State
MDEQ awards waste assistance grant to Covington Co.
Hattiesburg American
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality recently awarded
Covington County a solid waste assistance grant of $14,158 that will
be used by the county for illegal dumping enforcement efforts.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/2015/02/23/mdeq-waste-assistance-grant/23900837/
Anthony charged with conspiracy in utility authority investigation
WLOX
Sean Anthony is now charged with one count of conspiracy in connection with
the Harrison County Utility Authority investigation.
http://www.wlox.com/story/28180692/anthony-charged-with-conspiracy-in-utility-authority-investigation
Harrison County Utility Authority contractor S.H. Anthony charged with
conspiracy
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
Contractor S.H. "Sean" Anthony has been charged with conspiracy for
allegedly bribing the former Harrison County Utility Authority director and
a member of the board.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/02/23/6086712_utility-authority-contractor-sh.html?rh=1
Oil Spill
BP appeals U.S. judge's ruling on size of Gulf oil spill
Reuters
Mon, Feb 23 2015
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - BP Plc on Monday appealed a federal judge's finding
of the size of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, which leaves the company
potentially liable to pay $13.7 billion in fines.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/23/us-usa-bp-spill-idUSKBN0LR29B20150223
National
As ocean acid grows, coasts and fisheries vulnerable, study says
BY CHRIS ADAMS
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The gradual increase of acid in the oceans threatens coastal
communities in 15 states, although the reason for the impact – and what to
do about it – varies widely, according to a new study.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/02/23/6086612/as-ocean-acid-grows-coasts-and.html
New regs for Tuesday: Fish, nuclear meltdown, foreign language
The Hill
Tuesday's edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for pregnant
women eating fish, preventing nuclear power plant meltdowns, forecasting
energy demand, and energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and
freezers.
http://thehill.com/regulation/233470-new-regs-for-tuesday-fish-nuclear-meltdown-foreign-language
Army Corps Project Pits Farmland Against Flood Threat
NPR
For years, some small towns and farmers along the Mississippi River have
been battling each other over a flood project set up by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/02/24/388463024/army-corps-project-pits-farmland-against-flood-threat
Press releases
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| USDA Seeks Grant Proposals to Increase Recreational Public Access on Private |
| Agricultural, Forest Lands |
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| |
|WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $20 |
|million is being made available to improve wildlife habitat and enhance public access |
|for recreational opportunities on privately held and operated farm, ranch and forest |
|lands. Funding is available to state and tribal governments through the Voluntary |
|Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), authorized in the 2014 Farm |
|Bill. |
| |
| |
|"USDA is harnessing the power of partnerships with state and tribal governments to |
|ensure that our rural communities are able to sustain important recreational and |
|economic opportunities," said Vilsack. "Enhancing wildlife habitat and providing new |
|opportunities for the public to hunt and fish will create economic activity, and also |
|encourage more Americans to enjoy the outdoors," said Vilsack. |
| |
| |
|According to a 2013 study commissioned by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, |
|the outdoor recreation economy supports 6.1 million direct jobs, $80 billion in |
|federal, state, and local tax revenue, and $646 billion in spending each year. Under |
|VPA-HIP, state and tribal governments may apply for grants to encourage owners and |
|operators of privately held farm, ranch or forest land to voluntarily open that land |
|for public hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation and to improve fish|
|and wildlife habitat on that land. State and tribal governments may use VPA-HIP funds |
|to create new public access programs, expand existing public access programs and to |
|improve wildlife habitat on enrolled public access program lands. |
| |
| |
|Eligible governments are eligible to apply for VPA-HIP funds for proposed projects that|
|can span up to three years. Award amounts range from $75,000 to $1 million per year. |
|USDA's 60-day application period will run from Feb. 23 through April 24, 2015. Eligible|
|governments must complete the applications through Grants.gov. Funding is not directly |
|awarded by USDA to individuals or groups. Since the reauthorization of VPA-HIP in the |
|2014 Farm Bill, the program has been administered through the Natural Resources |
|Conservation Service (NRCS). USDA provides the funds directly to state and tribal |
|governments and they, in turn, disburse the funds to private landowners. |
| |
| |
|Funding priority will be given to applications that meet the following criteria: |
| |
| |
| · Increase private land acreage available for public use; |
| |
| |
| · Offer a public access program that gains widespread acceptance among landowners; |
| |
| |
| · Make special efforts to reach historically underserved or socially disadvantaged |
| landowners; |
| |
| |
| · Ensure appropriate wildlife habitat is located on enrolled land; |
| |
| |
| · Strengthen existing wildlife habitat improvement efforts; |
| |
| |
| · Follow NRCS conservation practice standards for VPA-HIP habitat improvement |
| activities; and; |
| |
| |
| · Inform the public about the locations of existing and new lands where public |
| access is available. |
| |
| |
|Today's announcement marks the second funding round. The first round of funding under |
|the NRCS-administered VPA-HIP occurred in fiscal year 2014. USDA provided $20 million |
|for access to approximately 2.5 million acres in nine states and one tribal nation and |
|to help state and tribal governments advance recreational opportunities through |
|wildlife habitat and public access improvements on private lands. More information on |
|the fiscal year 2014 grantees can be viewed at VPA-HIP 2014 Funding Grantees. |
| |
| |
|For more information, see the notice on Grants.gov or the NRCS VPA-HIP website. |
| |
| |
|The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past |
|five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for |
|taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each |
|provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers |
|and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; |
|funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation |
|partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in |
|infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in |
|rural America. For more information, visit http://www.usda.gov/farmbill. |
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