State
Alcorn Central wants to get rid of septic tanks
The Associated Press
CORINTH, MISS. — Alcorn Central school officials are pursuing efforts to
rid themselves of an aging septic system and tie into the wastewater plant
operated by the nearby town of Farmington.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/01/16/6020956/alcorn-central-wants-to-get-rid.html?sp=/99/184/218/
Oktibbeha County Sewage Problem
WCBI
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)–A family living at a trailer park in rural
Oktibbeha County say conditions are making them sick. But it sounds like
the landlord is sick of them.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-oktibbeha-county-sewage-problem
Head Start Closes Due to Sewage Backup
Picayune Item
http://www.picayuneitem.com/2015/01/head-start-closes-due-to-sewage-backup/
City's Recycling Efforts Continue
Daily Leader
http://www.dailyleader.com/2015/01/15/citys-recycling-efforts-continue/
Duck season takes flight
Clarion Ledger
The release of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks early January aerial duck survey wasn't exactly encouraging.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/outdoors/outdoorsreport/2015/01/14/duck-season-takes-flight/21789939/
State's economy growing, but not as fast as other states
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi's economy is growing, just not as fast as neighboring
states and the country as a whole, state Economist Darrin Webb said
today in his annual legislative briefing.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/politicalledger/2015/01/15/mississippi-economy-jobs-darrin-webb/21807597/
Oil Spill
Judge rules BP spilled 3.19 million barrels of oil: less than government
estimate, more than company's
The Associated Press
January 15, 2015 at 5:33 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge determined Thursday that more oil than BP
estimated spilled into the Gulf of Mexico following a rig explosion in
2010, a decision that could potentially cost the London-based oil giant
more than $13 billion.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/01/judge_rules_bp_spilled_31_mill.html#incart_river
BP faces up to $13.7 billion in fines for 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil disaster
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
January 16, 2015 at 1:09 AM
A federal judge in New Orleans ruled Thursday that 3.19 million barrels of
oil were spilled during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. The ruling
means BP now faces up to $13.7 billion in pollution fines for the spill,
well below the amount federal prosecutors want the company to pay.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/federal_judge_rules_319_millio.html
Judge's Ruling on Gulf Oil Spill Lowers Ceiling on the Fine BP Is Facing
NY Times
A federal judge will hold BP responsible for spilling 3.19
million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in the 2010
Deepwater Horizon disaster — a finding that could lead to
a penalty of nearly $14 billion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/business/energy-environment/judge-sets-top-penalty-for-bp-in-deepwater-horizon-spill-at-nearly-14-billion.html?ref=earth&_r=0
BP Faces Up to $13.7 Billion in Fines in Deepwater Gulf Spill Case
Judge Rules Oil Company Liable on 3.19 Million Barrels of Crude That Gushed
Into Waters
Wall Street Journal
A federal judge ruled Thursday that BP PLC is liable for spilling just over
3 million barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico in the 2010 Deepwater
Horizon disaster, 24% less than federal prosecutors had claimed.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/bp-faces-up-to-13-7-billion-in-fines-in-deepwater-gulf-spill-case-1421361155?KEYWORDS=BP
BP faces largest oil pollution penalty in U.S. history as final phase of
trial begins
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
January 15, 2015 at 5:56 PM
Dozens of lawyers will return to a New Orleans federal courtroom Tuesday
(Jan. 20) to begin the final leg of arguments over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico
spill -- its cause, its impact, and, ultimately, its price tag in pollution
fines.
The third, three-week phase of the civil trial will determine how much BP,
the owner of the failed Macondo oil well, owes in penalties under the
federal Clean Water Act.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/historic_bp_oil_spill_trial_wi.html#incart_m-rpt-2
National
Pope Francis on climate change: Man has 'slapped nature in the face'
The Associated Press
January 15, 2015 at 1:01 PM
Pope Francis said Thursday he is convinced that global warming is "mostly"
man-made and that he hopes his upcoming encyclical on the environment will
encourage negotiators at a climate change meeting in Paris to make
"courageous" decisions to protect God's creation.
http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2015/01/pope_francis_climate_change.html#incart_river
Press Releases
EPA's Actions to Restrict PFOA and Similar Chemicals Yield Significant
Human Health and Environmental Benefits
Due to the agency's efforts, the CDC finds a 41 percent reduction in human
blood-levels
WASHINGTON – To further agency and industry achievements, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed measures to ensure
that perfluorinated chemicals that have been phased out do not re-enter the
marketplace without review.
"Through our environmental stewardship program, eight companies have helped
us make real progress to reduce these chemicals as evidenced in the CDC
findings" said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "We will continue that progress
now that all importers and other domestic manufacturers will be required to
give EPA an opportunity to review and restrict uses of these perfluorinated
chemicals."
Today's action builds on several EPA has taken since 2006, when reaching an
agreement with companies to phase-out the chemicals by the end of 2015.
Participating companies are on track to phase-out the chemicals by the end
of 2015 and have successfully developed over 150 alternatives. EPA is also
releasing the 2013 and 2104 companies' progress in meeting the 2015
phase-out goal.
These chemicals are used in a wide range of industrial applications and
consumer goods, including cleaners, textiles, carpet, leather, paper and
paints, fire-fighting foams, and wire insulation. These chemicals are
toxic, persist in the environment worldwide, and can accumulate in people
and animals.
EPA is proposing this Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for Long-Chain
Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylate chemicals in part in anticipation of this 2015
phase-out deadline. In 2013, EPA issued a final Significant New Use Rule
for use of perfluorinated chemicals in carpets and carpet aftercare
products. EPA has also issued other Significant New Use Rules on
perfluorinated chemicals, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and
perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFAS) that were voluntarily phased-out of
production.
This proposal requires that anyone who intends to import these
perfluorinated chemicals, including in products, or domestically produce or
process these chemicals for any new use submit a notification to EPA at
least 90 days before beginning the activity. This notice will provide the
agency with an opportunity to evaluate the new use and, if necessary, take
action to prohibit or limit the activity.
Information on today's proposed rule and other actions EPA has taken on
long-chain perfluorinated chemicals can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/pfcs.html
Information on progress on the 2010-2015 PFOA Stewardship Program can be
found at:http://epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/stewardship/index.html
