State
DEQ on county over waste plan
Tyler Cleveland
Madison County Journal
Madison County apparently has more environmental issues in addition to
fines over the $2 million Sulphur Springs lake dig.
The Board of Supervisors on Monday approved paying a consulting firm up to
$15,000 to respond to a Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
request for updates required to the county's 2009 solid waste plan.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=29759
Meridian Sewer System on EPA Radar
WTOK
Meridian, Miss. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspected
Meridian's sewer collection and treatment system in April of 2014. The EPA
found numerous alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and wants the city
to fix them. The city of Meridian says its sewer system is old and there
have been issues.
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/Meridian-Sewer-System-on-EPA-Radar-290837711.html
EPA: Meridian in violation of Clean Water Act
Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd
February 5, 2015 5:00 am
During an April 2014 inspection of the city of Meridian's sewer system
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found numerous violations of the
Clean Water Act, largely due to sewage system overflows following heavy
rains, officials with the the federal agency contend.
http://www.meridianstar.com/news/epa-meridian-in-violation-of-clean-water-act/article_220b3e4c-acec-11e4-869d-7f152dd27e6e.html
SCUA lift stations need more work
Stone County Enterprise
By Jody O'Hara
Jan 29, 2015, 11:03
There must have been a lack of Boy Scouts during the planning of
infrastructure for the Stone County Utility Authority.
A glaring absence of preparedness became apparent at the authority's Monday
morning meeting.
http://www.stonecountyenterprise.com/article_2471.shtml
Canton receives EPA assistance
Madison County Journal
Duncan Dent
CANTON - The city has been selected among 121 applicants to participate in
a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's assistance program to help city
officials come up with future economic development plans.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=29762&TM=31699.45
DeSoto Co. residents notice increase in trash along roadways
WMC
DESOTO COUNTY, MS (WMC) -Neighbors in DeSoto County are hoping for a
solution to an increase in roadside trash that continues to pile up.
http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/28027301/desoto-co-residents-notice-increase-in-trash-along-roadways
Delta Wildlife awarded $1 million funding
Feb 4, 2015
Doreen Muzzi
Delta Farm Press
As one of 115 projects awarded funding through USDA's new Regional
Conservation Partnership Program, Delta Wildlife will receive $1 million
for its Wetland Habitat Restoration for Wildlife and Water Resources
project.
http://deltafarmpress.com/government/delta-wildlife-awarded-1-million-funding
Oil Shale Development Continues Declining
Natchez Democrat
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2015/02/04/oil-shale-development-continues-declining/
Oil Spill
Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of the missing BP oil
Washington Post
It was July of 2010, more than a week after the final plugging of a
calamitous oil leak near Deepwater Horizon, and a sense of confusion was
quickly spreading throughout the scientific community. An estimated 4.2
million barrels had spilled into the ocean from an oil well. But within
weeks of that spill, about one-half of the oil inexplicably went missing.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/05/scientists-may-have-finally-solved-the-mystery-of-the-missing-bp-oil/
Regional
Alabama gets grant to fund farm irrigation initiative
Southeast Farm Press
A $1.7 million grant from the National Resources Conservation Service will
help develop a statewide strategy to increase irrigation on cropland in
Alabama. The funding will be used for construction of on-farm reservoirs
and other irrigation techniques with an emphasis on efficiency.
http://southeastfarmpress.com/equipment/alabama-gets-grant-fund-farm-irrigation-initiative
National
Republicans warn EPA plan would give feds 'free reign' to regulate almost
all waterways
Fox News
Republican lawmakers warned Wednesday that a complex EPA proposal in the
works would give the federal government "free reign" to regulate virtually
any waterway or wetland in the country.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/04/republicans-warn-epa-plan-would-give-feds-free-reign-to-regulate-almost-all/
GOP pledges to fight EPA water rule
The Hill
House and Senate Republicans promised Wednesday to use their power to fight
the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulation to clarify its
jurisdiction over ponds and streams.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/231726-gop-pledges-to-fight-epa-water-rule
Lawmakers push bill to reform renewable fuel mandate
The Hill
A bipartisan group of lawmakers pushed legislation to scale back parts of
the
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/231761-lawmakers-push-bill-to-reform-renewable-fuel-mandate
EPA pollution rules target wood heaters
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with a new rule that
will limit the amount of pollution from household wood heaters.
http://thehill.com/regulation/231760-epa-pollution-rules-target-wood-heaters
Press releases
EPA Finalizes Updates to Air Standards for Future Wood Heaters
Phased-in updates will ensure a smooth transition to cleaner and more
efficient wood heaters
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing
standards to limit the amount of pollution that wood heaters, which will be
manufactured and sold in the future, can emit. These standards, which were
last updated in 1988, reflect the significantly improved technology that is
now available to make a range of models cleaner burning and more efficient.
Today's final rule will provide important health benefits to communities
across the country and will be phased in over a five-year period, giving
manufacturers time to adapt their product lines to develop the best
next-generation models to meet these new standards. The final rule does not
affect current heaters already in use in homes today. It also does not
replace state or local requirements governing wood heater use. Instead, it
ensures that consumers buying wood heaters anywhere in the United States in
the future will be able to choose from cleaner-burning models.
Wood heaters, which are used around the clock in some areas, can increase
particle pollution, sometimes called soot to levels that pose serious
health concerns. Particle pollution is linked to a wide range of serious
health effects, including heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks. People
with heart, vascular or lung disease, older adults and children are the
most at risk from particle pollution exposure. Smoke from wood heaters also
includes volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and air toxics. EPA's
updated standards will build on the work that states and local communities
have done to improve air quality in these communities and are based on
significant improvements in technology.
Emissions from new models will be reduced by roughly two-thirds, improving
air quality and providing between $3.4 and $7.6 billion in public health
benefits. This means that for every dollar spent to bring cleaner heaters
to market, the American public will see between $74 and $165 in health
benefits. Consumers purchasing new models will also benefit from efficiency
improvements, which means they will use less wood to heat their homes.
Consumers can play an important role in cutting pollution by following the
guidelines in their owner's manuals and following best burning practices
available on EPA's website.
EPA conducted extensive public outreach as it developed the proposed rule,
seeking input from numerous wood heater manufacturers, state, local and
tribal governments, regional air quality agencies, and citizen and
environmental groups. The agency also participated in a Small Business
Advocacy Review Panel to seek input and advice as it developed the proposed
rule.
Based on public comment on the proposal and additional information
submitted to the agency, the agency's final standards make a number of
important updates from the proposal including changes to provide
manufacturers the time and flexibility they need to ensure a smooth
transition to cleaner heaters. EPA is also updating the final emissions
limits to reflect changes the agency made to the emissions test method
requirements based on input received during the comment period.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set new source performance standards
(NSPS) for categories of stationary sources of pollution that cause, or
significantly contribute to, air pollution that may endanger public health
or welfare. The agency's final rule announced today updates the 1988
standards for woodstoves and sets the first-ever federal standards for
hydronic heaters, wood-fired forced air furnaces (also called warm-air
furnaces), pellet stoves and a previously unregulated type of woodstove
called a single burn-rate stove. These standards do not cover fireplaces,
fire pits, pizza ovens, barbecues or chimineas.
EPA received nearly 8,000 comments on the proposed rule and held one public
hearing.
More information: http://www2.epa.gov/residential-wood-heaters
