State
Officials: Pearl River County dam in 'imminent danger' of breaking
WLOX
PEARL RIVER COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -A dam holding back a 50 acre lake in the
Amackertown community in Pearl River County is at risk of collapsing. That
is according to county spokesman Tony Bounds.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27908398/officials-pearl-river-county-dam-in-imminent-danger-of-breaking
Dam Failure Could Put Campers, Hunters in Danger
Picayune Item
http://www.picayuneitem.com/2015/01/dam-failure-could-put-hunters-campers-in-danger/
Harrison Co. Utility Authority in court over eminent domain
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -The Harrison County Utility Authority is under
fire again, this time over property the board used through eminent domain.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27904629/harrison-co-utility-authority-in-court-over-eminent-domain
Former utility authority leaders charged with bribery called to testify in
court
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -Two men charged with bribery in connection to their
roles with the Harrison County Utility Authority were called to testify in
court Wednesday involving a lawsuit against the utility authority by the
Walker family.
http://www.wlox.com/story/27908297/former-utility-authority-leaders-charged-with-bribery-called-to-testify-in-court
Holloway doesn't show, Pahlavan won't talk at Harrison County Utility
Authority trial
Sun Herald
BY PAUL HAMPTON
GULFPORT -- One witness "took the fifth" a couple dozen times, another
didn't show up at all and the plaintiffs in a suit against the Harrison
County Utility Authority are no closer to learning what the authority plans
to do with an easement on their Woolmarket property.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/01/21/6029935_holloway-doesnt-show-pahlavan.html?rh=1
DeSoto wastewater board OK's erosion work
Commercial Appeal
With agreement by the DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority board to
partner with Olive Branch and county government on a Nolehole Creek bank
stabilization project, the bid process can start for work to halt erosion
threatening homes in the Wedgewood subdivision.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/local-news/desoto/desoto-wastewater-board-oks-erosion-work_48440872
'Eternal optimist' Bryant gives State of State
Clarion Ledger
Gov. Phil Bryant described himself as "an eternal optimist" in the
final State of the State address of his first term, and vowed to
pump millions more money into job training and tourism and continue
to push for a tax cut for "working Mississippians."
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/01/21/eternal-optimist-gov-bryant-gives-state-state/22137845/
Oil Spill
MISSISSIPPIANS HOPE OIL SPILL CIVIL PENALTIES ARE SPENT ON ENVIRONMENT
MPB
The third phase of the BP oil spill civil trial is happening this week in
New Orleans. As MPB's Evelina Burnett reports, this phase will determine
how many hundreds of millions of dollars in restoration money will flow to
the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2015/01/21/mississippians-hope-oil-spill-civil-penalties-are-spent-on-environment/
BP oil spill harmed wildlife, habitat 'everywhere it went,' expert
testifies
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
January 21, 2015 at 6:24 PM
The BP oil spill caused widespread damage to the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem,
harming wildlife, shoreline habitats and vital microorganisms on the ocean
floor, an environmental expert testified for the Justice Department on
Wednesday morning (Jan. 21).
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/oil_from_bp_spill_harmed_wildl.html
How badly did the 2010 BP oil spill hurt Gulf of Mexico environment,
economy?
The Associated Press
January 21, 2015 at 12:47 PM
The 2010 BP oil spill's long-term effects on Gulf of Mexico sea life and
coastal marshes remain uncertain, an environmental expert testified
Wednesday as federal attorneys laid out their case for penalties against
the oil corporation that could hit $13.7 billion.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/how_badly_did_the_2010_bp_oil.html#incart_river
Seafood leaders discuss industry issues in Washington
Daily Comet
By Jonathan Olivier
Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 6:08 p.m.
Seafood leaders from the Gulf Coast are meeting with congressmen this week
at the nation's capital to shed light on industry issues.
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20150121/ARTICLES/150129911
National
Senate votes for measure declaring climate change isn't a hoax, but against
bills blaming human activity
Bruce Alpert
Times-Picayune
January 21, 2015 at 8:31 PM
WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted 98-1 Wednesday to declare that "climate
change is real and not a hoax."
But it voted 50-49, 10 votes short of the 60 needed, thereby failing to
adopt another measure declaring that human activities are "significantly"
impacting climate.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/senate_votes_for_measure_decla.html#incart_river
EPA, auto industry agree to cut copper in brake pads
Detroit News
Washington — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
automotive industry and the states signed an agreement Tuesday to
dramatically reduce the use of copper in motor vehicle brake pads —
a move that will reduce pollution in U.S. streams, rivers and lakes.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2015/01/21/epa-auto-industry-copper-brake-pads/22117805/
North Dakota spill: Nearly 3M gallons of brine leak from pipeline
The Associated Press
January 21, 2015 at 6:35 PM
Nearly 3 million gallons of saltwater generated by oil drilling have leaked
from a North Dakota pipeline, an official said Wednesday, the largest such
spill since the state's current oil boom began and nearly three times worse
than any previous spill. Two creeks have been affected, but the full
environmental effect might not be clear for months.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/01/north_dakota_spill_nearly_3m_g.html#incart_river
Press Releases
Gov. Phil Bryant Delivers 2015 State of the State Address
Tax Cuts for Working Mississippians, Workforce Investment, Contract Reform
among Highlights
JACKSON – In his fourth State of the State address, Gov. Phil Bryant
presented his priorities to lawmakers for the 2015 legislative session.
Major proposals include an income tax cut for working Mississippians and a
$50 million investment in workforce training.
"In the three years that have passed, we have achieved remarkable things
together," Gov. Bryant said. "We have created one of the most job-friendly
states in America…For the third year in a row, we have been awarded a
Silver Shovel…and The American Economic Development Institute also ranks
our Mississippi Development Authority as number nine in the nation among
state economic development entities."
Gov. Bryant highlighted the growing strength of Mississippi's economy, as
indicated by a decrease in the unemployment rate, an increase in job
creation and a projected increase in personal income.
Workforce Development
"We realize that finding a job can and has changed lives for the better, so
we must do all in our power to put people to work. Tonight, I am announcing
the Keep Mississippi Working Fund—a program that will move nearly $50
million over the next two years without putting a demand on the General
Fund."
Due to reduced demand on Mississippi's Unemployment Trust Fund, $50 million
will instead be allocated for workforce training in high-demand industries.
The Keep Mississippi Working Fund will not increase taxes.
The governor also called on the Legislature to fund a $3 million
scholarship program for high school students in career tech programs to
pursue skills certifications and academic degrees at Mississippi's
community and junior colleges.
"I believe with these two programs, we can focus on creating a world-class
workforce. With that accomplished, our economic progress can be unlimited,
"
Gov. Bryant said of the workforce development initiative and scholarship
program.
Economy
The governor highlighted Mississippi's financial strength, as well,
reporting that the state's gross domestic product continues to exceed $100
billion, that revenue is projected to grow by almost $166 million for
Fiscal Year 2016, that the state's Rainy Day Fund is filled to its
statutory limit and that the state's credit rating remains a strong double
A.
"In short, we pay our bills, save our money and invest wisely."
Education
Governor Bryant reviewed the transformational public education reforms
enacted under his administration and conveyed to lawmakers that his
administration is working to put more money in Mississippi classrooms.
"To put more funding in the classroom, I signed into law a historic
two-year $100 million teacher pay raise. Performance Based Pilot programs
continue in 14 school districts and over $1 million has gone to teachers
who are performing at the highest levels. We have also appropriated $65
million in the last three years for the National Board Certified Teacher
Program.
"The Education Week Research Center ranks Mississippi as 19th in the nation
for state expenditures on K-12 education as a percentage of state taxable
resources. No less authority than the U.S. Department of Education lists
our state as number twelve in the nation for school expenditures as a
percentage of the state's gross domestic product.
"My Executive Budget Recommendation increases MAEP funding by $53 million
over the current year. Under my recommendation MAEP funding will reach
nearly $2.2 billion or a 2.5 percent annual increase. Funding for K-12
overall will reach $2.5 billion. It includes $41 million for the second
year of a $100 million teacher pay raise and $15 million for more reading
coaches to assist in the literacy program within the Third Grade Gate.
"I believe most of us want to fund reforms in education that work and make
certain the money goes to the classroom."
The governor also called on the Legislature to send the Equal Opportunity
for Students with Special Needs Act to his desk for signature.
"Mississippi children with special needs, and their parents, deserve
nothing less."
Tax Cut for Working Mississippians
"Each year we have worked together to balance our budget and this year will
certainly be no different, with one exception. This year I intend to take
the bold and controversial position that when times are good, we shouldn�
��t
spend all the money.
"In fact, I will ask you to give a raise to the people who need it most—the
working people of Mississippi. I have proposed a Working Families Tax Cut
that would provide an income tax credit to working Mississippians earning
up to $52,000 annually.
"I realize the legislative process will generate additional ideas to
provide tax relief to Mississippi families. The good news is I am open to
any number of tax cuts that put money in the pockets of working
Mississippians. In short, put a tax cut on my desk, and I will sign it.�
��
State Contract Reform
"Last year also brought us man made challenges such as those at the
Department of Corrections—this even as we passed the most comprehensive
corrections and criminal justice reform in this state's history. But, as
with all challenges, there exist opportunities. With a stellar independent
task force to review all contracts within the department, we will make
changes to add accountability to the Department of Corrections and beyond.
With your help, we will bring long needed reform to laws governing state
contracts, including an overhaul of our state's contract review board.
"I will also ask for your help with several reforms to narrow the use of
emergency and single source contracts across state government. We will ask
to transfer control of all corrections farming land to the authority of the
Secretary of State and place the corrections inmate welfare account at the
Treasurer's Office to separate controls of income and expenditures. With
your support and the leadership of Marshall Fisher, we will reform the
Department of Corrections and make it a system of efficiency,
accountability and outcomes."
"This is a new year for Mississippi and for all of us, filled with promise
and challenges. Being an optimist, I always look for greater
possibilities. I believe Mississippi can and will improve its public
education system, build a stronger economy, become a healthier place to
live and put our people to work…But if we are to do so, we must set aside
our petty, political differences and seek real solutions in both our
economic and social environments.
"Last year, I asked you to make a simple but profound change to our state
seal. Some said it was a waste of time, but we knew better. You see by
simply adding our national motto to the Great Seal of the State of
Mississippi, we professed our understanding of a higher power over the
affairs of men. We expressed a faith that this wonderful state will
continue to be blessed. Let us now and forever boldly and without apology
affirm, In God we trust."
Full Text of Governor Bryant's 2015 State of the State Address
Thank you Mr. Lt. Governor, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Speaker Pro-Tem. It
is my high honor to be with all of you at this joint session. I welcome to
the platform President Pro-Temp of the Mississippi Senate, Senator Giles
Ward. I am mindful tonight of the absence of my friend, Terry Brown. Each
time we have appeared here, Terry welcomed me with a strong handshake and
Deborah with a prolonged and enthusiastic hug. We will miss our friend.
But as it is often said, "He is with us tonight. He only has a better
seat."
Three years ago, I stood at this podium and delivered my Inaugural
Address. The weather had forced us inside to gather in this historic
chamber for the swearing-in ceremonies. I will always remember it was in
this chamber I began my life in public service. Twenty years later, it was
where Deborah and I began our journey as your governor and First Lady. I
am fairly certain some in this chamber may not agree with all of my
policies as governor. But I believe it is safe to say there is universal
agreement that Deborah has been one of our state's finest first ladies.
From reading to children in classrooms in every county in the state to
being a first responder after the Louisville tornado, she has served this
state and its people with grace and commitment. I often think the good
Lord allowed me to become governor just so Mississippians would have
Deborah as their First Lady.
In the three years that have passed, we have achieved
remarkable things together. So let us look at some of the positive facts
about Mississippi: we have created one of the most job friendly states in
America. According to Area Development magazine, Mississippi ranks in the
top ten states in the nation for economic development. This is a ranking
based on input from site selectors across the nation—men and women whose
profession is to know each state's economic environment and potential for
productivity. For the third year in a row, we have been awarded a Silver
Shovel, representative of breaking ground on a number of new businesses.
Only 20 states each year receive this prestigious award. One of my
personal favorites is the report that rates Mississippi number five in
America for growth in women owned businesses—this according to American
Express. The American Economic Development Institute also ranks our
Mississippi Development Authority as number nine in the nation among state
economic development entities. I want to personally thank Director Brent
Christensen and his team at MDA for a job well done. It's great to have
nationally ranked football teams, but we need world-class economic
developers as well. As I often say, economic development is a team sport.
Let us look at some other positive indicators. Three years
ago, the unemployment rate in Mississippi was 9.8 percent. Today, it is
around 7.3 percent. According to our State Economist, Mississippi added
8,800 more jobs in 2014 than in 2013. Projected real personal income
growth in Mississippi during 2015 is expected to be 3.9 percent. We also
know that personal income buys even more in Mississippi than it would in
other states because of our low cost of living. The Tax Foundation has
found income in Mississippi goes 16 percent further than the national
average. So for every $100 in income, a Mississippian would make $116
compared to other states. So many new employees who move to Mississippi
get a raise. If they move here from Washington, D.C., they could get
around a 40 percent raise. Obviously, we would need to retrain most of
them.
There are other reliable indicators of the health of our economy. If
we look at the amount of individual income tax collected in Mississippi
from Fiscal Year 2011 to Fiscal Year 2014, we see a nearly $300 million
increase. It would appear working Mississippians are making more money and
revenues are rising. We have also seen a decline in the number of people in
our state who are receiving unemployment payments. From November 2013 to
November 2014, there has been a reduction of 24 percent. These facts may
not be printed in a magazine or included in a study, but they prove
positive momentum exists.
While we are discussing economic development, let me take this time
to assure you, the standards for investing in economic development projects
under this administration have been demanding. We thoroughly examine each
investment for financial stability, probability of success and the
company's history. Our qualifying standards are high and thorough. For
your peace of mind, we intend to keep them that way.
Do not misunderstand my position. We are not yet where we need to be
to move to a new level, but we are moving ahead and should not be timid
about recognizing the good in Mississippi. Others will certainly revel in
the bad. But as for me, I am proud of my Mississippi.
Now we know progress is never immediate, and it is often made
during the most difficult of times. The key to eventually obtaining
lasting success is to stay the course and to never abandon your core
beliefs and historic principles. For example, we realize that finding a
job can and has changed lives for the better. So we must do all in our
power to put people to work.
Tonight, I am announcing the Keep Mississippi Working Fund, a
program that will move nearly $50 million over the next two years into
workforce training efforts without putting a demand on the General Fund.
Mississippi has one of the healthiest Unemployment Trust Funds in the
nation. Due to the decreased demand on the unemployment fund, we will be
allocating those dollars for training purposes. These workforce-training
dollars will be managed by the State Workforce Investment Board and
committed to training programs at our community colleges. The Mississippi
Economic Council's Blueprint Competitiveness Study identified the need for
more skilled labor in Mississippi and a centralized agency to manage
workforce development. Summed up, we will keep Mississippi working by
investing more in skills training at our community colleges and having
faith in Mississippi workers that they can help build the future.
I have also requested $3 million in my Executive Budget
Recommendation to begin the Mississippi Works Scholarship Fund. This would
offer a student in any high school involved in a career readiness
curriculum who maintains a C average an opportunity to continue that course
of study through a community college on a full scholarship. As a
blue-collar kid, I worked my way through junior college, but today's
conditions are different and tuition is more challenging. Our working
class kids need an even break to advance their skills. Let us give them a
chance to be skilled craftsmen and women and find them a job.
I believe with these two programs, we can focus on creating a
world-class workforce. With that accomplished, our economic success can be
unlimited. We will keep breaking ground and cutting ribbons across the
entire state and winning more Silver Shovels. I will admit to being an
eternal optimist who believes Mississippi's best days lie ahead and within
our grasp.
Tonight I can report the State of Mississippi is in the best
financial condition in recent history. Our hard work has begun to make
measured progress. Mississippi's Gross Domestic Product exceeded $100
billion in 2012 for the first time in history and has continued to do so
each year since. In the last three years, our state's revenue has
cumulatively grown almost 10 percent. Revenue for Fiscal Year 2016 is
projected to grow by $166 million. Our budget now uses little, if any, one
time revenues for recurring expenses, and our Rainy Day Fund is filled to
its statutory limit. Because of our state's judicious borrowing and
refinancing when interest rates are advantageous, our state's credit rating
remains a strong double A. In fact, we have retired as much debt as we
have issued with the exception of economic development financing which has
shown an $11 return for every $1 invested over the last three years. In
short, we pay our bills, save our money and invest wisely.
Health care continues to be an issue of debate in Mississippi.
Even without expansion, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid's General Fund
budget request this year is nearly $1 billion. The woodwork effect and
other provisions of the Affordable Care Act have already resulted in an
additional 71,000 Medicaid recipients, causing budget increases we can ill
afford. To make matters more challenging, this number is projected to rise
to 90,000 by July 1.
Realistically, the conditions surrounding health care are even more
uncertain than before. I fully expect dramatic changes in the Affordable
Care Act with Republicans in charge of both houses of Congress. A number
of the new majority were sent to Washington promising to repeal the
Affordable Care Act—an action Congress has attempted in whole or in part
more than forty different times. I do believe we will see some positive
changes proposed, such as portability, national tort reform and health care
savings accounts. Another positive reform I am encouraging is the
restoration of Medicare and Medicaid DSH payments. These payments were
originally designed to defray the costs of uncompensated care.
In an effort to assist our hospitals, I have reached out to our
Congressional delegation to suggest the portion of the Affordable Care Act
that ends Medicaid and Medicare DSH payments be suspended. This would
return revenue to hospitals, which continue to provide uncompensated care
even in states where expansion has occurred. Congress passed similar
provisions restoring the Medicaid DSH payments, and restoration of funding
for DSH payments was even a part of the President's budget. Obviously,
elimination of Disproportionate Share Hospital payments is a portion of the
law that should have been read before it was passed.
Most every state's success is largely judged by its education
system. Admittedly, our public education system has been a challenge for
as long as any of us can remember. In fact, there is no recorded history
of Mississippi's public education system that shows statewide success.
However, I believe the transformational changes brought about by the
Mississippi Legislature in the past three years will finally begin to show
progress. A brief review can begin with the Literacy Program that will end
social promotion at the critical point of entering the fourth grade.
Charter schools for the first time in Mississippi history will offer hope
to those children trapped in failing school districts. Funding early
childhood learning programs began in our first Legislative session
together, and this year I will support doubling the funding for the Pre-K
Collaborative Program with a total appropriation of $6 million. Because of
our success, Education Week ranks Mississippi number nine in the nation in
pre-school enrollments.
To put more funding in the classroom, I signed into
law a historic two-year $100 million teacher pay raise. Performance Based
Pilot programs continue in 14 school districts and over $1 million has gone
to teachers who are performing at the highest levels. We have also
appropriated $65 million in the last three years for the National Board
Certified Teacher Program. Nationally certified teachers can receive a
$6,000 annual salary increase. Your commitment to this program has
resulted in Mississippi becoming number seven in the nation for Board
Certified teachers. As I have said many times, we must find the best
teachers possible and pay them well.
You and I together have offered complete scholarships to
students achieving high marks on their ACT and who want to become teachers.
We have, working with the Institutions of Higher Learning, increased the
demands on students who major in education in our universities. And we
have put into place a dyslexia training program for teachers and funded
scholarships to help with this training.
I can assure you from personal experience, this response to dyslexia
will result in direct benefits. This reading disorder is the number one
reason children drop out of school. If we confront it aggressively, we can
see a dramatic decrease in our state's dropout rate and help turn around
our reading scores for thousands of Mississippi children.
This year, we must also do all in our power to help children with
special needs. The Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act
will empower parents with educational choice to get their children the
services they need. When only 22.5 percent of special needs children
graduate from high school, something is terribly wrong. I call on you to
send this bill to my desk. Mississippi children with special needs, and
their parents, deserve nothing less.
Now let's spend a moment on the reality of education funding. The
Education Week Research Center ranks Mississippi as 19th in the nation for
state expenditures on K-12 education as a percentage of state taxable
resources. No less authority than the U.S. Department of Education lists
our state as number twelve in the nation for school expenditures as a
percentage of the state's gross domestic product. My Executive Budget
Recommendation increases MAEP funding by $53 million over the current year.
Under my recommendation MAEP funding will reach nearly $2.2 billion or a
2.5 percent annual increase. Funding for K-12 overall will reach $2.5
billion. It includes $41 million for the second year of a $100 million
teacher pay raise and $15 million for more reading coaches to assist in the
literacy program within the Third Grade Gate. I believe most of us want to
fund reforms in education that work and make certain the money goes to the
classroom.
Each year we have worked together to balance our budget and
this year will certainly be no different, with one exception. This year I
intend to take the bold and controversial position that when times are
good, we shouldn't spend all the money. In fact, I will ask you to give a
raise to the people who need it most—the working people of Mississippi. I
have proposed a Working Families Tax Cut that would provide an income tax
credit to working Mississippians earning up to $52,000 annually. It is
non-refundable and would be a tax dividend subject to revenue growth and
filling the Rainy Day Fund. I realize the legislative process will
generate additional ideas to provide tax relief to Mississippi families.
The good news is I am open to any number of tax cuts that put money in the
pockets of working Mississippians. In short, put a tax cut on my desk, and
I will sign it.
2014 had its challenges just as every year does. Nothing is
ever perfect or controllable. On April 28, a record 23 tornadoes struck
our state. Particularly hard hit were Louisville and Tupelo. Of the 14
people who lost their lives that tragic day, ten were in the Louisville
area. President Pro-Tem Giles Ward's home was totally destroyed, as were
so many others. The hospital and an extended care facility were badly
damaged. Some of the town's biggest employers, including the Winston
County Medical Center and Natron Wood Products, were closed. As always in
times of disaster, Mississippians pulled together and got to work. The
city, county and state responders set about saving lives and comforting
victims. The officials joined the private sector, our Mississippi National
Guard and faith-based organizations to begin rebuilding in all the affected
areas. Within 21 days, a modular hospital was opened—FEMA's first ever
success with such a system. And I am proud to say that Natron Wood
Products will reopen as Winston Plywood and Veneer and will become one of
the largest plywood manufacturers in North America. Now that's recovery
Mississippi style. Joining us tonight is someone who is very important to
that recovery—Kurt Liebich, CEO of Winston Plywood's parent company, New
Wood Resources. Please help me welcome Kurt.
On December 23, 2014, five tornadoes struck again with the
hardest hit areas in Marion and Jones counties. These storms took the
lives of five Mississippians, including the brother of Senator Billy
Hudson. Homes were destroyed, and lives were forever changed. Once again
we wept and prayed and thanked God more were not taken. Then we went to
work. On Christmas Eve, I toured the damage and witnessed how the joys of
the Christmas season were shattered for so many. But once again we became
Mississippi strong. Since that time, more than 3,200 volunteers have
worked more than 19,000 hours. Private donations have exceeded a quarter
of a million dollars for tornado victims. The gift of hope continues
across this great state in Winston, Leake, Lamar, Jones, Clarke, Rankin and
other affected counties. We continue to be thankful while expressing man's
unending prayer for peace on earth and good will towards men.
Last year also brought us man made challenges such as those at
the Department of Corrections. This even as we passed the most
comprehensive corrections and criminal justice reform in this state's
history. But, as with all challenges, there exist opportunities. With a
stellar independent task force to review all contracts within the
department, we will make changes to add accountability to the Department of
Corrections and beyond. With your help, we will bring long needed reform
to laws governing state contracts, including an overhaul of our state�
�s
contract review board. This reform also included the appointment of a new
commissioner for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. I have
selected a tough former federal and state law enforcement officer who will
get control both outside and inside the walls. Most of you know Marshall
Fisher from his years as Director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Please welcome him tonight as the Commissioner of the Mississippi
Department of Corrections.
Based on recommendations from the Mississippi Department ofCorrections Task Force, I will also ask for your help with several reforms
to narrow the use of emergency and single source contracts across state
government. We will ask to transfer control of all corrections farming
land to the authority of the Secretary of State and place the corrections
inmate welfare account at the Treasurer's Office to separate controls of
income and expenditures. With your support and the leadership of Marshall
Fisher, we will reform the Department of Corrections and make it a system
of efficiency, accountability and outcomes. Mississippi will not tolerate
a 19th century correctional system. Rest assured change is on the way.
Last year was historic in so many ways—some challenging, others
positively transformational. It was the year of the creative economy, and
more than 22 million visitors came to our state. The potential to increase
this number and the $390 million it brings with it is obvious. That�
�s why
I'll be asking you this year to invest an additional $5.1 million into
tourism. Help us bring the world to Mississippi one visitor at a time, and
I will return your investment six fold. Let us share Mississippi with
everyone. To help us promote this and other tourism opportunities is
Mississippi Ambassador for the Creative Economy, Mississippi's own Marty
Stuart.
Like many supporters of our children's hospital, I am also
working with the University of Mississippi Medical Center to bring a $150
million addition to Blair E. Batson, $120 million of which will be raised
privately. The work of Children's Hospital is a phenomenal success story
that has saved the lives of so many. These efforts and many more would
never become a reality without the man who has dedicated much of his life
to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Ladies and gentleman,
please help me thank Vice Chancellor of the University of Mississippi
Medical Center, Dr. Jimmy Keeton.
Work continues on a new medical school at UMMC. This will
allow us to reach our goal of adding 1,000 new physicians by 2025. It is
also notable that the William Carey University College of Osteopathic
Medicine has graduated its first class of over 90 primary care physicians.
Our rural physicians scholarship programs and our Office of Physician
Workforce Development will help keep these doctors here in Mississippi
where they are needed most. We also remind these students that Physician
Practice magazine has named Mississippi as the best state in America to
practice medicine for the second year in a row.
Mississippi has also achieved high acclaim for excellence in
telemedicine. In fact, we are one of only 7 states to earn an A Rating
from the American Telemedicine Association. I want to thank the
Mississippi Telehealth Association for their hard work in bringing cutting
edge health care to more Mississippians.
I also want to thank this Legislature for its commitment to defending
Mississippians' Second Amendment rights. Your work has been so successful,
I have received the NRA Defender of Freedom award. Thank you very much.
Mississippi's automotive industry remains strong. Nissan has
expanded its Canton facility by 1,300 jobs and rolled off the new
Murano—one of eight different vehicles made in Canton. In February, Toyota
in Blue Springs will reach the half million mark for the Corolla. This has
outpaced all other Toyota plans in the world.
Other important projects include a baseball stadium in Biloxi, a
Mississippi History and Civil Rights Museum in Jackson and Yokohama's tire
factory in West Point. Nineteen movies were made in Mississippi last year
while the Grammy Museum in Cleveland and the Arts and Entertainment Center
in Meridian are being planned or constructed. As the football world
watched the SEC, a few other things occurred in our state that demand
recognition. Alcorn State University's football team won the SWAC
Championship and East Mississippi Community College became national
champions for the third time in four years, making football history.
Legendary University of Southern Mississippi punter Ray Guy was enshrined
in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, joining eight other
Mississippians. Congratulations, Ray.
This is a new year for Mississippi and for all of us, filled
with promise and challenges. Being an optimist, I always look for greater
possibilities. I believe Mississippi can and will improve its public
education system, build a stronger economy, become a healthier place to
live and put our people to work. As National Chairman of Jobs for
America's Graduates, I believe we must offer every child a pathway to
success. I am more determined than ever to see that happen. I believe
Mississippi can rise to a new level. But if we are to do so, we must set
aside our petty, political differences and seek real solutions in both our
economic and social environments. Last year, I asked you to make a simple
but profound change to our state seal. Some said it was a waste of time,
but we knew better. You see by simply adding our national motto to the
Great Seal of the State of Mississippi, we professed our understanding of a
higher power over the affairs of men. We expressed a faith that this
wonderful state will continue to be blessed. Let us now and forever boldly
and without apology affirm, "In God we trust."
Thank you all for your attendance and attention here tonight.
Let us go to work.
###
EPA, States and Automotive Industry to Reduce Copper in Motor Vehicle Brake
Pads
Summary
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the automotive industry and
the states signed an agreement to reduce the use of copper and other
materials in motor vehicle brake pads. The Copper-Free Brake Initiative
calls for cutting copper in brake pads to less than 5 percent by 2021 and
0.5 percent by 2025. This voluntary initiative also calls for cutting the
amount of mercury, lead, cadmium, asbestiform fibers and chromium-6 salts
in motor vehicle brake pads. These steps will decrease runoff of these
materials from roads into the nation's streams, rivers and lakes, where
these materials can harm fish, amphibians and plants.
By the Numbers
California and Washington have already passed requirements to reduce these
materials in brake pads. Prior to their enactment, dust from vehicular
braking released an estimated 1.3 million pounds of copper into
California's environment in 2010 and about 250,000 pounds into Washington's
environment in 2011. Estimates for California show copper in urban runoff
down as much as 61 percent thanks to changes in brake pad composition.
What They Said
"EPA is proud to partner with the automotive industry and the states to
reduce the use of copper in motor vehicle brake pads, which means less of
this material running off our roads and into our nation's waterways," said
Stan Meiburg, acting deputy administrator for EPA. "The environment and
public health in our country will benefit from this type of collaboration
between the public and private sector."
"This historic MOU will provide the motor vehicle industry with consistent
copper reduction guidelines and eliminate the potential for disparate state
regulations," said Steve Handschuh, president and CEO of the Motor and
Equipment Manufacturers Association. "This has been a proactive,
collaborative effort by regulatory agencies, states and the motor vehicle
industry to reduce copper in U.S. streams, rivers and waterways."
"ECOS is proud to be part of an agreement that will make a meaningful
contribution to improved water quality across the nation," said Robert J.
Martineau, Jr., president of the Environmental Council of the States and
commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
"This effort shows how states, the federal government and industries can
work together to develop innovative, non-regulatory ways to reduce
pollution."
More Details
This initiative includes:
· Education and outreach to bring about the nationwide reduction in
brake pads of copper and the other materials.
· Testing friction materials and constituents for alternatives.
· Marking and labeling friction material packaging and product.
· Providing reporting registrars' and agents' contact information to
manufacturers, suppliers and other industry entities.
· Working towards achieving the goals in the Copper-Free Brake
Initiative within specified timeframes.
In addition to EPA and the Environmental Council of the States, eight
industry groups signed the initiative: Motor & Equipment Manufacturers
Association; Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association; Brake
Manufacturers Council; Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association; Auto Care
Association; Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; Association of Global
Automakers, Inc.; and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association.
More Information
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/stormwater/copperfreebrakes.cfm
EPA Selected as ACT-IAC Igniting Innovation 2015 Awards Top 30 Finalist
Government and industry leaders encouraged to attend February 5 Showcase
and submit votes via social media to determine winner
Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, EPA, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
its Watershed Index Online (WSIO) tool has been selected as a Top 30
finalist for the 2015 Igniting Innovation Awards, presented by the American
Council for Technology - Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), the premier
public-private partnership in the government IT community. The new awards
program selected 30 finalists from a large pool of innovative government
and industry solutions developed to address the government's biggest IT
challenges. One overall Igniting Innovation winner will be selected on
February 5th at the Igniting Innovation Showcase and Award event at the
Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.
"It is an honor for the Watershed Index Online tool to be considered in
this select group of finalists competing for the 2015 Igniting Innovation
Awards," said EPA Regional Administrator Heather McTeer Toney. "I am also
proud that ACT-IAC recognizes the dedication and hard work of EPA employees
in solving challenges facing our country."
The WSIO tool was developed, because restoring the nation's tens of
thousands of impaired waters is an immense workload. EPA developed the tool
to assist federal, state, and local partners in prioritizing where to
invest limited resources towards watershed restoration and protection. This
tool allows the user to measure, for each watershed, several ecological,
stressor, and social context indicators that are associated with the
likelihood that a restoration effort may succeed.
"We are proud to recognize EPA for its dedication to advancing the mission
of ACT-IAC by enabling government to improve efficiency and effectiveness
through its Watershed Index Online tool," said Chris Smith, Igniting
Innovation Program Chair. "Each of this year's finalists have developed
innovative and collaborative ways to creatively address government IT
issues, Our Showcase will highlight the best uses of these groundbreaking
tools, services and solutions."
The Top 30 finalists will exhibit their solutions at the Igniting
Innovation Showcase and Award event on February 5, 2015 at the Ronald
Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The Top
8, selected via social media voting during the event, will deliver live
presentations to a judging panel of government and industry professionals,
as well as the entire showcase audience comprised of IT executives,
influencers and media.
Following the Top 8's presentations, the social media tool will again be
used to vote for the overall "Igniting Innovation" winner. Additional
"Dynamite" awards will be given in the areas of: most disruptive; 3 Rs
(reduce, recycle, reuse); high risk/high return; greatest citizen impact;
and incubator.
If you are in the Washington, DC area, please come to the Reagan Center on
February 5, 2015 to cast your vote for the EPA Watershed Index tool and
learn more about some of the most creative IT solutions benefiting the
government.
For more information and to register for the 2015 Igniting Innovation
Showcase and Awards, see http://actiac.org/ignitinginnovation2015 or
contact Sara DeCarlo at ACT-IAC via email (SDeCarlo@actiac.org) or call
(703) 362-0410.
Join the discussion about Igniting Innovation on Twitter: @actiac
#igniteinnovation.
Learn more about ACT-IAC and how to become a member at www.actiac.org or
call 703-208-4800.
