State
Deadline approaching for reporting water use in voluntary metering program
Jan 20, 2015Forrest Laws | Delta Farm Press
Last spring, farmers in the Mississippi Delta responded to a call for a
voluntary monitoring program, installing flow meters on more than 5 percent
of the irrigation wells in each county. By doing so, they avoided what
could
http://deltafarmpress.com/government/deadline-approaching-reporting-water-use-voluntary-metering-program
Harrison County Utility Authority's deal stinks
BY PAUL HAMPTON
Sun Herald
GULFPORT -- A former official who admitted taking bribes from a Harrison
County Utility Authority contractor is among the witnesses expected today
in a trial over the price of land the authority took from a Woolmarket
family.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/01/20/6028735/harrison-county-utility-authoritys.html
Reservoir projects could negatively impact coast seafood industry
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -Supporters of two reservoir projects in Mississippi and
Louisiana see benefits like waterfront homes and increased boating and
recreation opportunities. But, there are also concerns about a significant
downside, downstream.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27897565/reservoir-projects-could-negatively-impact-coast-seafood-industry
Hub City treatment upgrades to carry hefty price tag
Hattiesburg American
A consultant engineering firm hired to help Hattiesburg find a
solution for its wastewater woes has narrowed down the treatment
process it intends to recommend.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2015/01/20/wastewater-treatment-cost/22080931/
Hattiesburg council prepares to vote on wastewater treatment facility
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -The Hattiesburg City Council was presented with
options for a mechanical treatment facility for its wastewater lagoons
Tuesday, but two council members openly expressed concerns with the
project's potential cost.
http://www.wdam.com/story/27898567/hattiesburg-council-prepares-to-vote-on-wastewater-treatment-facility
Hybrid Plastics pays hazardous waste fines
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
Hybrid Plastics makes molecularly enhanced plastics and is paying a $15,000
civil fine over hazardous waste violations.
http://www.wdam.com/story/27894228/hybrid-plastics-pays-hazardous-waste-violations
CMR considers changes to oyster dredges
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -
The Commission on Marine Resources is considering changes in the type and
weight of dredges used by oyster fishermen.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27894459/cmr-considers-changes-to-oyster-dredges
Oil Spill
BP OIL SPILL TRIAL WILL HAVE IMPACT IN MISSISSIPPI
MPB
Mississippi stands to receive millions more in oil spill restoration
funding based on the results of a trial that starts today in New Orleans.
MPB's Evelina Burnett reports, it's the third phase of the BP oil spill
civil trial.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2015/01/20/bp-oil-spill-trial-will-have-impact-in-mississippi/
BP, feds start fight in New Orleans courtroom over 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil
spill fines
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
January 20, 2015 at 5:31 PM
The U.S. Justice Department urged a federal judge on Tuesday to impose the
maximum $13.7 billion fine on BP for its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico
oil spill. But attorneys for the oil giant said such a penalty would cause
undue harm to the company.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/bp_fighting_penalty_2010_gulf.html
BP penalty trial dredges up gloomy images of 2010 Gulf spill
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Images of oil-coated birds and testimony about
"widespread sociocultural harm" opened the third phase of a trial to
establish penalties BP must pay under the federal Clean Water Act for
spilling millions of barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27894387/bp-penalty-trial-dredges-up-gloomy-images-of-2010-gulf-spill
Judge May Allow BP to Pay Deepwater Gulf Spill Fines Over Time
Judge Carl Barbier Raises Prospect of Significant Penalty But Allowing It
to be Paid in Installments
Wall Street Journal
NEW ORLEANS—A federal judge signaled Tuesday that he may allow BP PLC to
pay pollution fines over time rather than in a lump sum, as the company and
government lawyers sparred over billions of dollars in possible penalties
for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-may-allow-bp-to-pay-deepwater-fines-over-time-1421789587
It's Looking More Like a BP Settlement Over Gulf Disaster
By Margaret Cronin Fisk and Laurel Brubaker Calkins
Bloomberg
Last week's ruling that BP Plc (BP/)'s Macondo well dumped less oil into
the Gulf of Mexico than the U.S. government claimed may trigger a
settlement before a decision on the amount it must pay after a trial set to
begin this week.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2015-01-20/bp-settlement-seen-as-probable-outcome-of-spill-penalty-trial#p1
UH to lead national offshore energy research center
Subsea Systems Institute will work to improve deep-sea drilling safety
Houston Chronicle
The devastation of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill - which dumped millions
of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and killed 11 people - served as
a wakeup call to the offshore drilling industry and the academic world just
setting their sights farther out to sea.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/UH-to-lead-national-offshore-energy-research-6028179.php
Regional
Motiva, other Shell entities, to pay $900,000 to settle EPA air pollution
charges
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
January 20, 2015 at 6:10 PM
Motiva Enterprises LLC, which has refinery operations in Norco and Convent,
and two other companies affiliated with Shell Oil Co. have agreed to pay
$900,000 to settle Clean Air Act violations alleged by the Environmental
Protection Agency, agency officials announced Tuesday.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/01/motiva_other_shell_entities_pa.html#incart_river
National
EPA chief to attend Winter X Games
The Hill
Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy will be attending the
Winter X Games this week to draw attention to the impact climate change has
on winter sports.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/230038-epa-chief-to-attend-winter-x-games
For States, $48 Million to Help Cut Emissions
NY Times
Two charitable groups will spend $48 million over the next
three years to help states figure out how to reduce
emissions from electricity production, an effort to seize
the possibilities that are opening up as the cost of clean
power falls.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/business/energy-environment/for-states-48-million-to-help-cut-emissions.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Biofuels industry in regulatory gridlock as it awaits EPA ruling
Dallas Morning News
By JAMES OSBORNE
FORT WORTH — Seven years ago President George W. Bush signed a law
requiring that refineries blend fuels derived from corn, animal fat and
plant waste into the nation's fuel supply. But the industry it spawned says
it's on the verge of plant closures and layoffs if the federal government
doesn't clear up uncertainty about future fuel standards.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20150120-biofuels-industry-in-regulatory-gridlock-as-it-awaits-epa-ruling.ece
New regs for Wednesday: Emissions, security, debt
The Hill
Wednesday's edition of the Federal Register contains new emissions
standards for garbage disposal plants and industrial boilers, security
protocols for cruise ships, and rules speeding up the process by which the
government can collect delinquent debts.
http://thehill.com/regulation/230025-new-regs-for-wednesday-emissions-security-debt
Builders' New Power Play: Net-Zero Homes
Industry Wants to Bring Electricity-Generating Housing to Mass Market, but
Potential Buyers Must Be Sold on Price
Wall Street Journal
LAS VEGAS—Net-zero homes are going mainstream, if the home-building
industry has anything to do with it.
The homes, which generate more electricity in a year than they use, have
long been viewed as a niche product for the affluent who can afford custom
homes.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/builders-new-power-play-net-zero-homes-1421794129?autologin=y
Press Releases
EPA, Southern Co. and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Recognize Five
Star and Urban Waters Projects in the Southeast
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, EPA, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Southern Company met with 2013 Five Star
and Urban Waters Program awardees to recognize and highlight their work to
restore streams and watersheds.
"Watershed and stream restoration projects play a significant role in
improving public health, providing additional recreational opportunities
and boosting local economies," said EPA Regional Administrator Heather
McTeer Toney. "Work by grant awardees is essential to protecting and
restoring these valuable resources and keeping our lakes, rivers and
streams clean."
"Southern Company's support of the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration
Program reflects our long-standing commitment to protecting and preserving
our natural resources," said Southern Company Chief Environmental Officer
Larry S. Monroe. "We are proud to partner in restoring these important
ecosystems for the benefit of local wildlife and the communities we serve."
The following projects were recognized:
Alabama
Turkey Creek Vermilion Darter Restoration and Education, Pinson, Ala.
Persimmon Branch Wetlands Enhancement, Troy, Ala.
Oyster Restoration in Coastal Alabama, Mobile County, Ala.
Florida
Eden Gardens State Park Estuarine Shoreline Restoration, Walton County,
Fla.
Georgia
Urban Atlanta Wetland Restoration and Rare Species Recovery, Metro Atlanta,
Ga.
Clear Creek Watershed Restoration, Atlanta, Ga.
Stockade Creek and Riparian Zone Restoration, Atlanta, Ga.
Mill Creek Plunge Pool Restoration, Atlanta, Ga.
Mississippi
Turkey Creek Greenway/Blueway, Gulfport, Miss.
Creating a Living Laboratory in Pascagoula Marshland, Pascagoula, Miss.
The Five Star and Urban Waters Program develops and supports community
stewardship of local natural resources in cities and towns across America.
The program funds projects that will preserve these resources for future
generations while at the same time enhancing habitat for local wildlife.
Projects seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such
as erosion due to unstable stream banks, pollution from stormwater runoff,
and degraded shorelines caused by development.
The program focuses on stewardship and restoration of coastal, wetland and
riparian ecosystems across the country. Its goal is to meet the
conservation needs of important species and habitats, while providing
measurable and meaningful conservation and educational outcomes. The
program requires the establishment and/or enhancement of diverse
partnerships and an education/outreach component that will help shape and
sustain behavior to achieve conservation goals.
Funding priorities for this program include:
• On-the-ground wetland, riparian, in-stream and/or coastal habitat
restoration
• Meaningful education and training activities, either through community
outreach, participation and/or integration with K-12 environmental
curriculum
• Measurable ecological, educational and community benefits
• Partnerships: Five Star and Urban Waters projects should engage a diverse
group of community partners to achieve ecological and educational outcomes.
To date, the program has funded more than 700 projects in all 50 states,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More
than $13.3 million in grants has leveraged more than $56 million in other
funds or donated services.
The Five Star and Urban Waters Program is a partnership among the
Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(NFWF), the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Wildlife Habitat
Council (WHC), USDA Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Corporation for National and Community Service, Southern Company, FedEx,
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Alcoa Foundation, and Bank of America.
Information on the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program:
http://www.nfwf.org/fivestar/Pages/home.aspx
Three Shell Oil Company Affiliates Settle with EPA Over Violations of
Vehicle Fuel Standards
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
a settlement with three companies affiliated with Shell Oil Company to
resolve Clean Air Act violations, including selling gasoline and diesel
fuel that did not conform to federal standards. These violations resulted
in excess emissions of harmful air pollutants from motor vehicles, which
pose public health threats and environmental impacts. The companies will
pay a $900,000 penalty to resolve these violations.
"Fuel standards established under the Clean Air Act play a major role in
controlling harmful air pollution from vehicles and engines," said Cynthia
Giles, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance. "If unchecked, these pollutants can seriously impair
the air we breathe, especially during summer months when they can reach
higher levels. This settlement makes clear that if companies fail to
produce fuels that comply with federal standards, they will be held
accountable."
Actions by three companies affiliated with Shell Oil Company—Deer Park
Refining Limited Partnership, Motiva Enterprises LLC, and Equilon
Enterprises LLC, which does business as Shell Oil Products US—are alleged
to have resulted in violations of the provisions of the Clean Air Act that
ensure the production, testing and sale of high-quality vehicle and engine
fuels in the United States. Specifically, EPA alleged that:
· Shell sold mislabeled diesel fuel—fuel labeled ultra-low sulfur
diesel that was actually low sulfur fuel—at two gas stations in
Northern Virginia. EPA inspectors discovered the violations at the
stations, one of which came after receiving a complaint from a
consumer. Low sulfur diesel fuel contains up to 500 parts per million
of sulfur; ultra-low sulfur diesel may not exceed 15 parts per
million of sulfur.
· Shell sold over 4.2 million gallons of gasoline that exceeded a fuel
standard for volatility, known as the Reid Vapor Pressure level, that
helps control ground level ozone during summer months. Gasoline with
higher volatility results in increased emissions of volatile organic
compounds, which contribute to the formation of ground level ozone.
Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems,
particularly for children, the elderly and people who have lung
diseases such as asthma.
· Shell distributed about 700,000 gallons of gasoline from its
Sewaren, New Jersey terminal that contained elevated levels of
ethanol. Excess ethanol in gasoline can harm emission control
components on some vehicles and engines. The Reformulated Gasoline
Survey Association, an organization that works to improve industry
compliance with Clean Air Act fuel standards, identified the fuel
with excess ethanol after surveying Shell retail stations in
Irvington, N.J. and Staten Island, N.Y., and notified EPA.
· Shell failed to follow various protocols for sampling, testing,
reporting and recordkeeping requirements that help ensure compliance
of its fuel with federal standards. Shell proactively reported some
of these violations to EPA. Recordkeeping, reporting, sampling and
testing violations reduce EPA's ability to know whether fuels meet
certain standards and can lead to increased vehicle emissions.
Read more about the settlement at
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/equilon-enterprises-llc-doing-business-shell-oil-products-us-motiva-enterprises-llc-and
.
