State
DuPont plant paying fine, donating to school bus purchase
AP
DELISLE, Miss. (AP) — A Harrison County company is paying a $4,875 civil
fine and giving $14,625 to the Harrison County School District to buy a
school bus.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20150409/APN/304099703
Monroe County mining firm paying $50,000 environmental fine
AP
ABERDEEN, Miss. (AP) - An Aberdeen company that mines and processed
bentonite is paying a $50,000 fine for failing to keep accurate records and
test smokestack emissions.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/28764467/monroe-county-mining-firm-paying-50000-environmental-fine
Pearl pays fine for doing work in ditch without permit
AP
PEARL, Miss. (AP) - The City of Pearl is paying a $7,500 civil fine for
doing construction work in a ditch without getting a stormwater permit.
http://www.wjtv.com/story/28759942/pearl-pays-fine-for-doing-work-in-ditch-without-permit
Water advisory issued for two locations in Harrison County
Sun Herald
HARRISON COUNTY -- Officials with the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality issued a water contact advisory for an area of beach
in Gulfport.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/09/6167327/water-advisory-issued-for-two.html
Chevron's Pascagoula refinery on alert for 'potential security issue'
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
April 09, 2015 at 4:21 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Chevron's Pascagoula Refinery has recently
received information about a potential security issue from one of the
company's law enforcement partners.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/04/chevrons_pascagoula_refinery_o.html#incart_river
Oil Spill
RESEARCH INTO BP OIL SPILL CONTINUES
MPB
As the fifth anniversary of the BP oil spill approaches, a research vessel
is expected to set sail from Gulfport this morning to study some of the
effects of the 2010 disaster. MPB's Evelina Burnett reports, the research
is also looking at other issues related to oil spills.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2015/04/09/research-into-bp-oil-spill-continues/
Scientists to live stream 6-month expedition to study oil spill effects on
coral reefs, underwater life
WDSU
NEW ORLEANS —It's been nearly five years since the BP oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico wreaked havoc on the ecosystem, damaging plants and other life
deep in the sea. Thursday, a team of scientists launched an historic
six-month research project to study the effects of the spill and to
discover other activity on the ocean floor.
http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/scientists-to-live-stream-6month-expedition-to-study-oil-spill-effects-on-coral-reefs-underwater-life/32283210
Feb. trial date in manslaughter case from 2010 BP disaster
The Associated Press
EW ORLEANS — A trial date of Feb. 16 has been set in the complicated case
against two BP supervisors charged in the deaths of workers killed when the
Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/10/6168556/feb-trial-date-in-manslaughter.html
Plaquemines Parish moves ahead with plans to restore island that nearly
vanished after oil spill
WVUE
Despite some misgivings about repeating the same work, Plaquemines Parish
is moving forward with plans to restore an island heavily damaged in the
2010 Gulf oil spill.
http://www.fox8live.com/story/28767536/plaquemines-parish-moves-ahead-with-plans-to-restore-island-that-nearly-vanished-after-oil-spill
Regional
Arrest warrant issued for ship involved in Mississippi River collision
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 09, 2015 at 8:50 PM
A federal judge has issued an arrest warrant for the M/V Privocean, a
751-foot bulk cargo carrier that rammed a tug and an oil tank ship on the
Mississippi River on Monday (Apr. 6), after Ergon-St. James Inc. filed suit
on Thursday (Apr. 9) against the ship for damage to its docking facility.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/04/arrest_warrant_issued_for_ship.html#incart_river
National
Does your drinking water meet standards? Check new EPA website tracking
compliance
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 09, 2015 at 12:42 PM
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has created a website to keep
track of violation and compliance information of public drinking water
systems nationwide, including a separate page for Louisiana.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/04/epa_web_site_tracks_compliance.html#incart_river
Gas pipeline blast nets record $1.6 billion fine for California utility,
newspaper reports
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 09, 2015 at 1:54 PM
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. received a record $1.6 billion fine from the
California Public Utility Commission for the 2010 explosion of a company
natural gas transmission line that killed eight residents of San Bruno, a
suburb of San Francisco, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday (April 9).
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/04/california_utility_hit_with_re.html#incart_river
Press Releases
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| USDA Invests in Critical Dam Rehabilitation and Assessment Projects in 23 States |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| New assessments to focus on expanding water supply in drought-affected areas |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, April 9, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today $73 |
|million to be invested this year to rehabilitate and assess dams across the nation to |
|ensure this critical infrastructure is protecting Americans from harm, securing public |
|health and expanding water supplies in drought affected areas. About 150 projects and |
|assessments in 23 states will be funded. |
| |
| |
|"Millions of people depend on watersheds and dams for protection from floods and to |
|provide safe drinking water. With a changing and shifting climate, dams are also vital |
|to holding stores of water for use during drought," Secretary Vilsack said. "By |
|investing in this critical infrastructure, we are helping to ensure a safe, resilient |
|environment for agricultural producers and residents of rural America." |
| |
| |
|USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Assistant Chief Kirk Hanlin |
|highlighted this round of watershed rehabilitation funding on Thursday near Alpine, |
|Utah, where work is planned on Tibble Fork Dam to increase the water supply and improve|
|flood damage protection for surrounding communities. This project is one of 19 in Utah |
|that will receive nearly $30 million in overall funding. |
| |
| |
|Last year, NRCS made changes to the watershed rehabilitation program to allow for |
|projects that also help increase water supply. Half of this year's dam assessments, |
|including 15 in drought-stricken California, will assess the feasibility of using |
|watershed rehabilitation funds to mitigate drought. |
| |
| |
|"USDA continues to look for new ways to mitigate the impacts of drought across the |
|West, and this change to the Watershed Rehabilitation Program allows us to use existing|
|infrastructure to address water quantity issues," Hanlin said. |
| |
| |
|This investment follows the Obama Administration's call last year for federal agencies |
|to increase investments in infrastructure to accelerate economic growth, create jobs |
|and improve the competitiveness of the American economy. |
| |
| |
|There are nearly 12,000 dams across the United States. In addition to nearly 50 |
|rehabilitation projects, NRCS is conducting 100 dam assessments in 13 states through |
|the Watershed Rehabilitation Program. |
| |
| |
|2015 projects include: |
| |
| |
|1. Tibble Fork Dam, Utah: Tibble Fork Dam is located in the American Fork-Dry Creek |
|Watershed within US Forest Service lands of Utah County, Utah. The dam provides |
|protection against flooding within American Fork Canyon, and the communities of Cedar |
|Hills, American Fork, Highland and Pleasant Grove. The rehabilitation project is |
|expected to provide average annual benefits of $535,000 including water supply, |
|recreation and flood protection. |
| |
| |
|2. Trinity River-East Fork above Lavon, Texas: Located in Collin County, this dam |
|provides protection against flooding to an estimated 1,630 Texans who live and work |
|downstream. Additionally, it protects six city streets and one U.S. Highway that |
|together support over 39,000 vehicles daily. Among other critical infrastructure, the |
|dam also protects power lines, water lines and fiber optic cables. The rehabilitation |
|project is expected to annually provide about $1.5 million flood damage reduction |
|benefits. |
| |
| |
|3. Delaney Multipurpose Complex Dam, Mass.: The Delaney Multipurpose Complex consists |
|of two dams, the Delaney Dam and the East Bolton Dam. Originally built in 1971, the |
|Delaney Complex does not meet current dam safety criteria. Dam failure would result in |
|damages to 272 buildings, nine roads, two bridges, other public infrastructure, public |
|utilities and potential loss of life. The dam currently provides $382,130 in annual |
|flood protection benefits to the downstream communities including recreational |
|opportunities, water supply for irrigation, groundwater recharge and base flow for |
|downstream wastewater assimilation. |
| |
| |
|The states and numbers of projects: Ala. (11), Calif. (15), Colo. (2), Ga. (4), Kan. |
|(1), Ky. (1), La. (1), Mass. (1), Minn. (7), Miss. (2), Neb. (8), Nev. (1), N.C. (8), |
|Ohio (3), Okla. (18), Ore. (4), Pa. (12), S.C. (4), Texas (26), Utah (19), Va. (3), |
|W.Va. (1) and Wyo. (1) |
| |
| |
|See a full list of projects. |
| |
| |
|Watershed projects across the nation provide an estimated $2.2 billion in annual |
|benefits in reduced flooding and erosion damages, as well as improved recreation, water|
|supplies and wildlife habitat for an estimated 47 million Americans. |
| |
| |
|For more information on NRCS conservation assistance, visit |
|www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a local USDA service center. |
| |
| |
|# |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| USDA Awards Funds to Expand and Accelerate Wood Energy and Wood Product Markets in 23 |
| States |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| A new partnership agreement with the Softwood Lumber Board announced to promote |
| innovative wood building technologies |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, April 9, 2015 - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the |
|award of over $9 million to expand and accelerate wood energy and other wood product |
|markets. The federal funds will leverage $22 million in investments from partners, |
|resulting in a total investment of $31 million in 23 states. |
| |
| |
|"Working with our partners, the Forest Service is promoting deployment of new |
|technologies, designed to support new market opportunities for wood energy and |
|innovative wood building materials," said Vilsack. "This funding also supports forest |
|management needs on the National Forest System and other forest lands throughout the |
|United States." |
| |
| |
|"The Forest Service recognizes the need for a strong forest products industry to help |
|accomplish forest restoration work," said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "One of the|
|best opportunities for reducing the cost of restoration treatments is to ensure strong |
|markets for the byproducts of these treatments." |
| |
| |
|This year over 100 proposals were received for the Wood Innovations grant program, |
|highlighting the expanding use of wood as a renewable energy source and as a building |
|material. The awarded funds will stimulate the use of hazardous fuels from National |
|Forest System lands and other forested lands to promote forest health while |
|simultaneously generating rural jobs. |
| |
| |
|For more information on the grant and cooperative agreement program, visit |
|http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/wip/2015-rfp.shtm. |
| |
| |
|States receiving funding include: Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Ill., La., |
|Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., N.C., Neb., Nev., Ore., Pa., S.C., S.D., Utah, Va., Vt., |
|Wash., and Wis. See a complete list of the awards. |
| |
| |
|Today, the Secretary also announced a new partnership agreement between USDA and the |
|Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) to help coordinate research, demonstration and market |
|development for innovative wood building technologies in the built environment. The SLB|
|is an industry-funded research and promotion program designed to promote the benefits |
|and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential and non-residential |
|construction. Through cooperative planning and execution of research and promotional |
|activities, the USDA and SLB will create jobs in rural communities, expand wood use in |
|the built environment and stimulate demand for forest products. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to |
|sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands |
|to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million |
|acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and |
|maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the |
|Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year |
|through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation's |
|clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a|
|direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested |
|acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most |
|Americans live. |
| |
| |
|# |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
