Mégantic
Derailment and Explosion
Wall Street Journal
Norfolk Southern Corp. NSC -0.65% has become the first big American freight
railroad to require its customers to give the railroad legal protection
against damages from fires, explosions or the release of hazardous
materials carried in tank cars that don't meet the rail industry's latest
standards.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/norfolk-southern-to-require-legal-protection-against-older-tank-cars-1403822751
Air Pollution Spikes In Homes Near Fracking Wells
Forbes
Levels of particulate matter spike at night inside homes near gas wells in
Southwest Pennsylvania, the director of an environmental health monitoring
project said Wednesday.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2014/06/26/air-pollution-spikes-in-homes-near-fracking-wells/
FEDS NIX EAGLE PENALTIES FOR CALIFORNIA WIND FARM
AP
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A California wind farm will become the first in the
nation to avoid prosecution if eagles are injured or die when they run into
the giant turning blades, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/feds-nix-wind-farm-penalties-eagle-deaths
Press Releases
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces the 2014 National Urban and |
|Community Forestry Challenge Grants to Support Climate Resilience and Green |
| Infrastructure |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, June 26, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today |
|announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service's National Urban and Community |
|Forestry Challenge grant recipients. The grants provide funding that will |
|help enhance urban forest stewardship, support new employment opportunities,|
|and help build resilience in the face of a changing climate. Close to 80 |
|percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas and depends on the |
|essential ecological, economic, and social benefits provided by urban trees |
|and forests. Climate and extreme weather events pose threats to urban trees |
|and forests requiring increased investment in management, restoration and |
|stewardship. |
| |
| |
|"Our urban and community forests provide clean water, clean air, energy |
|conservation and other important benefits for the health and economic |
|well-being of communities across the country," said Vilsack. "The grants |
|announced today will help catalyze investment and strengthen stewardship of |
|our urban forests to maintain their many contributions amid new risks from |
|climate change." |
| |
| |
|In the United States alone, urban trees store over 708 million tons of |
|carbon and can help further reduce emissions by lowering electricity demand |
|for summer air conditioning and winter heating. Well maintained urban |
|forests can help address climate and extreme weather impacts through |
|reducing runoff, buffering high winds, controlling erosion, and minimizing |
|the impacts of drought. Urban forests also provide critical social and |
|cultural benefits that may strengthen community resilience to climate change|
|through promoting social interaction and community stability. |
| |
| |
|The grant proposals were recommended by the Secretary's National Urban and |
|Community Forestry Advisory Council and will address urban forest resiliency|
|to extreme weather events and the long-term impacts of climate change; |
|strategies for bolstering green jobs; and opportunities to use green |
|infrastructure to manage and mitigate stormwater and improve water quality. |
| |
| |
|Today's announcements were made in connection with the one-year anniversary |
|of President Obama's Climate Action Plan and support the plan's objectives |
|of maintaining the role of forests in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and |
|preparing communities for the impacts of a changing climate. Over the past |
|year, USDA has announced numerous initiatives in support of the President's |
|Climate Action Plan including the availability of over $320 million for |
|renewable energy and energy efficiency investments and the launch of the |
|first ever Regional Hubs that will help farmers, ranchers and forest |
|landowners get the information and data they need to make informed decisions|
|in response to a changing climate. USDA has also led efforts to address |
|risks and support recovery from severe wildfire and drought and has provided|
|over $740 million in assistance and disaster relief to support communities |
|and producers impacted by drought thus far in 2014. In addition, through the|
|2014 Farm Bill, USDA will invest $880 million dollars towards renewable |
|energy production such as wind and solar, advanced biofuel production, |
|energy efficiency for rural small businesses and farms as well as research |
|and development for fuels and products that replace petroleum and other |
|energy-intensive products. |
| |
| |
|The 2014 grant recipients are: |
| |
| |
|Category 1: Making Urban Trees and Forests More Resilient to the Impacts of |
|Natural Disasters and the Long-term Impacts of Climate Change |
| |
| |
|University of Florida, Mobile Tree Failure Prediction for Storm Preparation |
|and Response; |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $281,648 |
| |
| |
|This proposed modeling system will assist urban forest managers in |
|predicting tree failure during storms by developing a data collection model |
|and a mobile Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping application to |
|quantify tree risk in communities. The results and a best management |
|practices manual will be made available to all researchers and professionals|
|through the International Tree Failure Database, providing the standardized |
|data needed to enhance our understanding of wind-related tree failure. |
| |
| |
|Category 2: Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis |
| |
| |
|Jobs for the Future, Jobs for the Future Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $175,000 |
| |
| |
|Jobs for the Future will conduct a labor market analysis that will build a |
|business case for important green infrastructure investments in our |
|communities. This will include strategies for expanding green infrastructure|
|job growth in both the private and public sectors. |
| |
| |
|Category 3: Utilizing Green Infrastructure to Manage and Mitigate Stormwater|
|to Improve Water Quality |
| |
| |
|University of South Florida, From Gray to Green: Tools for Transitioning to |
|Vegetation-Based Stormwater Management |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $149,722 |
| |
| |
|Many communities lack systematic strategies to transition from the existing |
|conventional (gray) drainage systems to green infrastructure. This project |
|will provide natural resource managers, planners, and engineers with |
|decision-support tools to aid the strategic planning process for |
|transitioning to green infrastructure systems that emphasize trees and urban|
|forests. |
| |
| |
|University of Tennessee, Storm Water Goes Green: Investigating the Benefit |
|and Health of Urban Trees in Green Infrastructure Installations |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $200,322 |
| |
| |
|The contribution of trees to storm water management is not well understood. |
|Project will demonstrate the role of trees in bio retention areas and |
|provide recommendations regarding system design and tree species selection |
|to maximize bio retention area functionality and tree health. |
| |
| |
|Center for Watershed Protection, Making Urban Trees Count: A Project to |
|Demonstrate the Role of Urban Trees in Achieving Regulatory Compliance for |
|Clean Water Research |
| |
| |
|Federal Grant Amount: $103,120 |
| |
| |
|Project will assist storm water managers with how to "credit" trees for |
|runoff and pollutant load reduction in order to compare with other best |
|management practices. A proposed design specification model for urban tree |
|planting will address crediting, verification, cost-effectiveness, and tree |
|health. |
| |
| |
|For more information about the National Urban and Community Forestry |
|Advisory Council, please visit www.fs.fed.us/ucf/nucfac.html. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the 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 U.S. 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 also 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. |
| |
| |
|# |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Thursday, June 26, 2014
News Clippings 6/26/14
6/26/14
Oil Spill
Trustees to approve $627 million of BP Phase III early restoration projects
over Texas objections
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 2:20 PM
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and several federal agencies
acting as public trustees in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural
Resource Damage Assessment process have given final approval to 44
restoration projects costing $627 million over the objections of the state
of Texas, which wanted more projects, according to a Federal Register
notice that will be published Thursday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/trustees_to_approve_627_millio.html
Oyster beds recovering after storms, oil spill
BY STACEY PLAISANCE
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- For the first time in its 100-year-plus history, one of New
Orleans' biggest oyster dealers has resorted to importing oysters to
subsidize demand for the shellfish delicacy, which in recent years, dealers
say, has become hard to harvest in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5670036/oyster-beds-recoverying-after.html?sp=/99/102/
State
EPA approves pesticide for grain sorghum producers
by MBJ Staff
Published: June 25,2014
JACKSON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved farmers in
the state of Mississippi for the use of sulfoxaflor (CAS Reg. No.
946578-00-3) on sorghum.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/25/epa-approves-pesticide-grain-sorghum-producers/
Construction to begin on Pascagoula River Audubon Center
WLOX
MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) -Construction is about to begin on the new Pascagoula
River Audubon Center in Moss Point. The project has been in the planning
stages for several years, and community leaders and Audubon supporters are
excited about moving forward.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25869039/16-m-nature-learning-center-coming-to-pascagoula-river
Five things to know about the new $1.6M Pascagoula River Audubon Center
Sun herald
BY KAREN NELSON
MOSS POINT -- The $1.6 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center will be on a
historic site right in the heart of downtown, where there once was a
trolley line to the sawmills during the lumber boom early in the last
century.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5668947/five-things-to-know-about-the.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Crane operator among 5 injured in collapse at VT Halter Marine
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -There's still no word on what caused two cranes to
collapse at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula Wednesday afternoon, injuring
five people.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25870457/crane-operator-among-5-injured-in-collapse-at-vt-halter-marine
National
Obama: Climate change steps making a difference
BY JOSH LEDERMAN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Appealing for patience and perseverance from environmental
activists, President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in his
second-term drive to combat climate change but said more must be done to
address a generational problem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669343/obama-claims-progress-on-curbing.html?sp=/99/102/
Sen. Vitter returns to the House to discuss 'systematic breakdown' at EPA
Bruce Alpert
Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 3:45 PM
WASHINGTON -- Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he's been unable to get a
Senate hearing on what he considers a "systematic breakdown" in EPA
operations. So, Vitter said, he was delighted to testify at an EPA hearing
Wednesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/sen_vitter_returns_to_the_hous.html#incart_river
EPA joins IRS lost emails club
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
June 25, 2014 02:27 PM EDT
Move over, IRS — now the EPA is having its own problems with missing
emails.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/missing-government-emails-epa-108306.html?hp=l14
EPA appeals to its workers not to poop in the hallway
USA Today
Forget toxic waste dumps, the Environmental Protection Agency
apparently has a more immediate cleanup problem in its own backyard:
An employee defecating in the hallway.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/25/epa-environmental-protection-agency-poop-defecation/11361899/
1 in 10 U.S. beaches fails bacteria test, survey finds
Storm-water runoff, including sewage, continues to threaten swimmers'
health.
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
(HealthDay News) -- Swimmers, take heed: Ten percent of water samples taken
from U.S. coastal and lake beaches fail to meet safety standards set by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a new report finds.
http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/1-in-10-us-beaches-fails-bacteria-test-survey-finds-1
North Dakota discloses oil train shipment details
BY JAMES MACPHERSON AND MATTHEW BROWN
The Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. — Dozens of mile-long trains loaded with crude are leaving
western North Dakota each week, with most shipments going through the
state's most populous county while en route to refineries across the
country.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669471/north-dakota-discloses-oil-train.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
Oil From U.S. Fracking Is More Volatile Than Expected
High Gas Content Extends Beyond North Dakota's Bakken Shale to Colorado and
Texas
Wall Street Journal
Millions of barrels of crude oil flowing from shale formations around the
country—not just North Dakota—are full of volatile gases that make it
tricky to transport and to process into fuel.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/oil-from-u-s-fracking-is-more-volatile-than-expected-1403653344
U.S. Ruling Loosens Four-Decade Ban On Oil Exports
Shipments of Unrefined American Oil Could Begin as Early as August
Wall Street Journal
The Obama administration cleared the way for the first exports of unrefined
American oil in nearly four decades, allowing energy companies to start
chipping away at the longtime ban on selling U.S. oil abroad.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ruling-would-allow-first-shipments-of-unrefined-oil-overseas-1403644494
Opinion
Editorial: Look beneath the sand
Pensacola News Journal
Monday marked a sickening anniversary for our seashores. It was four
years ago on that day when oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
washed onto our beaches. Some residents wept at the sight that day.
Others cursed in anger at the miles of coastline strewn with sludge.
http://www.pnj.com/story/opinion/2014/06/26/editorial-look-beneath-sand/11378121/
Press Releases
Southern Miss strives to lessen environmental impact
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
This is a news release from the University of Southern Mississippi
As part of the Office of Sustainability's Climate Action Plan, The
University of Southern Mississippi is working toward climate neutrality --
a net zero carbon footprint by 2050. The goal is to have zero impact on the
environment from campus operations.
According to Haley McMinn, assistant director of sustainability at Southern
Miss, the vast majority of carbon emissions on campus come from building
operations, large square footage and transportation.
"It is an important and necessary goal that our institution and our office
takes very seriously," McMinn said. "In an environmental and economic
climate where things are beginning to change, resources are getting more
expensive and budgets are getting tighter, it is imperative that we succeed
to remain viable as an institution for decades to come."
"As an institution we must operate as good stewards of the environment, of
our people and of our use of resources across the board. It's both the
right and smart thing to do."
Some of the efforts that have helped to achieve this goal include:
· The implementation of widespread lighting retrofit projects
· The installation of variable frequency drives
· Upgraded power plants and boilers
· The installation of building automated controls.
"Perhaps most importantly, we work to educate faculty, staff, students and
community members about living sustainably," McMinn said. "It is this
education that ensures the success of operational changes and extends our
reach and impact beyond our institution's walls."
Earlier this spring, Southern Miss reported to the American College &
University Presidents' Climate Commitment an updated Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory showing a baseline comparison decrease in overall
carbon dioxide equivalent of 28,748 metric tons, meeting the 2015 25%
reduction goal early
"This is a huge success for our institution and with hard work and support
from all over campus we have reached this milestone goal two years early,"
McMinn said.
Because of the University's extensive recycling program, Southern Miss
keeps an average of 37,000 pounds of recyclable material from ending up in
a landfill each month. Southern Miss ranks in the top 36 percent of 365
schools nationwide for collecting the highest gross weight of recyclables.
The six-year-old recycling program is described by the Office of
Sustainability as universal, comprehensive, single-stream and desk-side.
Every office, classroom and residence hall room is equipped with blue cans
for faculty, staff and students to place all allowable recyclable
materials. The collected material is then taken to a local recycling
facility, Sumrall Recycling, where it is weighed, sorted and processed to
sell to manufacturers.
Nearly 437,414 pounds of recyclables have been collected this fiscal year
alone. The program is steadily growing and the numbers increase each year.
The materials collected on campus are paper, plastic, cardboard, aluminum
and tin. The most recycled items on campus are paper and cardboard.
Along with the recycling program, the Office of Sustainability is working
to roll out the Sustainability Pledge and a Green Office Certification
program, in addition to other events designed to spark campus-wide
involvement.
The Green Office Certification program will provide training to all
interested employees or offices on how to "green" their operations, provide
a "green rating" to offices and departments who submit a certification
report and assist with onsite visits in which Sustainability staff can
provide feedback and guidance.
"I believe this program has the potential to generate some additional
buy-in to the Southern Miss Green Initiative and allows us the opportunity
to give hands-on help to campus constituents that want to do more," McMinn
said.
Recyclethon, a four-week recycling competition held on campus among all the
departments, brought in a total of 41,752 pounds of recyclable material.
The Physical Plant Planet Protectors won the competition with a total of
16,146 pounds of recyclables.
For a detailed list of accepted materials, pick-up schedule or other events
and programs please visitwww.usm.edu/green/.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25870317/southern-miss-strives-to-lessen-enironmental-impact
Beach Report: 10 Percent of America's Beach Water Samples Fail Safety Test
NRDC's Annual Report Reveals Nation's 35 "Superstar" Beaches, but 17
"Repeat Offenders" Highlight Need for Clean Water Protections to Safeguard
Swimmers
WASHINGTON (June 25, 2014) – Ten percent of all water quality samples
collected last year from nearly 3,500 coastal and Great Lakes beaches in
the U.S. contained bacteria levels that failed to meet the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's most protective benchmark for swimmer
safety. According to the 24th annual beach report released today by the
Natural Resources Defense Council, the findings confirm that serious water
pollution persists at many U.S. seashores, with massive stormwater runoff
and sewage overflows historically being the largest known sources of the
problem.
"Sewage and contaminated runoff in the water should never ruin a family
beach trip," said NRDC senior attorney Jon Devine. "But no matter where you
live, urban slobber and other pollution can seriously compromise the water
quality at your favorite beach and make your family sick. To help keep us
healthy at the beach and stem the tide of water pollution, our government
leaders can finalize a critical proposal – the Clean Water Protection Rule
– to restore vital protections for the streams and wetlands that help
sustain clean beaches."
Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches collects
and analyzes the latest water testing results from the EPA and state beach
coordinators at nearly 3,500 beach testing locations nationwide. The 24th
annual report card examines the various causes of water pollution that
plague America's beaches and presents crucial, timely opportunities to keep
pollution out of America's beaches, lakes and rivers.
This year, the report found 35 popular "superstar" beaches with excellent
water quality, and flagged 17 "repeat offenders" that exhibited chronic
water pollution problems. It also includes an updated, mobile-friendly map
of nearly 3,500 beaches nationwide that is searchable by zip code, making
it easier than ever for users to check important water quality information
at their local beaches.
Find the full report, superstars, repeat offenders and zip code-searchable
map here:http://www.nrdc.org/beaches.
This year's Testing the Waters report comes at a time when the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are
considering taking important action to clean up tributary streams and
wetlands around the country, a move that can help better protect people at
the beach. The agencies' proposed Clean Water Protection Rule would
strengthen pollution safeguards for nearly two million miles of streams and
millions of acres of wetlands connected to larger bodies of water. These
water bodies help filter out harmful contaminants and prevent polluted
runoff before it can reach America's beaches.
THE NATION'S 35 "SUPERSTAR" BEACHES
NRDC designated 35 popular beaches across 14 states as "superstars" –
popular beaches for consistently meeting water quality safety thresholds.
Each of these beaches met national water quality benchmarks 98% of the time
over the past five years:
· Alabama: Gulf Shores Public Beach in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Gulf State Park Pavilion in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Dauphin Island Public Beach
· California: Newport Beach in Orange County (1 of 3 monitored
sections)
o Newport Beach - 38th Street
· Delaware: Dewey Beach-Swedes in Sussex County
· Florida: Bowman's Beach in Lee County
· Florida: Coquina Beach South in Manatee County
· Florida: Fort Desoto North Beach in Pinellas County
· Georgia: Tybee Island North in Chatham County
· Hawaii: Hapuna Beach St. Rec. Area in Big Island
· Hawaii: Po'ipu Beach Park in Kauai
· Hawaii: Wailea Beach Park in Maui
· Massachusetts: Singing Beach in Essex County
· Maryland: Point Lookout State Park in St Mary's County
· Maryland: Assateague State Park in Worcester County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Main St. and Sunset Blvd. in Brunswick
County
· North Carolina: Beach at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Dare County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Salisbury Street in Wrightsville Beach
in New Hanover
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Ocean Blvd. and Crews Ave. in Topsail
Beach in Pender County
· New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands Beach at Wallis Rd. in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands State Park in Rockingham County
· New Jersey: Washington (Margate) in Atlantic County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Avalon) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Sea Isle City) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Stone Harbor at 96th St. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Upper Township at Webster Rd. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Wildwood Crest at Orchid in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Broadway (Pt. Pleasant Beach) in Ocean County
· New York: Long Beach City in Nassau County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 28th St. in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 45th St in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Back Bay Beach in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach - Little Island Beach North in Virginia
Beach County
· Washington: Westhaven State Park, South Jetty in Grays Harbor
THE NATION'S 17 "REPEAT OFFENDERS"
Over the last five years of this report, sections of 17 U.S. beaches have
stood out as having persistent contamination problems, with water samples
failing to meet public health benchmarks more than 25 percent of the time
each year from 2009 to 2013:
· California: Malibu Pier, 50 yards east of the pier, in Los Angeles
County
· Indiana: Jeorse Park Beach in Lake County (both monitored sections):
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach I
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach II
· Massachusetts: Cockle Cove Creek in Barnstable County
· Maine: Goodies Beach in Knox County
· New Jersey: Beachwood Beach in Ocean County
· New York: Main Street Beach in Chautauqua County
· New York: Wright Park – East in Chautauqua County
· New York: Ontario Beach in Monroe County
· Ohio: Lakeshore Park in Ashtabula County
· Ohio: Arcadia Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Euclid State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Noble Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Sims Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Edson Creek in Erie County
· Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee County
Important note: some of these beaches have multiple sections that are
tested for water quality, and in some instances only certain sections of a
beach qualified for the repeat offender list.
NATIONAL FINDINGS – 2013:
This year's report found that 10 percent of beach water samples taken
nationwide in 2013 failed to meet the most protective federal public health
threshold used to assess water quality at American beaches – EPA's newly
created "Beach Action Value" (BAV).
Based on EPA's BAV safety threshold, the Great Lakes region had the highest
failure rate of beach water quality samples, with 13 percent of samples
failing to pass the safety test in 2013. The Delmarva region had the lowest
failure rate, with 4 percent of samples failing the safety test. In between
were the Gulf Coast (12 percent), New England (11 percent), the Western
Coast (9 percent), the New York and New Jersey coasts (7 percent), and the
Southeast (7 percent).
Individual states with the highest failure rates of reported water samples
in 2013 were Ohio (35 percent), Alaska (24 percent) and Mississippi (21
percent). Those with the lowest failure rates last year were Delaware (3
percent), New Hampshire (3 percent) and New Jersey (3 percent).
The national results in this year's report show an uptick in failure rates
for beach water quality safety due to the Beach Action Value, which is a
more protective health benchmark used for the first time in 2013 in lieu of
a now defunct and less-protective beach water quality standard. Seven
percent of beaches failed to meet the old, less-protective standard in
2012, 8 percent in both 2011 and 2010, and 7 percent each year from 2006 to
2009. The new use of BAV has also resulted in a shift in state-based
results, showing an increase in failure rates in many states across the
country.
The EPA estimates that up to 3.5 million people become ill from contact
with raw sewage from sanitary overflows each year. Beach water pollution
nationwide causes a range of waterborne illnesses in swimmers including
stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, ear, nose and throat problems,
dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders, and
other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children and
people with weak immune systems, the results can even be fatal.
Under the federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health
(BEACH) Act, states regularly test their beach water for bacteria found in
human and animal waste. These bacteria often indicate the presence of
various pathogens. When beach managers determine that water contamination
failed relevant health standards – or in some cases when a state suspects
levels would be high, such as after heavy rain – they notify the public
through beach closures or advisories.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – PROTECTING ALL SMALL STREAMS AND WETLANDS:
The most immediate and high-priority action to address water pollution at
the nation's beaches is to finalize and adopt the Clean Water Protection
Rule proposed by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. This federal rule
would ensure tributary streams and wetlands are protected from pollution
under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule is critical to virtually all
communities and beachgoers, impacting the hundreds of billions of dollars
spent annually on outdoor recreation. The proposed rule, officially known
as the "Waters of the U.S. Rule," is open for public comment until October
20 and demands a strong showing of public support to become final.
"Small streams and wetlands are as close to us as a dip at your favorite
beach or the tap in your kitchen," said Steve Fleischli, Director of the
Water Program at NRDC. "Standing behind EPA's Clean Water Protection Rule
will ensure our families have pristine, unpolluted water to enjoy for
generations to come. The rule deserves our support."
By removing harmful pollutants and bacteria from water that passes through
them and by retaining stormwater that leads to major pollution problems,
wetlands and streams help ensure larger water bodies within the
watershed—and ultimately, beaches—are safe for various uses. That's because
streams—regardless of their size and flow pattern—and wetlands near rivers,
lakes and other waters are "physically, chemically, and biologically
connected to downstream rivers," according a major assessment by EPA
scientists published in 2013.
For the past decade, however, these headwater streams have not been fully
and clearly protected from pollution because of two U.S. Supreme Court
decisions on Clean Water Act jurisdiction in 2001 and 2006. These decisions
left many of the nation's streams and wetlands without clear protection
from polluters. As a result, the EPA is often unable to hold polluters
accountable when it comes to these waters. The proposed Clean Water
Protection Rule would help resolve this problem.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – BOOSTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE:
Every year, more than 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater,
including hundreds of billions of gallons of untreated sewage overflows,
make their way into America's waterways, according to the EPA. Contaminated
runoff has historically been the largest known source of beach water
pollution.
The best way to keep this pollution out of America's beach water is to
prevent it from the start – by investing in smarter, greener infrastructure
on land, like porous pavement, green roofs, parks, roadside plantings and
rain barrels. Green infrastructure addresses stormwater pollution by
stopping rain where it falls, enabling it to evaporate or filter into the
ground naturally instead of carrying runoff from dirty streets to our
beaches.
Sensible green infrastructure solutions keep stormwater from becoming
wastewater and prevent sewage systems from overflowing. These techniques
turn rainwater from a huge pollution liability into a plentiful, local
water supply resource. They also beautify neighborhoods, cool and cleanse
the air, reduce asthma and heat-related illnesses, save on heating and
cooling energy costs, boost economies, and support American jobs.
Already, scores of cities and states are reaping the benefits of green
infrastructure solutions to meet clean water requirements and create
healthier, more resilient communities. These improvements will enable our
cities to meet clean water goals more cost-effectively. States,
municipalities, businesses and citizens have an immediate opportunity to
clean up pollution at America's beaches by incentivizing and adopting green
infrastructure approaches. The EPA can also help cities meet clean water
goals and promote green infrastructure by using existing Clean Water Act
authority to require sources of polluted runoff to clean up.
http://www.nrdc.org/media/2014/140625.asp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A
+NRDCPressReleases+%28NRDC+Press+Releases%29
EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Agency begins process to address potential human health risks
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released
a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment
identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol
degreasers and spray fixatives. It also identifies health risks to workers
when TCE is used as a degreaser in small commercial shops and as a stain
removing agent in dry cleaning.
"EPA calls on Congress to enact legislation that strengthens our current
federal toxics law," said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for chemical
safety and pollution prevention. "Until that time, we are using the best
available science to assess and address chemical risks of TCE that now show
that it may harm human health and the environment."
The final TCE risk assessment was developed as part of the agency's Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan, which identified chemicals for
review and assessment of potential risks to people's health and the
environment. EPA developed the draft TCE risk assessment based on the best
available information and finalized the assessment after careful
consideration of comments from the public and experts during an
independent, scientific peer review of the assessment. TCE is the first
chemical to complete the work plan risk assessment process under TSCA.
EPA is conducting a workshop from July 29-30, on potential TCE degreaser
alternatives and risk reduction approaches. EPA will conduct other
activities to address TCE uses as a stain removing agent in dry cleaning
and as a clear protective spray fixative.
In the meantime, EPA recommends that people take precautions that can
reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely
well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment to reduce exposure.
Additional information on the TCE risk assessment, the July 29-30 public
workshop, and TSCA workplan chemicals can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/riskassess.html
Oil Spill
Trustees to approve $627 million of BP Phase III early restoration projects
over Texas objections
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 2:20 PM
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and several federal agencies
acting as public trustees in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural
Resource Damage Assessment process have given final approval to 44
restoration projects costing $627 million over the objections of the state
of Texas, which wanted more projects, according to a Federal Register
notice that will be published Thursday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/trustees_to_approve_627_millio.html
Oyster beds recovering after storms, oil spill
BY STACEY PLAISANCE
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS -- For the first time in its 100-year-plus history, one of New
Orleans' biggest oyster dealers has resorted to importing oysters to
subsidize demand for the shellfish delicacy, which in recent years, dealers
say, has become hard to harvest in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5670036/oyster-beds-recoverying-after.html?sp=/99/102/
State
EPA approves pesticide for grain sorghum producers
by MBJ Staff
Published: June 25,2014
JACKSON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved farmers in
the state of Mississippi for the use of sulfoxaflor (CAS Reg. No.
946578-00-3) on sorghum.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/06/25/epa-approves-pesticide-grain-sorghum-producers/
Construction to begin on Pascagoula River Audubon Center
WLOX
MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) -Construction is about to begin on the new Pascagoula
River Audubon Center in Moss Point. The project has been in the planning
stages for several years, and community leaders and Audubon supporters are
excited about moving forward.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25869039/16-m-nature-learning-center-coming-to-pascagoula-river
Five things to know about the new $1.6M Pascagoula River Audubon Center
Sun herald
BY KAREN NELSON
MOSS POINT -- The $1.6 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center will be on a
historic site right in the heart of downtown, where there once was a
trolley line to the sawmills during the lumber boom early in the last
century.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5668947/five-things-to-know-about-the.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Crane operator among 5 injured in collapse at VT Halter Marine
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -There's still no word on what caused two cranes to
collapse at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula Wednesday afternoon, injuring
five people.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25870457/crane-operator-among-5-injured-in-collapse-at-vt-halter-marine
National
Obama: Climate change steps making a difference
BY JOSH LEDERMAN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Appealing for patience and perseverance from environmental
activists, President Barack Obama claimed progress Wednesday in his
second-term drive to combat climate change but said more must be done to
address a generational problem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669343/obama-claims-progress-on-curbing.html?sp=/99/102/
Sen. Vitter returns to the House to discuss 'systematic breakdown' at EPA
Bruce Alpert
Times-Picayune
June 25, 2014 at 3:45 PM
WASHINGTON -- Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he's been unable to get a
Senate hearing on what he considers a "systematic breakdown" in EPA
operations. So, Vitter said, he was delighted to testify at an EPA hearing
Wednesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/sen_vitter_returns_to_the_hous.html#incart_river
EPA joins IRS lost emails club
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
June 25, 2014 02:27 PM EDT
Move over, IRS — now the EPA is having its own problems with missing
emails.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/missing-government-emails-epa-108306.html?hp=l14
EPA appeals to its workers not to poop in the hallway
USA Today
Forget toxic waste dumps, the Environmental Protection Agency
apparently has a more immediate cleanup problem in its own backyard:
An employee defecating in the hallway.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/25/epa-environmental-protection-agency-poop-defecation/11361899/
1 in 10 U.S. beaches fails bacteria test, survey finds
Storm-water runoff, including sewage, continues to threaten swimmers'
health.
By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
(HealthDay News) -- Swimmers, take heed: Ten percent of water samples taken
from U.S. coastal and lake beaches fail to meet safety standards set by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a new report finds.
http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/1-in-10-us-beaches-fails-bacteria-test-survey-finds-1
North Dakota discloses oil train shipment details
BY JAMES MACPHERSON AND MATTHEW BROWN
The Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. — Dozens of mile-long trains loaded with crude are leaving
western North Dakota each week, with most shipments going through the
state's most populous county while en route to refineries across the
country.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/25/5669471/north-dakota-discloses-oil-train.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
Oil From U.S. Fracking Is More Volatile Than Expected
High Gas Content Extends Beyond North Dakota's Bakken Shale to Colorado and
Texas
Wall Street Journal
Millions of barrels of crude oil flowing from shale formations around the
country—not just North Dakota—are full of volatile gases that make it
tricky to transport and to process into fuel.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/oil-from-u-s-fracking-is-more-volatile-than-expected-1403653344
U.S. Ruling Loosens Four-Decade Ban On Oil Exports
Shipments of Unrefined American Oil Could Begin as Early as August
Wall Street Journal
The Obama administration cleared the way for the first exports of unrefined
American oil in nearly four decades, allowing energy companies to start
chipping away at the longtime ban on selling U.S. oil abroad.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ruling-would-allow-first-shipments-of-unrefined-oil-overseas-1403644494
Opinion
Editorial: Look beneath the sand
Pensacola News Journal
Monday marked a sickening anniversary for our seashores. It was four
years ago on that day when oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
washed onto our beaches. Some residents wept at the sight that day.
Others cursed in anger at the miles of coastline strewn with sludge.
http://www.pnj.com/story/opinion/2014/06/26/editorial-look-beneath-sand/11378121/
Press Releases
Southern Miss strives to lessen environmental impact
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
This is a news release from the University of Southern Mississippi
As part of the Office of Sustainability's Climate Action Plan, The
University of Southern Mississippi is working toward climate neutrality --
a net zero carbon footprint by 2050. The goal is to have zero impact on the
environment from campus operations.
According to Haley McMinn, assistant director of sustainability at Southern
Miss, the vast majority of carbon emissions on campus come from building
operations, large square footage and transportation.
"It is an important and necessary goal that our institution and our office
takes very seriously," McMinn said. "In an environmental and economic
climate where things are beginning to change, resources are getting more
expensive and budgets are getting tighter, it is imperative that we succeed
to remain viable as an institution for decades to come."
"As an institution we must operate as good stewards of the environment, of
our people and of our use of resources across the board. It's both the
right and smart thing to do."
Some of the efforts that have helped to achieve this goal include:
· The implementation of widespread lighting retrofit projects
· The installation of variable frequency drives
· Upgraded power plants and boilers
· The installation of building automated controls.
"Perhaps most importantly, we work to educate faculty, staff, students and
community members about living sustainably," McMinn said. "It is this
education that ensures the success of operational changes and extends our
reach and impact beyond our institution's walls."
Earlier this spring, Southern Miss reported to the American College &
University Presidents' Climate Commitment an updated Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory showing a baseline comparison decrease in overall
carbon dioxide equivalent of 28,748 metric tons, meeting the 2015 25%
reduction goal early
"This is a huge success for our institution and with hard work and support
from all over campus we have reached this milestone goal two years early,"
McMinn said.
Because of the University's extensive recycling program, Southern Miss
keeps an average of 37,000 pounds of recyclable material from ending up in
a landfill each month. Southern Miss ranks in the top 36 percent of 365
schools nationwide for collecting the highest gross weight of recyclables.
The six-year-old recycling program is described by the Office of
Sustainability as universal, comprehensive, single-stream and desk-side.
Every office, classroom and residence hall room is equipped with blue cans
for faculty, staff and students to place all allowable recyclable
materials. The collected material is then taken to a local recycling
facility, Sumrall Recycling, where it is weighed, sorted and processed to
sell to manufacturers.
Nearly 437,414 pounds of recyclables have been collected this fiscal year
alone. The program is steadily growing and the numbers increase each year.
The materials collected on campus are paper, plastic, cardboard, aluminum
and tin. The most recycled items on campus are paper and cardboard.
Along with the recycling program, the Office of Sustainability is working
to roll out the Sustainability Pledge and a Green Office Certification
program, in addition to other events designed to spark campus-wide
involvement.
The Green Office Certification program will provide training to all
interested employees or offices on how to "green" their operations, provide
a "green rating" to offices and departments who submit a certification
report and assist with onsite visits in which Sustainability staff can
provide feedback and guidance.
"I believe this program has the potential to generate some additional
buy-in to the Southern Miss Green Initiative and allows us the opportunity
to give hands-on help to campus constituents that want to do more," McMinn
said.
Recyclethon, a four-week recycling competition held on campus among all the
departments, brought in a total of 41,752 pounds of recyclable material.
The Physical Plant Planet Protectors won the competition with a total of
16,146 pounds of recyclables.
For a detailed list of accepted materials, pick-up schedule or other events
and programs please visitwww.usm.edu/green/.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25870317/southern-miss-strives-to-lessen-enironmental-impact
Beach Report: 10 Percent of America's Beach Water Samples Fail Safety Test
NRDC's Annual Report Reveals Nation's 35 "Superstar" Beaches, but 17
"Repeat Offenders" Highlight Need for Clean Water Protections to Safeguard
Swimmers
WASHINGTON (June 25, 2014) – Ten percent of all water quality samples
collected last year from nearly 3,500 coastal and Great Lakes beaches in
the U.S. contained bacteria levels that failed to meet the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's most protective benchmark for swimmer
safety. According to the 24th annual beach report released today by the
Natural Resources Defense Council, the findings confirm that serious water
pollution persists at many U.S. seashores, with massive stormwater runoff
and sewage overflows historically being the largest known sources of the
problem.
"Sewage and contaminated runoff in the water should never ruin a family
beach trip," said NRDC senior attorney Jon Devine. "But no matter where you
live, urban slobber and other pollution can seriously compromise the water
quality at your favorite beach and make your family sick. To help keep us
healthy at the beach and stem the tide of water pollution, our government
leaders can finalize a critical proposal – the Clean Water Protection Rule
– to restore vital protections for the streams and wetlands that help
sustain clean beaches."
Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches collects
and analyzes the latest water testing results from the EPA and state beach
coordinators at nearly 3,500 beach testing locations nationwide. The 24th
annual report card examines the various causes of water pollution that
plague America's beaches and presents crucial, timely opportunities to keep
pollution out of America's beaches, lakes and rivers.
This year, the report found 35 popular "superstar" beaches with excellent
water quality, and flagged 17 "repeat offenders" that exhibited chronic
water pollution problems. It also includes an updated, mobile-friendly map
of nearly 3,500 beaches nationwide that is searchable by zip code, making
it easier than ever for users to check important water quality information
at their local beaches.
Find the full report, superstars, repeat offenders and zip code-searchable
map here:http://www.nrdc.org/beaches.
This year's Testing the Waters report comes at a time when the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are
considering taking important action to clean up tributary streams and
wetlands around the country, a move that can help better protect people at
the beach. The agencies' proposed Clean Water Protection Rule would
strengthen pollution safeguards for nearly two million miles of streams and
millions of acres of wetlands connected to larger bodies of water. These
water bodies help filter out harmful contaminants and prevent polluted
runoff before it can reach America's beaches.
THE NATION'S 35 "SUPERSTAR" BEACHES
NRDC designated 35 popular beaches across 14 states as "superstars" –
popular beaches for consistently meeting water quality safety thresholds.
Each of these beaches met national water quality benchmarks 98% of the time
over the past five years:
· Alabama: Gulf Shores Public Beach in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Gulf State Park Pavilion in Baldwin County
· Alabama: Dauphin Island Public Beach
· California: Newport Beach in Orange County (1 of 3 monitored
sections)
o Newport Beach - 38th Street
· Delaware: Dewey Beach-Swedes in Sussex County
· Florida: Bowman's Beach in Lee County
· Florida: Coquina Beach South in Manatee County
· Florida: Fort Desoto North Beach in Pinellas County
· Georgia: Tybee Island North in Chatham County
· Hawaii: Hapuna Beach St. Rec. Area in Big Island
· Hawaii: Po'ipu Beach Park in Kauai
· Hawaii: Wailea Beach Park in Maui
· Massachusetts: Singing Beach in Essex County
· Maryland: Point Lookout State Park in St Mary's County
· Maryland: Assateague State Park in Worcester County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Main St. and Sunset Blvd. in Brunswick
County
· North Carolina: Beach at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Dare County
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Salisbury Street in Wrightsville Beach
in New Hanover
· North Carolina: Ocean Pier at Ocean Blvd. and Crews Ave. in Topsail
Beach in Pender County
· New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands Beach at Wallis Rd. in Rockingham County
· New Hampshire: Wallis Sands State Park in Rockingham County
· New Jersey: Washington (Margate) in Atlantic County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Avalon) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: 40th St. (Sea Isle City) in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Stone Harbor at 96th St. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Upper Township at Webster Rd. in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Wildwood Crest at Orchid in Cape May County
· New Jersey: Broadway (Pt. Pleasant Beach) in Ocean County
· New York: Long Beach City in Nassau County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 28th St. in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach at 45th St in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Back Bay Beach in Virginia Beach County
· Virginia: Virginia Beach - Little Island Beach North in Virginia
Beach County
· Washington: Westhaven State Park, South Jetty in Grays Harbor
THE NATION'S 17 "REPEAT OFFENDERS"
Over the last five years of this report, sections of 17 U.S. beaches have
stood out as having persistent contamination problems, with water samples
failing to meet public health benchmarks more than 25 percent of the time
each year from 2009 to 2013:
· California: Malibu Pier, 50 yards east of the pier, in Los Angeles
County
· Indiana: Jeorse Park Beach in Lake County (both monitored sections):
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach I
o Lake Jeorse Park Beach II
· Massachusetts: Cockle Cove Creek in Barnstable County
· Maine: Goodies Beach in Knox County
· New Jersey: Beachwood Beach in Ocean County
· New York: Main Street Beach in Chautauqua County
· New York: Wright Park – East in Chautauqua County
· New York: Ontario Beach in Monroe County
· Ohio: Lakeshore Park in Ashtabula County
· Ohio: Arcadia Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Euclid State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Noble Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Sims Beach in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
· Ohio: Edson Creek in Erie County
· Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee County
Important note: some of these beaches have multiple sections that are
tested for water quality, and in some instances only certain sections of a
beach qualified for the repeat offender list.
NATIONAL FINDINGS – 2013:
This year's report found that 10 percent of beach water samples taken
nationwide in 2013 failed to meet the most protective federal public health
threshold used to assess water quality at American beaches – EPA's newly
created "Beach Action Value" (BAV).
Based on EPA's BAV safety threshold, the Great Lakes region had the highest
failure rate of beach water quality samples, with 13 percent of samples
failing to pass the safety test in 2013. The Delmarva region had the lowest
failure rate, with 4 percent of samples failing the safety test. In between
were the Gulf Coast (12 percent), New England (11 percent), the Western
Coast (9 percent), the New York and New Jersey coasts (7 percent), and the
Southeast (7 percent).
Individual states with the highest failure rates of reported water samples
in 2013 were Ohio (35 percent), Alaska (24 percent) and Mississippi (21
percent). Those with the lowest failure rates last year were Delaware (3
percent), New Hampshire (3 percent) and New Jersey (3 percent).
The national results in this year's report show an uptick in failure rates
for beach water quality safety due to the Beach Action Value, which is a
more protective health benchmark used for the first time in 2013 in lieu of
a now defunct and less-protective beach water quality standard. Seven
percent of beaches failed to meet the old, less-protective standard in
2012, 8 percent in both 2011 and 2010, and 7 percent each year from 2006 to
2009. The new use of BAV has also resulted in a shift in state-based
results, showing an increase in failure rates in many states across the
country.
The EPA estimates that up to 3.5 million people become ill from contact
with raw sewage from sanitary overflows each year. Beach water pollution
nationwide causes a range of waterborne illnesses in swimmers including
stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, ear, nose and throat problems,
dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders, and
other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children and
people with weak immune systems, the results can even be fatal.
Under the federal Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health
(BEACH) Act, states regularly test their beach water for bacteria found in
human and animal waste. These bacteria often indicate the presence of
various pathogens. When beach managers determine that water contamination
failed relevant health standards – or in some cases when a state suspects
levels would be high, such as after heavy rain – they notify the public
through beach closures or advisories.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – PROTECTING ALL SMALL STREAMS AND WETLANDS:
The most immediate and high-priority action to address water pollution at
the nation's beaches is to finalize and adopt the Clean Water Protection
Rule proposed by the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers. This federal rule
would ensure tributary streams and wetlands are protected from pollution
under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule is critical to virtually all
communities and beachgoers, impacting the hundreds of billions of dollars
spent annually on outdoor recreation. The proposed rule, officially known
as the "Waters of the U.S. Rule," is open for public comment until October
20 and demands a strong showing of public support to become final.
"Small streams and wetlands are as close to us as a dip at your favorite
beach or the tap in your kitchen," said Steve Fleischli, Director of the
Water Program at NRDC. "Standing behind EPA's Clean Water Protection Rule
will ensure our families have pristine, unpolluted water to enjoy for
generations to come. The rule deserves our support."
By removing harmful pollutants and bacteria from water that passes through
them and by retaining stormwater that leads to major pollution problems,
wetlands and streams help ensure larger water bodies within the
watershed—and ultimately, beaches—are safe for various uses. That's because
streams—regardless of their size and flow pattern—and wetlands near rivers,
lakes and other waters are "physically, chemically, and biologically
connected to downstream rivers," according a major assessment by EPA
scientists published in 2013.
For the past decade, however, these headwater streams have not been fully
and clearly protected from pollution because of two U.S. Supreme Court
decisions on Clean Water Act jurisdiction in 2001 and 2006. These decisions
left many of the nation's streams and wetlands without clear protection
from polluters. As a result, the EPA is often unable to hold polluters
accountable when it comes to these waters. The proposed Clean Water
Protection Rule would help resolve this problem.
THE EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS – BOOSTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE:
Every year, more than 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater,
including hundreds of billions of gallons of untreated sewage overflows,
make their way into America's waterways, according to the EPA. Contaminated
runoff has historically been the largest known source of beach water
pollution.
The best way to keep this pollution out of America's beach water is to
prevent it from the start – by investing in smarter, greener infrastructure
on land, like porous pavement, green roofs, parks, roadside plantings and
rain barrels. Green infrastructure addresses stormwater pollution by
stopping rain where it falls, enabling it to evaporate or filter into the
ground naturally instead of carrying runoff from dirty streets to our
beaches.
Sensible green infrastructure solutions keep stormwater from becoming
wastewater and prevent sewage systems from overflowing. These techniques
turn rainwater from a huge pollution liability into a plentiful, local
water supply resource. They also beautify neighborhoods, cool and cleanse
the air, reduce asthma and heat-related illnesses, save on heating and
cooling energy costs, boost economies, and support American jobs.
Already, scores of cities and states are reaping the benefits of green
infrastructure solutions to meet clean water requirements and create
healthier, more resilient communities. These improvements will enable our
cities to meet clean water goals more cost-effectively. States,
municipalities, businesses and citizens have an immediate opportunity to
clean up pollution at America's beaches by incentivizing and adopting green
infrastructure approaches. The EPA can also help cities meet clean water
goals and promote green infrastructure by using existing Clean Water Act
authority to require sources of polluted runoff to clean up.
http://www.nrdc.org/media/2014/140625.asp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A
+NRDCPressReleases+%28NRDC+Press+Releases%29
EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE)
Agency begins process to address potential human health risks
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released
a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment
identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol
degreasers and spray fixatives. It also identifies health risks to workers
when TCE is used as a degreaser in small commercial shops and as a stain
removing agent in dry cleaning.
"EPA calls on Congress to enact legislation that strengthens our current
federal toxics law," said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for chemical
safety and pollution prevention. "Until that time, we are using the best
available science to assess and address chemical risks of TCE that now show
that it may harm human health and the environment."
The final TCE risk assessment was developed as part of the agency's Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan, which identified chemicals for
review and assessment of potential risks to people's health and the
environment. EPA developed the draft TCE risk assessment based on the best
available information and finalized the assessment after careful
consideration of comments from the public and experts during an
independent, scientific peer review of the assessment. TCE is the first
chemical to complete the work plan risk assessment process under TSCA.
EPA is conducting a workshop from July 29-30, on potential TCE degreaser
alternatives and risk reduction approaches. EPA will conduct other
activities to address TCE uses as a stain removing agent in dry cleaning
and as a clear protective spray fixative.
In the meantime, EPA recommends that people take precautions that can
reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely
well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment to reduce exposure.
Additional information on the TCE risk assessment, the July 29-30 public
workshop, and TSCA workplan chemicals can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/riskassess.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
News Clippings 6.25.14
6.25.14
Oil Spill
BCAR members get update on oil spill compensation
Gulf Coast News Today
By John Underwood
ROBERTSDALE, Ala. -- It's been more than four years since the Deepwater
Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 people and
sending millions of gallons of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/the_baldwin_times/community/article_4962fd06-fb1a-11e3-8365-001a4bcf887a.html
State
MS Phosphates Addresses Residents' Concern About Air Quality
WXXV
Monday night in Pascagoula, Mississippi Phosphates met with the Cherokee
Concerned Citizens Group to discuss air quality. David Kilbern and his
family live near the Mississippi Phosphates plant in Jackson County. He's
glad the chemical company plans to install air quality monitors in his
Bayou Casotte neighborhood.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/MS-Phosphates-Addresses-Residents-Concern-About/Iq0YIMCqmUuuzh0JOzP4ng.cspx
Regional
'Dead zone' the size of Connecticut expected along Louisiana coast,
scientists say
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 24, 2014 at 6:12 PM
The size of the annual summer "dead zone" of low-oxygen water in the Gulf
of Mexico along Louisiana's coast will cover between 4,633 and 5,708 miles,
about the size of the state of Connecticut, according to a Tuesday forecast
announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/low_oxygen_dead_zone_the_size.html#incart_river
Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' expected to be average size this summer
Baton Rouge Advocate
The annual low-oxygen "dead zone" that forms every summer off the coast of
Louisiana will be about average size this year, according to forecast
modeling done through support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
http://theadvocate.com/home/9548602-125/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone
National
Committee targets EPA's 'secret science'
The HIll
By Timothy Cama
The House Science, Space and Technology Committee voted Tuesday to advance
a bill that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to
disclose the data it uses to write regulations.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210379-committee-passes-bill-to-fight-epas-secret-science
Lawmakers Urge Court to Block Chesapeake Cleanup
By HOPE YEN Associated Press
A group of 39 lawmakers is urging a federal court to block the Obama
administration's plan to clean up the Chesapeake Bay watershed, describing
it as an unjustified power grab.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/lawmakers-urge-court-block-chesapeake-cleanup-24282882
Railroads give up attempts to keep crude oil shipment data secret
BY CURTIS TATE
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The nation's largest haulers of crude oil by rail on Tuesday
appeared to abandon their insistence that information about such shipments
could not be shared publicly for security reasons.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/24/5667342/crude-oil-rail-shipment-data-begins.html?sp=/99/102/
Oil Spill
BCAR members get update on oil spill compensation
Gulf Coast News Today
By John Underwood
ROBERTSDALE, Ala. -- It's been more than four years since the Deepwater
Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 people and
sending millions of gallons of crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/the_baldwin_times/community/article_4962fd06-fb1a-11e3-8365-001a4bcf887a.html
State
MS Phosphates Addresses Residents' Concern About Air Quality
WXXV
Monday night in Pascagoula, Mississippi Phosphates met with the Cherokee
Concerned Citizens Group to discuss air quality. David Kilbern and his
family live near the Mississippi Phosphates plant in Jackson County. He's
glad the chemical company plans to install air quality monitors in his
Bayou Casotte neighborhood.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/MS-Phosphates-Addresses-Residents-Concern-About/Iq0YIMCqmUuuzh0JOzP4ng.cspx
Regional
'Dead zone' the size of Connecticut expected along Louisiana coast,
scientists say
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 24, 2014 at 6:12 PM
The size of the annual summer "dead zone" of low-oxygen water in the Gulf
of Mexico along Louisiana's coast will cover between 4,633 and 5,708 miles,
about the size of the state of Connecticut, according to a Tuesday forecast
announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/low_oxygen_dead_zone_the_size.html#incart_river
Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' expected to be average size this summer
Baton Rouge Advocate
The annual low-oxygen "dead zone" that forms every summer off the coast of
Louisiana will be about average size this year, according to forecast
modeling done through support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
http://theadvocate.com/home/9548602-125/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone
National
Committee targets EPA's 'secret science'
The HIll
By Timothy Cama
The House Science, Space and Technology Committee voted Tuesday to advance
a bill that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to
disclose the data it uses to write regulations.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210379-committee-passes-bill-to-fight-epas-secret-science
Lawmakers Urge Court to Block Chesapeake Cleanup
By HOPE YEN Associated Press
A group of 39 lawmakers is urging a federal court to block the Obama
administration's plan to clean up the Chesapeake Bay watershed, describing
it as an unjustified power grab.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/lawmakers-urge-court-block-chesapeake-cleanup-24282882
Railroads give up attempts to keep crude oil shipment data secret
BY CURTIS TATE
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The nation's largest haulers of crude oil by rail on Tuesday
appeared to abandon their insistence that information about such shipments
could not be shared publicly for security reasons.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/24/5667342/crude-oil-rail-shipment-data-begins.html?sp=/99/102/
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
News Clippings 6.24.14
6.24.14
Oil Spill
1,250 pounds of BP oil removed from Fort Pickens
Pensacola News Journal
A tar mat discovered on a beach in the National Seashore's Fort
Pickens area Friday is larger than first thought.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/23/pounds-bp-oil-removed-seashore/11291577/
Storm water funds to flow soon
Pensacola News Journal
Pensacola area government leaders who are looking for new funding
sources to pay for storm water infrastructure improvements will get
a boost from Tallahassee this week, according to Florida Senate
President Don Gaetz.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/24/storm-water-funds-flow-soon/11303277/
BP shuts down internal oil spill claims program
WWL
HARVEY, La. -- In a shocking move, BP has decided to shut down its internal
oil spill claims program, taking away an avenue for more than 10,000
claimants who have opted out of the oil giant's controversial settlement
agreement or others who are not covered by it.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/BP-shuts-down-internal-oil-spill-claims-program-264317381.html
State
Grant to help districts purchase new school bus
WTVA
(Jackson, Miss.) -- Five north Mississippi school districts are getting
help to replace older buses.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has issued grants of
$15,000 each to seven school districts across the state.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Grant-to-help-districts-purchase-new-school-bus/w-8Qr1NX_U-027QaJf1XHw.cspx
Mississippi Phosphates reps address Cherokee residents' emissions
questions, concerns
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
June 23, 2014 at 9:38 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Mississippi Phosphates Corp. representatives
told Cherokee residents tonight that they will install $17,000 worth of
sulfuric acid monitors in their neighborhood, but they don't think their
company is responsible for the unpleasant emissions the residents complain
about most.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/mississippi_phosphates_reps_ad.html#incart_river
Mississippi Phosphates to place air monitors in Pascagoula neighborhood
Official says they'll shut down plant if sulfur dioxide levels read high
BY CHRISTINA STEUBE AND KAREN NELSON
SUN HERALD
June 23, 2014
PASCAGOULA -- Mississippi Phosphates will shut down its plant if sulfur
dioxide levels read dangerously high, an official told east Pascagoula
residents Monday night.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5665976/mississippi-phosphates-to-place.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Could DMR opinion limit legal casino sites? Appraiser says some property
values would dive
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
An opinion from the DMR on what constitutes open water could curtail the
number of legal casino sites on the Coast and drastically reduce values for
some properties, say an attorney and appraiser who represent casino
developers.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5666196/could-dmr-opinion-limit-legal.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Construction to start soon on Audubon Center
Sun Herald
A celebration will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday to kick off construction of
the $1.6 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center on a 10-acre site along
Rhodes Bayou in Moss Point.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5665393/construction-set-to-start-soon.html?sp=/99/184/
National
Supreme Court justices rebuke EPA, but uphold global warming rules
The Associated Press
June 23, 2014 at 1:06 PM
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court largely left intact Monday the Obama
administration's only existing program to limit power plant and factory
emissions of the gases blamed for global warming. But a divided court also
rebuked environmental regulators for taking too much authority into their
own hands without congressional approval.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/justices_rebuke_epa_but_uphold.html#incart_river
Supreme Court Ruling Backs Most EPA Emission Controls
Justices Say EPA Can Require Pollution Controls but Limit Permitting
Process
Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency can require greenhouse-gas
controls on power plants and other large stationary sources of pollution,
the Supreme Court ruled Monday, but it said the agency went too far in
claiming power to regulate smaller emitters.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-reins-in-some-of-epas-greenhouse-gas-efforts-1403534416
Money men tally cost of climate change
BY JONATHAN FAHEY
AP Energy WriterJune 23, 2014
NEW YORK — Climate change is likely to exact enormous costs on U.S.
regional economies in the form of lost property, reduced industrial output
and more deaths, according to a report backed by a trio of men with vast
business experience.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5666230/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
US mayors pass climate change resolution
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
A bipartisan group of mayors from across the U.S. passed a resolution
Monday that green lights projects to tackle climate change.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210273-us-mayors-pass-climate-change-resolution
House schedules hearing on EPA management
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) head and two senators will
speak Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the agency's
"management failures."
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210254-house-schedules-hearing-on-epa-management
House passes energy efficiency bills
The Hill
By Cristina Marcos
The House on Monday gave voice vote approval to legislation that would
boost energy efficiency in schools and federal buildings.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/210285-house-passes-energy-efficiency-bills
Opinion
What Is the EPA Hiding From the Public?
The agency shouldn't get to decide who sees the science behind its rules.
Open the research to outside analysis.
Wall Street Journal
By LAMAR SMITH
June 23, 2014 6:45 p.m. ET
The climate is changing and, yes, humans play a role. But that does not
mean, as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy would
have us believe, that the debate—over how much the climate is changing, how
big a role humans play, and what can reasonably done about it—is over.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/lamar-smith-what-is-the-epa-hiding-from-the-public-1403563536
Oil Spill
1,250 pounds of BP oil removed from Fort Pickens
Pensacola News Journal
A tar mat discovered on a beach in the National Seashore's Fort
Pickens area Friday is larger than first thought.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/23/pounds-bp-oil-removed-seashore/11291577/
Storm water funds to flow soon
Pensacola News Journal
Pensacola area government leaders who are looking for new funding
sources to pay for storm water infrastructure improvements will get
a boost from Tallahassee this week, according to Florida Senate
President Don Gaetz.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/24/storm-water-funds-flow-soon/11303277/
BP shuts down internal oil spill claims program
WWL
HARVEY, La. -- In a shocking move, BP has decided to shut down its internal
oil spill claims program, taking away an avenue for more than 10,000
claimants who have opted out of the oil giant's controversial settlement
agreement or others who are not covered by it.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/BP-shuts-down-internal-oil-spill-claims-program-264317381.html
State
Grant to help districts purchase new school bus
WTVA
(Jackson, Miss.) -- Five north Mississippi school districts are getting
help to replace older buses.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has issued grants of
$15,000 each to seven school districts across the state.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Grant-to-help-districts-purchase-new-school-bus/w-8Qr1NX_U-027QaJf1XHw.cspx
Mississippi Phosphates reps address Cherokee residents' emissions
questions, concerns
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
June 23, 2014 at 9:38 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Mississippi Phosphates Corp. representatives
told Cherokee residents tonight that they will install $17,000 worth of
sulfuric acid monitors in their neighborhood, but they don't think their
company is responsible for the unpleasant emissions the residents complain
about most.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/mississippi_phosphates_reps_ad.html#incart_river
Mississippi Phosphates to place air monitors in Pascagoula neighborhood
Official says they'll shut down plant if sulfur dioxide levels read high
BY CHRISTINA STEUBE AND KAREN NELSON
SUN HERALD
June 23, 2014
PASCAGOULA -- Mississippi Phosphates will shut down its plant if sulfur
dioxide levels read dangerously high, an official told east Pascagoula
residents Monday night.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5665976/mississippi-phosphates-to-place.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Could DMR opinion limit legal casino sites? Appraiser says some property
values would dive
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
An opinion from the DMR on what constitutes open water could curtail the
number of legal casino sites on the Coast and drastically reduce values for
some properties, say an attorney and appraiser who represent casino
developers.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5666196/could-dmr-opinion-limit-legal.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Construction to start soon on Audubon Center
Sun Herald
A celebration will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday to kick off construction of
the $1.6 million Pascagoula River Audubon Center on a 10-acre site along
Rhodes Bayou in Moss Point.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5665393/construction-set-to-start-soon.html?sp=/99/184/
National
Supreme Court justices rebuke EPA, but uphold global warming rules
The Associated Press
June 23, 2014 at 1:06 PM
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court largely left intact Monday the Obama
administration's only existing program to limit power plant and factory
emissions of the gases blamed for global warming. But a divided court also
rebuked environmental regulators for taking too much authority into their
own hands without congressional approval.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/justices_rebuke_epa_but_uphold.html#incart_river
Supreme Court Ruling Backs Most EPA Emission Controls
Justices Say EPA Can Require Pollution Controls but Limit Permitting
Process
Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency can require greenhouse-gas
controls on power plants and other large stationary sources of pollution,
the Supreme Court ruled Monday, but it said the agency went too far in
claiming power to regulate smaller emitters.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-reins-in-some-of-epas-greenhouse-gas-efforts-1403534416
Money men tally cost of climate change
BY JONATHAN FAHEY
AP Energy WriterJune 23, 2014
NEW YORK — Climate change is likely to exact enormous costs on U.S.
regional economies in the form of lost property, reduced industrial output
and more deaths, according to a report backed by a trio of men with vast
business experience.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/23/5666230/money-men-tally-cost-of-climate.html?sp=/99/184/767/312/
US mayors pass climate change resolution
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
A bipartisan group of mayors from across the U.S. passed a resolution
Monday that green lights projects to tackle climate change.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210273-us-mayors-pass-climate-change-resolution
House schedules hearing on EPA management
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) head and two senators will
speak Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the agency's
"management failures."
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210254-house-schedules-hearing-on-epa-management
House passes energy efficiency bills
The Hill
By Cristina Marcos
The House on Monday gave voice vote approval to legislation that would
boost energy efficiency in schools and federal buildings.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/210285-house-passes-energy-efficiency-bills
Opinion
What Is the EPA Hiding From the Public?
The agency shouldn't get to decide who sees the science behind its rules.
Open the research to outside analysis.
Wall Street Journal
By LAMAR SMITH
June 23, 2014 6:45 p.m. ET
The climate is changing and, yes, humans play a role. But that does not
mean, as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy would
have us believe, that the debate—over how much the climate is changing, how
big a role humans play, and what can reasonably done about it—is over.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/lamar-smith-what-is-the-epa-hiding-from-the-public-1403563536
Monday, June 23, 2014
News Clippings 6.23.14
6.23.14
Oil Spill
Oil spill research vessel invites young guests on board
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -An exploration vessel will set sail Sunday morning to
continue its study of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill's impact on corals in
the Gulf of Mexico. On Friday, hundreds of people were invited to the Port
of Gulfport to meet the research team and see the technology.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25833229/oil-spill-research-vessel-invites-young-guests-on-board
A 1,000-pound BP tar mat found on Fort Pickens beach
Pensacola News Journal
A U.S. Coast Guard pollution investigation team is leading another
day of cleanup of a tar mat discovered Friday on the beach at Fort
Pickens.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/22/tar-mat-found/11237777/
National Park team diving for BP oil
Pensacola News Journal
Four years after currents carried waves of black, sticky crude from
the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon oil spill to our shoreline,
the National Park Service is still trying to calculate damage to its
Gulf Islands National Seashore.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2014/06/20/national-park-team-diving-bp-oil/11134001/
State
Beach crews battle dead fish, grass along the shore
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Harrison County Sand Beach crews are busy
cleaning up a mess created by a combination of shrimpers and Mother Nature.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25829446/beach-crews-battle-dead-fish-grass-along-the-shore
Beach reopens after sewage spill
Sun Herald
GULFPORT -- The state Department of Environmental Quality has lifted the
beach closure between Arkansas Drive and Alfonso Drive.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/20/5661675/around-south-mississippi.html
Michael Janus talks sentencing and his future
WLOX
D'IBERVILLE, MS (WLOX) -Former D'Iberville City Manager Michael Janus has
been all over the news lately after pleading guilty to defrauding the City
of D'Iberville out of thousands. This week, he was sentenced to 21 months
behind bars.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25834549/michael-janus-talks-sentencing-and-his-future
Ocean Expo looks unlikely for D'Iberville
Sun Herald
BY MARY PEREZ
D'IBERVILLE -- It's been 2½ years since ground was broken for Ocean Expo
along Interstate 10 in D'Iberville but the aquarium is no closer to being
built there.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/21/5663245/ocean-expo-looks-unlikely-for.html
National
Fears of EPA 'land grab' create groundswell against water rule
The Hill
Lawmakers are up in arms over an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
proposal that they fear could give federal officials expansive new powers
over private property and farmland.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210130-fears-of-epa-land-grab-create-groundswell-against-water-rule
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: Like many of us, judge finds that the MDA is
'arbitrary and capricious' about drilling
June 21, 2014
AHinds County chancery judge has ruled officials with the Mississippi
Development Authority were less than candid with Coast residents and
businesses about the effects of offshore drilling.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/21/5661072/sun-herald-editorial-like-many.html?sp=/99/728/
Oil Spill
Oil spill research vessel invites young guests on board
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -An exploration vessel will set sail Sunday morning to
continue its study of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill's impact on corals in
the Gulf of Mexico. On Friday, hundreds of people were invited to the Port
of Gulfport to meet the research team and see the technology.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25833229/oil-spill-research-vessel-invites-young-guests-on-board
A 1,000-pound BP tar mat found on Fort Pickens beach
Pensacola News Journal
A U.S. Coast Guard pollution investigation team is leading another
day of cleanup of a tar mat discovered Friday on the beach at Fort
Pickens.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2014/06/22/tar-mat-found/11237777/
National Park team diving for BP oil
Pensacola News Journal
Four years after currents carried waves of black, sticky crude from
the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon oil spill to our shoreline,
the National Park Service is still trying to calculate damage to its
Gulf Islands National Seashore.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2014/06/20/national-park-team-diving-bp-oil/11134001/
State
Beach crews battle dead fish, grass along the shore
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Harrison County Sand Beach crews are busy
cleaning up a mess created by a combination of shrimpers and Mother Nature.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25829446/beach-crews-battle-dead-fish-grass-along-the-shore
Beach reopens after sewage spill
Sun Herald
GULFPORT -- The state Department of Environmental Quality has lifted the
beach closure between Arkansas Drive and Alfonso Drive.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/20/5661675/around-south-mississippi.html
Michael Janus talks sentencing and his future
WLOX
D'IBERVILLE, MS (WLOX) -Former D'Iberville City Manager Michael Janus has
been all over the news lately after pleading guilty to defrauding the City
of D'Iberville out of thousands. This week, he was sentenced to 21 months
behind bars.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25834549/michael-janus-talks-sentencing-and-his-future
Ocean Expo looks unlikely for D'Iberville
Sun Herald
BY MARY PEREZ
D'IBERVILLE -- It's been 2½ years since ground was broken for Ocean Expo
along Interstate 10 in D'Iberville but the aquarium is no closer to being
built there.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/21/5663245/ocean-expo-looks-unlikely-for.html
National
Fears of EPA 'land grab' create groundswell against water rule
The Hill
Lawmakers are up in arms over an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
proposal that they fear could give federal officials expansive new powers
over private property and farmland.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/210130-fears-of-epa-land-grab-create-groundswell-against-water-rule
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: Like many of us, judge finds that the MDA is
'arbitrary and capricious' about drilling
June 21, 2014
AHinds County chancery judge has ruled officials with the Mississippi
Development Authority were less than candid with Coast residents and
businesses about the effects of offshore drilling.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/21/5661072/sun-herald-editorial-like-many.html?sp=/99/728/
Friday, June 20, 2014
News Clippings 6.20.14
6.20.14
Oil Spill
Park Service dive team scans Gulf for lingering BP oil
Pensacola News Journal
A specialized National Park Service dive team was in the Gulf on
Thursday morning searching for lingering BP oil.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2014/06/19/dive-team-search-bp-oil/11005075/
UM study finds oil from BP spill impedes fish's swimming
Miami Herald
By Jenny Staletovich
In a lab on Virginia Key, a group of baby fish are being put through their
paces on a tiny fish treadmill.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/06/19/4189064/um-study-finds-oil-from-bp-spill.html
State
Michael Janus Speaks Out About the Truth of the Case
WXXV
Former State Senator and D'Iberville City Manager, Michael Janus, will soon
be heading to prison to serve a 21 month sentence after pleading guilty to
charges of defrauding the government. Janus has been making headlines for
the last 16 months with his involvement in a federal case against him and
the former executives of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Michael-Janus-Speaks-Out-About-the-Truth-of-the/5s_fe0-ANEWPFMHi6kmk7A.cspx
Groundworx sues Hattiesburg
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -After months of controversy among the Hattiesburg
City Council regarding the wastewater facility, Groundworx filed suit in
chancery court Thursday for a breach of contract.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25821287/groundworx-sues-hattiesburg
Groundworx files civil suit against Hub City
Hattiesburg American
In January, the City of Hattiesburg seemed to be moving forward on
cleaning up its problematic wastewater system.
Thursday afternoon, however, that situation turned even murkier.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2014/06/19/groundworx-files-suit-hattiesburg/11030971/
Judge: Mississippi Development Authority study on offshore drilling
`severely lacking'
The Associated Press
June 19, 2014 at 7:25 PM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- A Hinds County judge says the state must write a
better economic impact statement on proposed offshore natural gas and oil
exploration in parts of the Mississippi Sound before it can enact rules to
lease areas that could be drilled.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/judge_miss_development_authori.html#incart_river
Judge tosses MDA's offshore drilling plans for South Mississippi
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
A chancery judge jettisoned regulations for offshore drilling in state
waters, finding the Mississippi Development Authority failed to complete
any meaningful study of the economic impact.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/19/5658910/offshore-drilling-in-state-waters.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Where Debris Goes After Clean Up
WCBI
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Nearly two months after Lowndes County's 5
tornadoes touched down, debris clean up continues at Columbus's landfill.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-where-debris-goes-after-clean-up
Study ranks Mississippi last in building 'new economy'
Clarion Ledger
A nonpartisan think tank has again ranked Mississippi last among all
U.S. states in achieving the organization's concept of a "new
economy" built around innovation, globalization and technology.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/money/business/2014/06/19/study-ranks-mississippi-last-building-new-economy/11032065/
Regional
Louisiana waterways among most polluted in nation, report says
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
June 19, 2014 at 5:44 PM
Louisiana's waterways are among the most polluted in the nation, with
industrial facilities releasing more than 12.6 million pounds of toxic
chemicals into rivers, bayous and other waters in 2012, according to a
report released Thursday (June 19) by the Environment America Research and
Policy Center.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/06/louisiana_waterways_among_most.html#incart_river
National
Coal state lawmakers concerned about new carbon rules
BY JOHN MORITZ
McClatchy Washington BureauJune 19, 2014
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers from states reliant on coal production
and coal-powered energy challenged a top administration official Thursday,
questioning the legality and effects of new standards to reduce carbon
pollution through the nation's power plants.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/19/5659288/coal-state-lawmakers-concerned.html?sp=/99/102/
House GOP grills EPA official in first hearing on new carbon rule
The Hill
House Republicans on Thursday grilled a top Environmental Protection Agency
official in the first hearing on the administration's new standards for
reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209952-gop-starts-climate-war-in-first-hearing-on-carbon-rules
30 GOP senators sponsor bill to stop EPA's water rule
The Hill
Thirty Republican senators signed onto legislation Thursday to stop the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) attempt to redefine its
jurisdiction over land and water under the Clean Water Act.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209997-30-gop-senators-sponsor-bill-to-stop-epas-water-rule
Texas Tries Last-Ditch Attack on Super Weed
State Seeks EPA Permission to Use Controversial Herbicide to Battle Pigweed
Wall Street Journal
The Environmental Protection Agency is weighing an emergency request by
Texas regulators to allow cotton farmers to deploy a controversial
herbicide, marking a new front in the war on "super weeds" that has divided
agricultural groups and environmentalists.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/texas-tries-last-ditch-attack-on-super-weed-1403221544
Press Releases
COCHRAN, WICKER BACK BILL TO STOP EPA "WATERS OF THE U.S." REGS
Miss. Senators Cosponsor Bill to Stop EPA-Army Corps Regulatory Scheme
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
today cosponsored legislation to stop a far-reaching regulatory scheme that
would expand the federal government's regulation of water sources.
Cochran and Wicker are supporting legislation to prohibit the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing its
"Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) regulatory proposal. The rule,
unveiled in February, is intended to clarify the definition of waters
subject to government oversight under the Clean Water Act.
"The Waters of the United States rule fits the model set by federal
agencies during the Obama administration. In this case, it amounts to a
brazen attempt by the federal government to extend its power over virtually
all water sources. The public, the agriculture sector, homebuilders and
other industries are right to be alarmed by this proposal. This rule needs
to be stopped," Cochran said.
"A Washington takeover of our state's streams, ditches, ponds, and wetlands
could have harmful consequences for our economy and pose major challenges
for Mississippians," Wicker said. "This federal intrusion could even force
the more than 15,000 beef producers in Mississippi to seek federal
permission to graze their cattle near a mud hole or pond. Like many of our
state's landowners, small businesses, and municipalities, I am opposed to
this extreme example of the Obama Administration's regulatory overreach."
The legislation cosponsored by the Mississippi Senators would stop a joint
EPA-Army Corps regulatory proposal, which was intended to clarify a
so-called guidance document issued by the two agencies to expand the scope
of the Clean Water Act. Since its rollout, however, it is clear that the
WOTUS plan would effectively eliminate the "navigable waters" provisions of
the Clean Water Act that limits federal authority. Instead, the new
proposal would greatly expand government regulatory and permitting control
to streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches.
In addition to stopping the EPA and Army Corps from finalizing the WOTUS
rule, the legislation would also prevent the agencies from using the
proposed rule or any substantially similar rule or guidance document in any
other rulemaking or regulatory decision.
The bill was authored by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). In addition to
Cochran and Wicker, it is cosponsored by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.),
David Vitter (R-La.) John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Risch
(R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Inhofe
(R-Okla.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Pat Toomey
(R-Pa.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Deb Fischer
(R-Neb.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.),
Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike
Lee (R-Utah), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Roy Blunt
(R-Mo), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
For years, Wicker and Cochran have been critical of the EPA's initial
guidance document as an attempt to get around the more rigorous rule making
process that requires public input and stricter scrutiny. The Mississippi
Senators cosponsored the Preserve the Waters of the U.S. Act (S.1006) to
prevent the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers from using the guidance
document, finalized in February 2012, to change legal responsibilities
under the Clean Water Act.
###
Oil Spill
Park Service dive team scans Gulf for lingering BP oil
Pensacola News Journal
A specialized National Park Service dive team was in the Gulf on
Thursday morning searching for lingering BP oil.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2014/06/19/dive-team-search-bp-oil/11005075/
UM study finds oil from BP spill impedes fish's swimming
Miami Herald
By Jenny Staletovich
In a lab on Virginia Key, a group of baby fish are being put through their
paces on a tiny fish treadmill.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/06/19/4189064/um-study-finds-oil-from-bp-spill.html
State
Michael Janus Speaks Out About the Truth of the Case
WXXV
Former State Senator and D'Iberville City Manager, Michael Janus, will soon
be heading to prison to serve a 21 month sentence after pleading guilty to
charges of defrauding the government. Janus has been making headlines for
the last 16 months with his involvement in a federal case against him and
the former executives of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Michael-Janus-Speaks-Out-About-the-Truth-of-the/5s_fe0-ANEWPFMHi6kmk7A.cspx
Groundworx sues Hattiesburg
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -After months of controversy among the Hattiesburg
City Council regarding the wastewater facility, Groundworx filed suit in
chancery court Thursday for a breach of contract.
http://www.wdam.com/story/25821287/groundworx-sues-hattiesburg
Groundworx files civil suit against Hub City
Hattiesburg American
In January, the City of Hattiesburg seemed to be moving forward on
cleaning up its problematic wastewater system.
Thursday afternoon, however, that situation turned even murkier.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2014/06/19/groundworx-files-suit-hattiesburg/11030971/
Judge: Mississippi Development Authority study on offshore drilling
`severely lacking'
The Associated Press
June 19, 2014 at 7:25 PM
JACKSON, Mississippi -- A Hinds County judge says the state must write a
better economic impact statement on proposed offshore natural gas and oil
exploration in parts of the Mississippi Sound before it can enact rules to
lease areas that could be drilled.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/judge_miss_development_authori.html#incart_river
Judge tosses MDA's offshore drilling plans for South Mississippi
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
A chancery judge jettisoned regulations for offshore drilling in state
waters, finding the Mississippi Development Authority failed to complete
any meaningful study of the economic impact.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/19/5658910/offshore-drilling-in-state-waters.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Where Debris Goes After Clean Up
WCBI
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Nearly two months after Lowndes County's 5
tornadoes touched down, debris clean up continues at Columbus's landfill.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-where-debris-goes-after-clean-up
Study ranks Mississippi last in building 'new economy'
Clarion Ledger
A nonpartisan think tank has again ranked Mississippi last among all
U.S. states in achieving the organization's concept of a "new
economy" built around innovation, globalization and technology.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/money/business/2014/06/19/study-ranks-mississippi-last-building-new-economy/11032065/
Regional
Louisiana waterways among most polluted in nation, report says
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
June 19, 2014 at 5:44 PM
Louisiana's waterways are among the most polluted in the nation, with
industrial facilities releasing more than 12.6 million pounds of toxic
chemicals into rivers, bayous and other waters in 2012, according to a
report released Thursday (June 19) by the Environment America Research and
Policy Center.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/06/louisiana_waterways_among_most.html#incart_river
National
Coal state lawmakers concerned about new carbon rules
BY JOHN MORITZ
McClatchy Washington BureauJune 19, 2014
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers from states reliant on coal production
and coal-powered energy challenged a top administration official Thursday,
questioning the legality and effects of new standards to reduce carbon
pollution through the nation's power plants.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/06/19/5659288/coal-state-lawmakers-concerned.html?sp=/99/102/
House GOP grills EPA official in first hearing on new carbon rule
The Hill
House Republicans on Thursday grilled a top Environmental Protection Agency
official in the first hearing on the administration's new standards for
reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209952-gop-starts-climate-war-in-first-hearing-on-carbon-rules
30 GOP senators sponsor bill to stop EPA's water rule
The Hill
Thirty Republican senators signed onto legislation Thursday to stop the
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) attempt to redefine its
jurisdiction over land and water under the Clean Water Act.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/209997-30-gop-senators-sponsor-bill-to-stop-epas-water-rule
Texas Tries Last-Ditch Attack on Super Weed
State Seeks EPA Permission to Use Controversial Herbicide to Battle Pigweed
Wall Street Journal
The Environmental Protection Agency is weighing an emergency request by
Texas regulators to allow cotton farmers to deploy a controversial
herbicide, marking a new front in the war on "super weeds" that has divided
agricultural groups and environmentalists.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/texas-tries-last-ditch-attack-on-super-weed-1403221544
Press Releases
COCHRAN, WICKER BACK BILL TO STOP EPA "WATERS OF THE U.S." REGS
Miss. Senators Cosponsor Bill to Stop EPA-Army Corps Regulatory Scheme
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
today cosponsored legislation to stop a far-reaching regulatory scheme that
would expand the federal government's regulation of water sources.
Cochran and Wicker are supporting legislation to prohibit the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing its
"Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) regulatory proposal. The rule,
unveiled in February, is intended to clarify the definition of waters
subject to government oversight under the Clean Water Act.
"The Waters of the United States rule fits the model set by federal
agencies during the Obama administration. In this case, it amounts to a
brazen attempt by the federal government to extend its power over virtually
all water sources. The public, the agriculture sector, homebuilders and
other industries are right to be alarmed by this proposal. This rule needs
to be stopped," Cochran said.
"A Washington takeover of our state's streams, ditches, ponds, and wetlands
could have harmful consequences for our economy and pose major challenges
for Mississippians," Wicker said. "This federal intrusion could even force
the more than 15,000 beef producers in Mississippi to seek federal
permission to graze their cattle near a mud hole or pond. Like many of our
state's landowners, small businesses, and municipalities, I am opposed to
this extreme example of the Obama Administration's regulatory overreach."
The legislation cosponsored by the Mississippi Senators would stop a joint
EPA-Army Corps regulatory proposal, which was intended to clarify a
so-called guidance document issued by the two agencies to expand the scope
of the Clean Water Act. Since its rollout, however, it is clear that the
WOTUS plan would effectively eliminate the "navigable waters" provisions of
the Clean Water Act that limits federal authority. Instead, the new
proposal would greatly expand government regulatory and permitting control
to streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches.
In addition to stopping the EPA and Army Corps from finalizing the WOTUS
rule, the legislation would also prevent the agencies from using the
proposed rule or any substantially similar rule or guidance document in any
other rulemaking or regulatory decision.
The bill was authored by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). In addition to
Cochran and Wicker, it is cosponsored by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.),
David Vitter (R-La.) John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Risch
(R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Inhofe
(R-Okla.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Pat Toomey
(R-Pa.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Deb Fischer
(R-Neb.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.),
Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike
Lee (R-Utah), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Roy Blunt
(R-Mo), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
For years, Wicker and Cochran have been critical of the EPA's initial
guidance document as an attempt to get around the more rigorous rule making
process that requires public input and stricter scrutiny. The Mississippi
Senators cosponsored the Preserve the Waters of the U.S. Act (S.1006) to
prevent the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers from using the guidance
document, finalized in February 2012, to change legal responsibilities
under the Clean Water Act.
###
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