State
Bill would recognize 9-mile offshore limit for 3 Gulf states
The Associated Press
June 12, 2015 at 6:26 AM
Since July 2013, Mississippi has claimed its state waters extend nine miles
south into the Gulf of Mexico, but the federal government refuses to
recognize the declaration. Mississippi's senior U.S. senator is trying to
change the government's mind.
http://www.gulflive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/06/bill_would_recognize_9-mile_of.html#incart_river
Coahoma County to expand recycling program
The Associated Press
CLARKSDALE, MISS. — Coahoma County will spend $46,800 to add new locations
for its recycling program.
The money came in a grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/06/12/6273166/coahoma-county-to-expand-recycling.html
Miss. Supreme Court refuses to reconsider Kemper ruling
Clarion Ledger
The Mississippi Supreme Court has denied a request by Mississippi
Power Co. and the Mississippi Public Service Commission that it
reconsider its February ruling that invalidated the rate increases
for the Kemper County coal plant.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/business/2015/06/11/court-refuses-kemper-rehearing/71076552/
Diamondhead Woman Hopes to Move Potential Sewer Plant to Build Commercial
Development
WXXV
Imagine being in the process of purchasing nearly 80 acres of land for
commercial development only to realize a sewer plant was being built right
in the middle of it. That's reality for one Diamondhead woman.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Diamondhead-Woman-Hopes-to-Move-Potential-Sewer/dmWSos6H4kqlL3yCVPMjLw.cspx
Sea oats on the beach to control erosion
Sun Herald
Harrison County Sand Beach workers plant sea oats on the beach in Pass
Christian on Thursday. The work is part of a $125,000 Mississippi Tidelands
Grant to identify areas where existing dune plantings and sand fence
stabilization systems are failing. Plants and or sand fence are being
installed in appropriate places to control sand erosion.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/06/11/6272852_sea-oats-on-the-beach-to-control.html?rh=1
State leaders don't want bigger double-trailer trucks
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi's transportation commissioners are urging Sen. Thad
Cochran to help squash a proposal that would force the state to
allow larger double-trailer trucks on its roads.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/06/11/state-leaders-want-bigger-double-trailer-trucks/71097910/
Oil Spill
BP oil spill: Court filing hints penalty ruling near
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
June 11, 2015 at 4:34 PM
A routine filing in federal court Wednesday (June 10) hints a New Orleans
judge could be close to a ruling on how much BP will pay in fines for its
role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/06/bp_oil_spill_penalty_ruling.html#incart_most_shared-environment
Feds approve sand source for Louisiana barrier island rebuilding project
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
June 11, 2015 at 3:57 PM
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has signed an agreement with
Louisiana officials allowing the state to mine 13.4 million cubic yards of
sand from Ship Shoal, an underwater sand formation in federal waters. The
sand will be used to rebuild the Caillou Lake Headlands - also known as
Whiskey Island - on the southern edge of Terrebonne Parish.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/06/feds_approve_sand_source_for_b.html#incart_most_shared-environment
Regional
Authorities say Bogalusa paper mill release doesn't pose threat
Robert Rhoden
The Times-Picayune
June 11, 2015 at 11:35 AM
Authorities said the release of a substance into the air Wednesday night
(June 10) at International Paper Mill in Bogalusa does not pose a threat to
nearby businesses and residents.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/06/authorities_say_bogalusa_paper.html#incart_river
National
Republican Senators Allege Inadequate EPA Small Business Input in Clean
Power Plan
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency continues to not properly follow
statutory requirements for gathering the input of small entities as it
prepares to finalize its Clean Power Plan to address carbon dioxide
emissions from the nation's fleet of power plants, seven Republican
senators said June 10.
http://www.bna.com/republican-senators-allege-n17179927557/
Ag lobby: Final EPA water rule is worse than proposal
The Hill
The largest lobby group for farmers and ranchers declared Thursday that the
Obama administration's new rule asserting power over small waterways is
worse than what had been proposed.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/244750-agriculture-lobby-epa-water-rule-is-worse-than-proposal
Gasoline Industry Wrestles With Biofuel Law's Unintended Consequences
A new EPA proposal has shaken the market for an esoteric asset underlying
the fuel industry
Wall Street Journal
A new Environmental Protection Agency proposal has shaken the market for an
esoteric asset underlying the fuel industry, as suppliers and financial
speculators trade billions of federal credits aimed at cutting pollution
and reliance on foreign oil.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/gasoline-industry-wrestles-with-biofuel-laws-unintended-consequences-1434043770
New regs for Friday: Air pollution, trains, pilots
The Hill
Friday's edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for air
pollution, older pilots flying internationally, speed limits for passenger
trains, and procedures for handling radioactive material.
Here's what is happening:
Radioactive materials: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is
considering loosening theprotections for radioactive material.
In response to a petition from the Nuclear Energy Institute, the agency
says it is considering new exemptions for the physical protection
requirements around radioactive material.
Air pollution: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing new
air pollution rules for the use of methyl bromide.
The proposed rules would allow for the critical use of limited amounts of
methyl bromide, which was commonly used as a pesticide before it was phased
out in 2005.
"Methyl bromide is an odorless, colorless, toxic gas which is used as a
broadspectrum pesticide," the agency wrote. "Methyl bromide was once widely
used as a fumigant to control a variety of pests such as insects, weeds,
rodents, pathogens, and nematodes."
The public has 30 days to comment.
http://thehill.com/regulation/244661-new-regs-for-friday-air-pollution-trains-pilots
Press releases
EPA Releases Technical Guides to Support Vapor Intrusion Assessment and
Mitigation Activities
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released
two technical guides to support assessment and mitigation activities at
sites where vapor intrusion is an actual or potential concern.
The Technical Guide for Assessing and Mitigating the Vapor Intrusion
Pathway from Subsurface Vapor Sources to Indoor Air applies to all sites
being evaluated under federal land cleanup statutes by EPA, other federal
agencies, state and tribal governments and brownfield grantees. A
companion document, the Technical Guide for Addressing Petroleum Vapor
Intrusion at Leaking Underground Storage Tank Sites addresses any sites
where vapor intrusion related to petroleum contamination from underground
storage tanks is a potential concern. Both guides are applicable to
residential and non-residential settings.
"These guides will promote national consistency in assessing and addressing
the vapor intrusion human exposure pathway at contaminated sites to protect
human health -- particularly the most vulnerable," says Mathy Stanislaus,
assistant administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response. "States, tribes and localities, in particular, will find the
guides to be critical resources for identifying and considering key factors
related to vapor intrusion assessments, risk management decisions and
mitigation actions."
National awareness and concern about vapor intrusion has grown over the
last several decades. At the same time, knowledge of and experience with
assessment and mitigation of vapor intrusion has substantially increased,
leading to heightened understanding of and improved approaches for
evaluating and managing vapor intrusion. Relying upon this enhanced
knowledge and more extensive experience, the guides present EPA's current
recommendations for identifying, evaluating and managing vapor intrusion
while providing flexible technical approaches to accommodate site-specific
conditions and circumstances.
At sites where vapor intrusion poses a potential or actual hazard to
occupants' health or safety, exposures usually can be prevented or reduced
through relatively simple actions such as changing building pressure and
ventilation. In most cases, costs associated with addressing vapor
intrusion can be very manageable, resulting in long-term benefits including
improved public health and less costly response actions. These benefits are
especially likely when actions are undertaken early.
Vapor intrusion refers to the migration of hazardous vapors from
contaminated subsurface sources such as groundwater through soil into
overlying building and structures. Exposure to these vapors by building
occupants can potentially pose both acute and chronic health risks. Vapor
intrusion is a potential concern at any building—existing or
planned—located near soil or groundwater contaminated with vapor-forming
toxic chemicals.
To access the documents and for more information on vapor intrusion:
http://www.epa.gov/oswer/vaporintrusion/
