State
Billions over budget. Two years after deadline. What's gone wrong for the
'clean coal' project that's supposed to?
By DARREN SAMUELSOHN
Politico
DE KALB, Miss. – If coal has a future, it lies here, off a state road lined
with churches, crawfish billboards and boarded-up houses. One of the
poorest places in America, this is also home to one of the most expensive
power plants ever built.
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/billion-dollar-kemper-clean-coal-energy-project-000015?hp=t3_r
Recycling program gets another grant
By Rhonda Dunawaym
Enterprise-Journal | Posted: Thursday, May 28, 2015 2:00 pm
Waste Management officials praised the efforts of Recycle one program
director Artis Brown at Tuesday's McComb city board meeting and presented
Brown with a $10,000 check to continue the good work.
http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_0084f042-0557-11e5-a145-2b16c22d4ba2.html
Lowndes, Tippah Counties Get MDEQ Grants
WCBI
BY STEVE ROGERS · MAY 28, 2015
JACKSON, Miss. (Press Release) — The Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ) awarded Tippah County a solid waste assistance
grant of $13,760 and Lowndes County a $19,528 that will be used for
enforcement and clean up of illegal
http://www.wcbi.com/local-news/lowndes-tippah-counties-get-mdeq-grants/
Two counties given grants to tackle illegal dumping sites
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) -- Two North Mississippi counties were awarded grants
from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to aid with
tackling illegal dumping sites.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/Two-counties-given-grants-to-tackle-illegal/Nu9dcXkvdUyIB85PutuIOQ.cspx
EPA gives $400k in grants to revitalize West Point
WTVA
WEST POINT, Miss. (WTVA) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is
giving the City of West Point and Community Counseling Services, also in
West Point, grants to help clean-up and redevelop contaminated properties,
boost the economy and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the
environment.
http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/EPA-gives-400k-in-grants-to-revitalize-West-Point/Wht0TjCGBE-f3q4rtIVXUw.cspx
South Mississippi Electric plans five solar facilities
Hattiesburg American
On Thursday, Hattiesburg-based South Mississippi Electric announced
plans to add to its renewable energy portfolio with the construction
of five solar power facilities. The project is scheduled to be
operational by early 2016, with plans for a larger-scale facility in
the future.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2015/05/28/south-mississippi-electric-plans-five-solar-facilities/28086485/
$20 million bond aims to make Ingalls a Shipyard of the Future
$20 million bond aims to make Ingalls into Shipyard of the Future
SUN HERALD
PASCAGOULA -- Gov. Phil Bryant was at Ingalls Shipbuilding on Thursday for
a ceremonial signing of a $20 million bond bill that will help fund the
company's Shipyard of the Future project.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/28/6250126/20-million-bond-aims-to-make-ingalls.html
DOR says state tax returns 'on target'
Clarion Ledger
The Department of Revenue reports it is "on target" with state
income tax returns this year, and able to answer more phone calls
from taxpayers after budget and staff increases.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/05/28/dor-says-state-tax-returns-target/28069447/
Oil Spill
BP Drops Fight Over $750 Million Deepwater Horizon Insurance
Bloomberg
BP Plc won't seek to access Transocean Ltd.'s $750 million insurance policy
for the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded while drilling a BP well in
2010, sparking the worst offshore spill in U.S. history.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-28/bp-drops-fight-over-750-million-deepwater-horizon-insurance-ia8gyvoe
National
Watchdog hits EPA on state oversight
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not corrected deficiencies in
how it oversees states' enforcement of federal environmental laws, its
internal watchdog said Thursday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/243309-watchdog-hits-epa-on-state-oversight-employee-misconduct
Obama: 'Best climate scientists' link hurricanes, climate change
The Hill
President Obama said Thursday the link between more extreme weather and
climate change is undeniable, and that the world's best scientists have
made a conclusive connection.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/243332-obama-best-climate-scientists-link-hurricanes-climate-change
Why trash is no longer cash for recycling biz
CNBC
It's hard to find a U.S. customer who doesn't support recycling, but it's
also tough to make a buck on the business these days, Waste Management CEO
David Steiner said Thursday.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102713255
Los Angeles-area beaches closed for swimming because of tar globs
The Associated Press
May 28, 2015 at 3:44 PM
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. -- Popular beaches along nearly 7 miles of Los
Angeles-area coastline were off-limits to surfing and swimming Thursday as
scientists looked for the source of globs of tar that washed ashore.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/05/los_angeles_area_beaches_close.html#incart_river
Obama administration lays out controversial plans to protect sage grouse
Fox News
The Obama administration disclosed plans Thursday to preserve the habitat
of the imperiled greater sage grouse in 10 Western states that would
include placing limits on oil and natural gas drilling.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/29/rules-aim-to-protect-imperiled-bird-habitat-in-10-states/?intcmp=latestnews
Inside America's Secretive Biolabs
USA Today
Vials of bioterror bacteria have gone missing. Lab mice infected with
deadly viruses have escaped, and wild rodents have been found making nests
with research waste. Cattle infected in a university's vaccine experiments
were repeatedly sent to slaughter and their meat sold for human
consumption. Gear meant to protect lab workers from lethal viruses such as
Ebola and bird flu has failed, repeatedly.
http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/2015/05/28/biolabs-pathogens-location-incidents/26587505/
Wisconsin's frac sand industry booms
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin was the leading producer of frac sand in 2014, accounting for
nearly half of the nation's production of the white sand coveted by the
hydraulic fracturing industry, new statistics released this week show.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/wisconsins-frac-sand-industry-booms-b99509220z1-305394131.html
Press Releases
EPA Announces $54.3 Million to Assess and Clean Up Contaminated Sites,
Revitalize Communities, Leverage Jobs and Promote Economic Redevelopment
Nationwide
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today
the selection of 243 new grant investments totaling $54.3 million to 147
communities across the U.S. This investment will provide communities with
funding necessary to assess, clean up and redevelop contaminated
properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public
health and the environment. Recipients will each receive approximately
$200,000 - $600,000 in funding toward EPA cooperative agreements.
EPA's Brownfields grants provide resources early which is critical for the
success of communities' ability to leverage additional partnerships and
resources. The community leaders - represented by local governments,
states, tribes, quasi-governmental organizations, and non-profit entities
have demonstrated strong partnerships and plan to leverage the EPA grants
with other public-private investments. They use an inclusive process to
help spur the redevelopment of vacant, former manufacturing and commercial
sites for broader revitalization in their downtowns. This results in a
transformed economy and environment while addressing poverty and economic
distress.
"Brownfield sites - because of their locations and associated
infrastructure advantages - are community assets and a key component of the
Obama Administration's efforts to provide tools to sustainably revitalize
communities and foster economic development," said Mathy Stanislaus,
assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response. "These communities have demonstrated a plan to leverage their
grants and partnerships to achieve economic and environmental
revitalization to meet their needs for jobs. These critical EPA resources
are going into communities with populations ranging from 89 to 1.4 million,
and more than half under 100,000. The grants will help transform brownfield
sites, such as former manufacturing and mill sites, into productive end
uses which directly benefit community residents and create opportunities
including increased housing options, recreational spaces, and jobs."
Among the communities selected for funding, more than thirty percent have
been affected by plant closures, forty percent by significant economic
disruptions, and forty-two percent by adverse natural disasters. The small
City of Palatka, Florida for example, was declared an emergency area
following the devastation of two tropical storms, and has also suffered
economically from the closing of Georgia-Pacific paper towel manufacturing
line and the lay-off of 130 employees from the regional water management
company. Being selected for a $400,000 assessment grant will allow this
town of just over 10,000 residents to support their downtown and riverfront
redevelopment plans and help restore the local economy.
This latest funding advances EPA's broader commitment to making a visible
difference in communities that focuses on better coordinating federal
investments to help environmentally overburdened, underserved, and
economically distressed communities address local priorities. Communities
selected this year demonstrate a high level of preparedness to undertake
specific projects as they have firm commitments of leveraged funds to move
projects forward. An impressive forty-five percent of the recipients have
secured public and private resources which directly align and further the
efforts of proposed projects.
San Antonio, Texas, selected for a $400,000 assessment grant, will focus on
three priority areas to restore urban waterways, attract commercial
development, construct new multifamily housing, and sustainably reuse
existing buildings. By creatively combining available resources, the city
secured more than $470 million to advance community goals which will help
ensure success of revitalizing the priority areas.
EPA continues to help new communities to address Brownfields sites plaguing
their neighborhoods. First-time recipient Columbus, Indiana plans to use a
$400,000 assessment grant award to perform assessments that align with and
promote the city's strategic plan to expand residential and educational
opportunities for its residents, enhance greenspace and boost the economy
with new retail stores and services.
EPA's grant awards support both urban and rural communities in their
efforts to address their brownfields concerns. More than fifty-five percent
of the communities selected are cities and towns with populations of
100,000 or less, of which forty-four percent are very small rural
communities with populations of 10,000 or less. The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
in South Dakota, population 1,664, will use its $200,000 cleanup grant to
remove contamination from the Former Housing Authority Building located in
the middle of town and directly adjacent to an elementary school.
Addressing contamination of the deteriorating building will enhance the
environmental and public welfare of the resident and provide other direct
community benefits by allowing the tribe to relocate their local Boys &
Girls Club.
Approximately $17 million of the assessment and cleanup funding will go to
applicants who are also Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant recipients and
HUD-DOT-EPA partnership communities. This funding will help communities
clean up and reuse brownfield sites to produce community assets such as
housing, recreation and open space, health facilities, create employment,
education, social services, transportation options, infrastructure and
commerce opportunities. For example, the Camden Redevelopment Agency in New
Jersey will receive three $200,000 cleanup grant awards, and a $200,000
assess grant which will lead to the redevelopment of a 3.6-acre mercury and
lead contaminated Camden Laboratories site into mixed residential and
commercial use. Clark County in Nevada will receive a $500,000 assessment
coalition grant award to address the Maryland Parkway High Capacity
Corridor in the heart of the Las Vegas' urban core. As the region's first
multi-modal corridor, over the next 20 years, the development will generate
much needed jobs and will spur additional development and investments in
the area.
Since the inception of the EPA's Brownfields Program in 1995, cumulative
brownfield program investments have leveraged more than $22 billion from a
variety of public and private sources for cleanup and redevelopment
activities. This equates to an average of $17.79 leveraged per EPA
brownfield dollar expended. These investments have resulted in
approximately 105,942 jobs nationwide. EPA's Brownfields Program empowers
states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent,
assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields sites.
For information on brownfields grants by state:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/
More information on EPA's brownfields program:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
More information on brownfields success stories:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm
