State
MDEQ gives permit for wastewater plan in Rankin County
WLBT
If you live in Brandon, Flowood, Pearl, Richland or are apart of the Pearl
River Water Supply District land you may be dishing out more money on your
water bill.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/28912815/mdeq-gives-permit-for-wastewater-plan-in-rankin-county
Magnolia faces expensive decision on how to treat sewage
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2015 3:06 pm
By Justin Vicory
Enterprise-Journal
A difficult decision looms for Magnolia officials, and the only two options
will be expensive — and expansive.
The city is coming to grips with what to do with its wastewater disposal
system, environmental permits for which expired long ago.
http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_6eb4c790-eabd-11e4-b9ba-93dd3a7c840d.html
Hancock County gets $55,000 grant to further tire recycling
Sun Herald
BY WESLEY MULLER
HANCOCK COUNTY -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
announced Friday it awarded the county a $55,000 waste-tire grant to
continue collecting and recycling old tires.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/24/6193558_hancock-county-gets-55000-grant.html?rh=1
Grants will continue waste tire collection
WTVA
Three Rivers Solid Waste Management Authority was awarded a grant to
continue its local waste tire collection program in surrounding counties.
The $80,000 grant was given by the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Grants-will-continue-waste-tire-collection/lH-06dQUiEa94gu2fFdCgg.cspx
Action Report: What is being done in the derelict boat cleanup in the Bay
WLOX
BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) -Dwayne Lewis, Helen Peters and Roy Herron
complained that the City of Bay St. Louis, the Department of Marine
Resources and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality have done
nothing to force Dewey Bobinger, the owner of the boat, to remove the once
submerged vessel which they say was leaking fluids into the canal.
http://www.wlox.com/story/28895000/action-report-what-is-being-done-in-the-derelict-boat-cleanup-in-the-bay
Pascagoula River goes blue
Clarion Ledger
The Pascagoula River is is the largest unimpeded watershed in the
contiguous United States. It is known for its wildlife, fishing and
unmatched scenery. Now, enjoying this resource is much easier.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2015/04/26/pascagoula-river-goes-blue/26405153/
Deer Island access project receives final approval
Hattiesburg American
BILOXI — A project to bring public access to Deer Island has
received final approval by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Construction
on the 170-foot pier located on the north side of Deer Island will
begin this summer.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/2015/04/27/deer-island-access-project-receives-approval/26475487/
Miss.'s 'balanced' budget not so balanced
Clarion Ledger
Most every spring, Mississippi lawmakers laud themselves for having
passed a "balanced budget," which is technically required by state
law.
This year, the Legislature even voted to join a states' drive to try
to force Congress to balance its budget a la the Magnolia State. If
we can do it, they can do it.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/04/25/misss-balanced-budget-balanced/26395591/
Oil Spill
BP says oil spill bill over $2 billion would be "severe"
Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON – Any fine above $2 billion against BP for the Deepwater Horizon
disaster would be "extraordinary and severe," double the highest-ever U.S.
water-pollution fine and potentially crippling its American oil business,
BP said in court documents.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2015/04/27/bp-says-oil-spill-bill-over-2-billion-would-be-severe/
Keep track of BP oil spill restoration projects with new web database
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
April 24, 2015 at 3:51 PM
The public will be able to track the status of environmental restoration,
recreation improvements and science research projects in Louisiana and
other states that are paid for with fines and other money provided by BP
and its drilling partners in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon
disaster and oil spill, thanks to a new online database created by the Gulf
of Mexico Alliance, the Trust for Public Land and Ducks Unlimited.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/04/gulf_states_organization_creat_1.html#incart_river
Does Alabama's economy stand to gain more from the oil spill than it lost?
Michael Finch II
Al.com
April 24, 2015 at 3:12 PM
Five years after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, BP already has pumped
billions of dollars into Alabama's economy, with potentially hundreds of
millions more on the way.
The numbers are so large, they prompt a provocative question: When all is
said and done, will Alabama get more from payments related to the spill
than the disaster actually cost the state?
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2015/04/does_alabamas_economy_stand_to.html
BP oil spill: Judge OKs jury trials for medical lawsuits
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
A federal judge in New Orleans has ruled oil spill cleanup workers who sue
BP for medical problems that surface later in life have the right to make
their case before a jury of peers. The ruling has the potential to impact
hundreds of medical claims that could land in court over coming years.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/04/bp_medical_claims_jury_trial.html
National
States: Comment period on EPA climate rule a 'sham'
The Hill
Fifteen states suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told a
federal court that the agency's public comment period for its land climate
rule is a "sham" because it has already made up its mind about the rule.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/240212-states-comment-period-on-epa-climate-rule-a-sham
Study links drilling to earthquakes
The Hill
Oil and gas drilling is responsible for small earthquakes at more than a
dozen sites around the United States, the United States Geological Survey
reported Thursday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/239882-study-links-drilling-to-earthquakes
New regs for Monday: Train speed limits, school meal requirements,
emissions
The Hill
Monday's edition of the Federal Register contains new speed limits for
trains carrying petroleum and other flammable liquids, emissions standards
for sewage sludge incineration facilities, and meal pattern requirements
for schools.
http://thehill.com/regulation/239958-new-regs-for-monday-train-speed-limits-school-meal-requirements-emissions
Opinion
EDITORIAL: Mississippi recovering 5 years after oil spill
Sunday, April 26, 2015 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
BY NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI JOURNAL
Five years ago this week Mississippians and millions of other people in the
states of the Gulf South began watching as flames soared and oil gushed
from broken pipes deep underneath the Deepwater Horizon production platform
operated and leased by BP, the giant energy company.
https://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/188038/editorial-mississippi-recovering-5-years-after-oil-spill/
MISSISSIPPI ENVIRONMENT FOCUS GROUP: Stay engaged in Mississippi oil
disaster restoration effort
MISSISSIPPI ENVIRONMENT FOCUS GROUPApril 25, 2015
Sun Herald
Recent news headlines and coverage marking five years since the Deepwater
Horizon oil disaster began have been tragic reminders that 11 lives were
lost and the worst man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history happened
not far from Mississippi's shores.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/04/25/6193340/mississippi-environment-focus.html
Our view: Gulf State Park project is reasonable, responsible
AL.com Editorial Board
April 24, 2015 at 7:18 AM
If the Gulf State Park project were a mega-development dropping from the
sky onto a place where no lodge had existed before, we would be seriously
concerned.
But that's not the case. The goal of the $85.5 million project planned for
Alabama's premier state park, which draws 600,000 visitors annually, is to
replace a previous structure with a reasonably sized lodge and meeting
space that would be both economically and environmentally sustainable.
http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/04/our_view_gulf_state_park_proje.html
