State
Warnock: I will pay DEQ fine
Madison County Journal
By TYLER CLEVELAND
County Engineer Rudy Warnock has offered to pay a reduced fine to the
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality on behalf of Madison County
due to a lack of oversight at the $2 million Sulphur Springs lake dig in
the northeastern part of the county.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=29833
Investor: Legislation would free up millions of barrels of Miss. oil
Clarion Ledger
Supporters of legislation that conferred common carrier status on
Mississippi's carbon dioxide shipping pipelines are hoping it is
revived before session's end.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/money/business/2015/02/18/investor-legislation-free-millions-barrels-miss-oil/23610935/
Lumberton receives $2.5 million grant to improve water and sewage
WHLT
LUMBERTON, Miss. - To much delight, Lumberton has recently been approved
for a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
http://www.whlt.com/story/28143226/lumberton-receives-25-million-grant-to-improve-water-and-sewage
D'Iberville looks to sell $7.6 million property before next payment is due
WLOX
D'Iberville leaders are weighing their options on how to recoup millions of
dollars in taxpayer money after a failed aquarium development deal.
D'Iberville owns about eight acres of land at I-110 and I-10, and each
proposal under consideration could ease the city's debt burden.
http://www.wlox.com/story/28143559/diberville-looks-to-sell-76-million-property-before-next-payment-is-due
D'Iberville holds off selling Ocean Expo land
BY MARY PEREZ
Sun Herald
D'IBERVILLE -- The mayor and City Council tabled a development agreement
Wednesday with RAMCO Real Estate to buy the site that was to become Ocean
Expo.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/02/18/6078437_diberville-holds-off-selling-ocean.html?rh=1
Hancock County supervisor seeks investigation of Diamondhead Water & Sewer
District
BY WESLEY MULLER
Sun Herald
DIAMONDHEAD -- A Hancock County supervisor is calling for an investigation
into the Diamondhead Water & Sewer District following the abrupt
resignations of several commissioners and employees.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/02/18/6077504/county-supervisor-seeks-investigation.html
SCUA to look into septic disposal
Stone County Enterprise
By Jody O'Hara
Feb 12, 2015, 11:05
The Stone County Utility Authority is considering accepting waste from
those who pump out septic tanks, port-a-johns, restaurant grease traps and
other waste producing sources.
http://www.stonecountyenterprise.com/article_2501.shtml
Questions plague aluminum mill
Commercial Dispatch
February 18, 2015 10:35:32 AM
Andrew Hazzard - ahazzard@cdispatch.com
A Golden Triangle economic development leader says he believes lawsuits
against a Columbus-based company that has proposed building a $1.2 billion
aluminum mill could be on the horizon.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=40143
Hayes Cooper students take lead in the future of recycling
Bolivar Commercial
by Anne Hart Preus
02.18.15 - 01:03 pm
Fifth-graders at Hayes Cooper are learning about recycling in a semester
long project called Recycling: Lighting the Fire.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/26476669/article-Hayes-Cooper-students-take-lead-in-the-future-of-recycling-?instance=homefirstleft
Prof. studies why Delta deer are biggest in state
Commercial Dispatch
February 18, 2015 10:35:27 AM
There are roughly 1.75 million deer in Mississippi and they bring an
estimated $1 billion economic impact to the state.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=40138
Oil Spill
RESTORE Advisory Committee approves criteria
Pensacola News Journal
The criteria for dispersing up to $150 million for a variety of
projects was set by an Escambia County advisory committee Wednesday
night. The next step is for the county board of commissioners to
make any changes to those guidelines and approve it.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2015/02/18/restore-advisory-committee-approves-criteria/23650117/
Regional
Criminal charges in spills to cost Duke Energy $100 million
Charlotte Observer
By Anne Blythe and Bruce Henderson
Criminal charges are expected to be brought against Duke Energy in the next
several days that will accuse the nation's largest electric utility of
multiple misdemeanor violations of the federal Clean Water Act.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2015/02/18/5522737/ash-spill-could-cost-duke-energy.html#.VOXjWfmjOm4
National
State Department, EPA launch effort to monitor pollution globally
The Hill
The Obama administration announced on Wednesday the expansion of pollution
monitoring at diplomatic posts across the world.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/233125-state-department-epa-launch-effort-to-monitor-pollution-globally
Citi unveils $100B program to fight climate change
The Hill
Citigroup announced on Wednesday a commitment to lend, invest and
facilitate $100 billion over the next 10 years to fund activities that
mitigate the impacts of climate change.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/233067-citi-unveils-100b-program-to-fight-climate-change
New regs for Thursday: Drones, diving, lead emissions
The Hill
Lead: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is strengthening lead
emissions reporting requirements.
The EPA announced Wednesday it is lowering the threshold at which
communities are required to report lead emissions. However, the agency is
also eliminating a requirement for communities to report emissions from
wildfires.
The rule goes into effect immediately.
Water: The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing changes to
regulations from the Clean Water Act.
The proposed rules would change the pollutant analysis method that
industries and communities use to determine the components of wastewater.
The public has 60 days to comment.
http://thehill.com/regulation/233077-new-regs-for-thursday-drones-diving-lead-emissions
Opinion
Gulf dead zone must be reduced: Editorial
The Editorial Board
The Times-Picayune
February 18, 2015 at 9:49 AM
A new scientific study documented what had been apparent for some time:
Voluntary reductions in fertilizer use along the upper Mississippi River
aren't enough to significantly reduce the annual dead zone in the Gulf of
Mexico.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/02/gulf_dead_zone_must_be_reduced.html#incart_river
Salter: MDOT chief calls for contract reform scrutiny
Clarion Ledger
Is it any wonder the Mississippi Legislature is actively, earnestly
debating legislation that seeks to improve the process of how
government contracts are awarded to remove opportunities for corrupt
officials to engage in more looting of the public trust?
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/columnists/2015/02/18/salter-mdot-chief-calls-contract-reform-scrutiny/23655293/
Press Releases
U.S. Department of State and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Launch
Partnership to Improve Air Quality Data
Air pollution is a serious and growing health threat worldwide, yet in many
areas, real-time air quality data is not available. We are pleased to
announce that today we signed a statement of intent to launch a new
partnership between our agencies and our U.S. diplomatic missions overseas.
This partnership will enhance the availability of outdoor air quality data
and expertise at a number of U.S. diplomatic missions. The U.S. Department
of State has a keen interest in providing sufficient air quality
information to U.S. citizens and government personnel overseas to empower
them to make informed health decisions.
One key feature of our partnership is expanding EPA's existing AirNow
system to include data from participating U.S. embassies overseas. AirNow
publicly shares air quality data,enabling viewers to reduce their exposure
to poor quality air.
In the United States, we are fortunate to have state and local officials
with considerable experience in developing and implementing programs to
monitor, improve, and meet air quality standards. A new fellowship program
will enable U.S. technical experts to visit participating diplomatic
missions to help transfer skills and build capacity for air quality
monitoring data analysis and maintenance. These visits will also include
the opportunity for training and exchanges with the host governments and
other participants.
This partnership reflects efficient use of government resources and a
whole-of-government approach to diplomacy. It not only helps us better
protect the health of our personnel overseas, but also contributes to the
global scientific community and President Obama's Open Government
Initiative. We are very excited about this partnership and look forward to
our two agencies continuing to build this program.
For more information, please visit state.gov/green.
U.S. Department of State & U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Launch Innovative International Air Quality Program
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State John Kerry and EPA Administrator Gina
McCarthy signed a statement of intent today to launch a new air quality
partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). The effort will provide U.S. citizens and
government personnel with better information on air quality at select
embassies and consulates around the world to reduce health risks from
outdoor air pollution, and will offer greater opportunities for the United
States to create partnerships on air quality with other nations.
• Air pollution is a serious and growing health threat worldwide, yet in
many areas, real-time air quality data is not available. The Department of
State has a keen interest in providing sufficient air quality information
to U.S. citizens and government personnel overseas to enable informed
health decisions.
• The partnership will use EPA's existing domestic AirNow system, which is
an online platform that helps Americans understand how clean or polluted
their outdoor air is. To build on this successful network, the Department
of State plans to place air quality monitors at select American diplomatic
posts where continuous fine particle pollution (PM 2.5) data is currently
of limited availability, and to publicly share this data through EPA's
AirNow website.
• In the United States, state and local officials have considerable
experience in developing and implementing programs to monitor, improve, and
meet air quality standards. A new fellowship program will enable technical
experts here in the United States to visit our participating diplomatic
missions to help transfer skills and build capacity for air quality
monitoring data analysis and maintenance. These visits will also include
the opportunity for training and exchanges with the host governments and
other participants.
For further information, please contact Helaina Matza at MatzaHR@state.gov
or (202) 647-0716, or visit www.state.gov/green.
