State
Bland says EPA meeting in Atlanta was productive
Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd
March 11, 2015 4:00 am
City officials described Monday's meeting in Atlanta with the
Environmental Protectional Agency and the Mississippi Department
Environmental Quality as a productive first step to a lengthy process
toward improving Meridian's wastewater collection and treatment system.
http://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/bland-says-epa-meeting-in-atlanta-was-productive/article_11684c9a-c779-11e4-8373-f7805cc7efd5.html
Animal shelter, property owners get EPA reuse award for old Davis Timber
Superfund site
WDAM
The Hub City Humane Society and Chuck and Gayle Davis have been recognized
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts to re-develop
the old Davis Timber Co. Superfund site in Lamar County.
http://www.wdam.com/story/28355988/animal-shelter-property-owners-get-epa-reuse-award-for-old-davis-timber-superfund-site
Itta Bena redevelopment plan spurred by federal grant
AP
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $200,000
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant to the Mississippi Conference
of Black Mayors for reuse planning in Itta Bena to build a vibrant
downtown/college town, increase use of local parks and address
environmental justice concerns.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/money/business/2015/03/10/itta-bena-redevelopment-plan-spurred-federal-grant/24739085/
Lake Serene resident thankful for progress on dam completion
WDAM
Residents in lake Serene West haven't been able to use their earthen dam
since it was damaged in Hurricane Isaac, but with construction near
completion it will soon come back to life.
http://www.wdam.com/story/28358353/lake-serene-resident-thankful-for-progress-on-dam-completion
Curbside Recycling Program developments
WHLT
The Public Works Department of Hattiesburg is encouraging residents to
participate in the Curbside Recycling Program in an effort to keep our
world more sustainable.
http://www.whlt.com/story/28361458/curbside-recycling-program-developments
Schools awarded funds to start recycling programs
WTVA
The Mississippi Recycling Coalition (MRC) has awarded two local schools
with grants to start recycling programs.
http://www.wtva.com/news/national/story/Schools-awarded-funds-to-start-recycling-programs/_W48Iwd4p0qeRgn3hb6O_g.cspx
Governor's oyster council prepares for public hearings
WLOX
The people tasked with creating a blue print to a thriving oyster industry
in Mississippi met Tuesday to update its progress.
http://www.wlox.com/story/28360081/governors-oyster-council-prepares-for-public-hearings
High tech fish cleaning at Leake Co. water park
WLBT
A state of the art fish-cleaning station has opened at Leake County Water
Park near the Lowhead Dam at Barnett Reservoir, officials of the Pearl
River Valley Water Supply District announced.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/28365066/high-tech-fish-cleaning-at-leake-co-water-park
More than 330,000 acres of critical habitat proposed for black pine snakes
in Mississippi, Alabama
Mississippi Press
Mark Heim
March 10, 2015 at 4:03 PM
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to protect 338,100 acres
of critical habitat in Mississippi and Alabama for black pine snakes.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/03/in_effort_to_help_black_pine_snakes_us_fish_and_wildlife_service_proposes_330000_acres_of_critical_habitat.html#incart_river
Anthony pleads guilty in Harrison County Utility Authority corruption probe
Contractor admits bribing director Kamran Pahlavan and ex-Supervisor Kim
Savant to secure work
Sun Herald
BY ANITA LEE
GULFPORT -- An investigation into public corruption in Harrison County is
ongoing, FBI Special Agent Glen Kelly confirmed after contractor S.H.
"Sean" Anthony admitted in federal court this morning he conspired with two
county Utility Authority officials to bribe them and defraud the
government.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/03/10/6113557_harrison-utility-authority-contractor.html?rh=1
National
Senate launches chemical reform push
The Hill
Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and David Vitter (R-La.) are introducing
legislation to overhaul the nation's chemical laws, which are widely viewed
as broken.
http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/235200-chemical-reform-push-launched-in-senate
Agencies admit failing to protect water sources from fuel pollution
LA Times
The agencies charged with overseeing oil production and protecting
California's ever-dwindling water sources from the industry's pollution all
fell down on the job, one state official told a panel of peeved lawmakers
Tuesday.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-fracking-water-20150311-story.html
New regs for Wednesday: Pipelines, efficiency, black pinesnakes
The Hill
Wednesday's edition of the Federal Register contains new pipeline safety
standards, test procedures for residential furnaces and boilers, and tax
rules for charitable hospital organizations.
http://thehill.com/regulation/235182-new-regs-for-wednesday-pipelines-efficiency-black-pinesnakes
Chart: The 7,000 Streams that Become the Mississippi River
A new tool maps the thousands of connections among U.S. rivers.
Slate
A new online tool released by the Department of the Interior this week
allows users to select any major stream and trace it up to its sources or
down to its watershed. The above map, exported from the tool, highlights
all the major tributaries that feed into the Mississippi River,
illustrating the river's huge catchment area of approximately 1.15 million
square miles, or 37 percent of the land area of the continental U.S. Use
the tool to see where the streams around you are getting their water (and
pollution).
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/map_of_the_week/2013/07/chart_tributaries_of_the_mississippi_river.html
Press Releases
Farm Bureau Calls on EPA to Retain, Enforce Reasonable Air Quality
Standards
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 10, 2015 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is
warning that the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to place
further restrictions on air quality standards would damage agriculture
and rural communities if implemented.
The move to tighten already strict ozone standards would impose
significant cost to farmers and ranchers without delivering a guaranteed
benefit to the public, AFBF said in formal comments submitted to the EPA
late yesterday. Although it is a relatively small contributor to ozone
levels, agriculture would be hit hard. Basic farming activities such as
animal feeding, pesticide application and waste management would be
further restricted even as proposed limits are at or near naturally
occurring levels in some areas. Higher costs to meet special requirements
for vehicles and fuel would be passed on to farmers and ranchers who
depend on affordable energy to stay competitive in the global economy.
"EPA's proposed ozone standards would limit business expansion in nearly
every populated region of the Unite States. U.S. industry and
agriculture, alike, will create fewer jobs and be less competitive in the
world market if these proposals are implemented," said Dale Moore, AFBF
executive director of public policy. "The hardship to farmers, ranchers
and rural America will be real and immediate, while the benefits are
unverified and uncertain."
http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=newsroom.news_article&id=264
