State
Agreement Between Two Boards Will Give Authority Ownership, When Signed
Picayune Item
http://www.picayuneitem.com/2015/05/agreement-between-two-boards-will-give-authority-ownership-when-signed/
Beach Rental Business Down Due to Beach Closures
WXXV
While we routinely see beach advisories here in South Mississippi, two
weeks ago, a broken waste pipe shut down many popular beaches for several
days and beach rental companies are seeing a hit in business.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Beach-Rental-Business-Down-Due-to-Beach-Closures/gc0u-9yDo02k0faZLjXZSw.cspx
Water advisory issued for part of beach in Gulfport
Sun Herald
BY JAMES SKRMETTA
GULFPORT -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued a
water contact advisory Thursday for a stretch of beach in Gulfport.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/21/6238453/water-advisory-issued-for-part.html
MDEQ: Petroleum cleanup complete on I-20 near mile marker 8
WJTV
WARREN COUNTY, Miss. - The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
said the petroleum cleanup near mile marker 8 on Interstate 20 is complete.
http://www.wjtv.com/story/29124891/mdeq-petroleum-cleanup-complete-on-i-20-near-mile-marker-8
Mississippi Power says it must give back association's $275 million deposit
on Kemper
Action could affect rate proposed rate increase
BY MARY PEREZ AND PAUL HAMPTON
Sun Herald
Mississippi Power said in a report filed late Wednesday a $275 million
deposit the company received from South Mississippi Electric Power
Association must be returned now that SMEPA has decided not to buy into the
power plant being built in Kemper County by Mississippi Power.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/21/6238188_mississippi-power-says-it-must.html?rh=1
Pascagoula has $4 million in infrastructure work under contract
Mississippi Press
April M. Havens
May 21, 2015 at 1:39 PM
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Pascagoula has more than $4 million in
infrastructure projects under contract, all work that's being funded
through a $15 million general obligation bond.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/05/pascagoula_has_4_million_in_in.html#incart_river
DMR sets hearing on basket dredging
The state Department of Marine Resources will hold a public hearing from 6
to 8 p.m. May 28 concerning the prohibition of basket dredges for oyster
harvesting.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/21/6239228/around-south-mississippi.html
Oil Spill
Meeting will seek comments on Gulf restoration projects
Sun Herald
A public meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. June 4 will hear comments on 10 proposed
early gulf restoration projects, including two in Mississippi.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/21/6239228/around-south-mississippi.html
National
Republicans seek to ease EPA permitting
The Hill
A new Republican bill aims to ease the burden of obtaining air pollution
permits from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for manufacturing
facilities.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/242877-republicans-seek-to-ease-epa-permitting
Obama Set to Strengthen Federal Role in Clean Water Regulation
NY Times
The Obama administration is expected in the coming days to
announce a major clean water regulation that would restore
the federal government's authority to limit pollution in
the nation's rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/us/politics/obama-set-to-strengthen-federal-role-in-clean-water-regulation.html?ref=earth
Senate panel advances $35.4B bill funding energy, water programs
The Hill
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced a $35.5 billion
bill funding energy and water programs for fiscal 2016, which begins Oct.
1.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/242830-senate-panel-advances-354b-bill-funding-energy-water-programs
With Compost Program, Keeping Waste From Going to Waste
NY Times
Dashing out the door on Monday afternoon, Wendy Toribio
stopped short when she saw women from the city's
Sanitation Department walking up to her home on 58th
Avenue in Maspeth, Queens. They came bearing gifts: a
brown bin and a smaller bucket, both for organic garbage,
like food scraps.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/nyregion/with-compost-program-keeping-waste-from-going-to-waste.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Opinion
The EPA's Pebble Blame Game
The agency digs deep for excuses—and not very good ones—to explain its veto
of an Alaskan mine project.
Wall Street Journal
By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL
May 21, 2015 7:24 p.m. ET
Government agencies have a certain descending order of excuses they employ
as a scandal grows. When they reach the point of quibbling over semantics
and blaming low-level employees, it's clear they know they've got a
problem.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-epas-pebble-blame-game-1432250642
Press Releases
Steel Dynamics Expanding Operations in Columbus, Miss.
COLUMBUS, Miss.—Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from Steel Dynamics, Inc.
announced today the company is expanding through the addition of painting
and Galvalune® capabilities at its Columbus, Miss., steel mill. The project
represents a corporate investment of approximately $100 million and will
create 40 new, full-time jobs.
SDI's Columbus location, the Flat Roll Group Columbus Division, was
acquired from Severstal North America in 2014. The acquisition increased
SDI's steel operations shipping capacity to 11 million tons per year. The
facility produces sheet steel products consisting of hot roll, cold roll,
and coated steel products. The addition of a paint line and Galvalume®
capability will allow SDI to produce additional value-added steel products
at the Columbus location.
"The Steel Dynamics team could have selected one of its other U.S.
locations as the site of its new paint facility, and the company's decision
to further invest in its Columbus operations and create new jobs for the
area's workforce speaks volumes about Mississippi's supportive business
climate," Gov. Bryant said. "I thank SDI for its commitment to the Columbus
community and the state of Mississippi, and I look forward to watching the
company's continued growth and success in Lowndes County."
"We are excited about this important strategic step toward further
diversifying our high quality steel product offering at Columbus to include
higher-margin steel products for our customers," said Mark D. Millett, CEO
of Steel Dynamics, Inc. "The most significant portion of our expansion
plans is the addition of a state-of-the-art continuous coil coating paint
line, capable of producing 250,000 tons annually. We expect operations to
begin early in 2017.
"We are grateful to Governor Bryant and his staff, and the numerous
Mississippi state agencies for their support of Steel Dynamics. We are
excited about this opportunity to expand our capabilities by making this
investment in our Columbus operation and creating new jobs for the area's
workforce."
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the
project for infrastructure improvements, rail construction and workforce
training. Tennessee Valley Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission and
the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors assisted with the project, as well.
"While Steel Dynamics is one of the newer members of Mississippi's business
community, the company's Columbus facility has been a cornerstone of the
Golden Triangle region's industrial landscape for years," said MDA Interim
Executive Director Manning McPhillips. "Economic development requires the
collaboration of leaders at the regional, local and state levels, and this
expansion is a testament to that. This project would not have happened
without the Golden Triangle Development LINK, Lowndes County, TVA, and the
Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority. The team was quick to
meet Steel Dynamics' needs and timeline to ensure this project was a
success."
Situated on a 1,400-acre site, SDI's Columbus facility is a groundbreaking,
high-tech electric arc furnace mini-mill capable of producing 3.4 million
tons of steel annually. The plant covers more than two million square feet
and features state-of-the-art steel manufacturing capabilities, including
two electric arc furnaces, two ladle metallurgy furnaces, two vacuum
degassers, two thin slab casters, a hot strip mill, pickle lines, an
annealing line, a temper mill, two hot-dipped galvanizing lines, and a
rewind/inspection line. The Columbus Division is currently the most
technologically advanced EAF facility in North America.
For more information, visit www.steeldynamics.com.
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| USDA Reminds Farmers to Certify Conservation Compliance by June 1 Deadline |
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|Producers May Need to Take Action to Remain Eligible for Crop Insurance Premium Support|
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|WASHINGTON, May 21, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers to|
|file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form |
|(AD-1026) with their local USDA Service Center by June 1, 2015. The 2014 Farm Bill |
|requires producers to have the form on file in order to remain eligible, or to become |
|eligible for crop insurance premium support. |
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| |
|Many farmers already have a certification form on file since it's required for |
|participation in most USDA programs including marketing assistance loans, farm storage |
|facility loans and disaster assistance. However, farmers who only participate in the |
|federal crop insurance program must now file a certification form to receive crop |
|insurance premium support. These producers might include specialty crop farmers who may|
|not participate in other USDA programs. |
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|"USDA is making every effort possible to get the word out about this new Farm Bill |
|provision," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "We've deployed a variety of |
|informational documents and online resources including fact sheets, frequently asked |
|questions and brochures to help farmers understand what they need to do. We've also |
|conducted informational meetings and training sessions for nearly 6,000 stakeholders |
|across the country. We want to make sure that those who are required to act do so by |
|the June 1 deadline. We want all eligible producers to be able to maintain their |
|ability to protect their operations with affordable crop insurance." |
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|USDA has conducted extensive outreach over the past year, especially to producers who |
|only participate in the federal crop insurance program and may be subject to |
|conservation compliance for the first time. Along with the outreach done by crop |
|insurance agents and companies, USDA efforts have included letters, postcards, phone |
|calls, producer meetings and interaction with stakeholder groups to help them reach |
|their members. While there are procedures in place to correct good faith errors and |
|omissions on certification forms, the deadline cannot be waived or extended and a form |
|must be filed by June 1. |
| |
| |
|The Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form |
|AD-1026 is available at local USDA Service Centers or online at |
|www.fsa.usda.gov/AD1026form.When a farmer completes this form, USDA's Farm Service |
|Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service staff will identify any additional |
|actions that may be required for compliance with highly erodible land and wetland |
|provisions. USDA's Risk Management Agency, through the Federal Crop Insurance |
|Corporation, manages the federal crop insurance program. |
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|Today's announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic |
|economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful |
|reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has |
|implemented many provisions of this critical legislation, 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 www.usda.gov/farmbill. |
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