State
Energy Efficiency Conference Hosted At MSU
WCBI
A number of professionals came together at Mississippi State to explore
challenges and new opportunities in energy storage.
http://www.wcbi.com/uncategorized/video-energy-efficiency-conference-hosted-at-msu/
In Biloxi, chlorine leak repaired
Sun Herald
Biloxi firefighters called in a Hazmat team Thursday to fix a chlorine leak
on a Harrison County water well in the Woolmarket community, Biloxi Fire
Chief Joe Boney said.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/13/6364433/in-biloxi-chlorine-leak-repaired.html
Jackson, Ridgeland issue emergency water conservation requests
WLBT
RIDGELAND, MS (Mississippi News Now) -Two cities in metro area are asking
residents and businesses to conserve water.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/29783787/jackson-ridgeland-issue-emergency-water-conservation-requests
Oil Spill
Restore council recommends $21 million in Mississippi projects
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -The Gulf Coast Restore Council on Thursday released a
list of recommended projects that will be funded with nearly $140 million
in BP settlement money. Some $21 million is set aside for Mississippi.
http://www.wlox.com/story/29783689/restore-council-recommends-21-million-in-mississippi-projects
$140 million in conservation work proposed for Gulf of Mexico
AP
NEW ORLEANS -- Ten watersheds around the rim of the Gulf of Mexico -- from
Florida to Texas -- are being looked at as sites for $140 million in
proposed conservation projects under a plan to restore the Gulf from BP's
catastrophic 2010 oil spill.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/13/6365203_140-million-in-conservation-work.html?rh=1
Public comments sought on $139 million in proposed oil spill restoration
projects
Al.com
Dennis Pillion
August 13, 2015 at 11:44 AM
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released a draft Funded
Priorities List (FPL) Thursday for public comment. This FPL details active
restoration projects total $139.6 million, and recommends setting aside
approximately $43.6 million for future projects.
http://blog.al.com/news_impact/print.html?entry=/2015/08/public_comments_sought_on_139.html
Louisiana restoration projects to get another $52 million in Transocean
fines
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
August 13, 2015 at 6:27 PM
Six coastal and wetland restoration projects and a study of the lower
Mississippi River will receive $52 million from Clean Water Act fines paid
by Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon drillship that exploded
during the BP oil spill disaster in 2010.
The money is part of a proposal released Thursday by the federal-state
panel that oversees the Restore Act Trust Fund.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/08/louisiana_to_receive_restorati.html#incart_river
National
States Move to Block Obama Administration's New Carbon Rules
Fifteen states petition court to issue emergency stay, the first step in an
expected lengthy battle
WSJ
WASHINGTON—Fifteen states asked a federal court Thursday to temporarily
block Obama administration carbon regulations while they mount a full legal
challenge to the rules.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/states-move-to-block-obama-administration-carbon-rules-1439502365
Fifteen states petition DC court to block new EPA power plant rules
Fox News
Attorneys general from 15 states filed a petition in federal court Thursday
to block new EPA rules requiring massive cuts in emissions from power
plants.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/14/fifteen-states-petition-dc-court-to-block-new-epa-power-plant-rules/?intcmp=hplnws
National Challenge of Leaking Mines Dwarfs Colorado Spill
AP
It will take many years and many millions of dollars simply to manage and
not even remove the toxic wastewater from an abandoned mine that unleashed
a 100-mile-long torrent of heavy metals into Western rivers and has likely
reached Lake Powell, experts said.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/national-challenge-leaking-mines-dwarfs-colorado-spill-33078587?singlePage=true
Press releases
GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL RELEASES DRAFT
INITIAL FUNDED PRIORITIES LIST
Mississippi's public meeting to be held September 10 in Biloxi
NEW ORLEANS – The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) today
released a draft Initial Funded Priorities List (draft FPL). The Council,
which is comprised of trustees from the five coastal states, affected by
the spill, and the federal partners, is proposing to focus on 10 key
watersheds across the Gulf. Using funds from the settlement with Transocean
Deepwater Inc., the Council is seeking to provide near-term, on-the-ground
ecosystem benefits, while also conducting planning activities designed to
build a foundation for future success as additional funds become available
from other parties. The Council is proposing to focus on 10 key watersheds
across the Gulf in order to concentrate and leverage funds to address
critical ecosystem needs in high priority locations. The Council also
proposes a suite of Gulf-wide investments designed to support holistic
ecosystem restoration and lay the foundation for future success.
This draft FPL would fund approximately $139.6 million in restoration
activities such as hydrologic restoration, land conservation and planning
for large-scale restoration projects. In addition, the Council is reserving
approximately $43.6 million for implementation of additional activities in
the future, subject to further Council review.
The draft FPL is available for public and tribal review and comment through
Sept. 28, 2015.
The Council will host a series of public meetings across the Gulf Coast to
discuss the draft FPL and seek public and tribal comments.
"This draft FPL focuses on key watersheds and estuaries across the Gulf,
using foundational restoration techniques tailored to the needs of specific
areas," said Justin R. Ehrenwerth, executive director of the Council.
"We're fortunate to have a diverse and dedicated group of stakeholders who
have helped to get us to this point. Once again, we ask for your feedback
and assistance in ensuring that we do the right thing for the Gulf."
"Today's announcement means more than $21 million is directly being
invested in Mississippi's continued efforts to restore our Gulf Coast. An
additional $11 million through Gulf-wide investments will touch Mississippi
in some shape or form. We believe all of these investments further our
principle of making Mississippi whole, and represent priorities as
established by the broader Mississippi stakeholder community," said Gary
Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director.
The proposed Mississippi projects that are included on the draft FPL
include:
· Land Conservation (~$15.5 million)
· Education and Outreach of the benefits of Land Conservation (~$750,000)
· The Mississippi Sound Estuarine Program (~$2.3 million)
· Enhancing Beneficial Opportunities for Use of Dredge Sediments(~
$2.2million)
The schedule of upcoming public meetings to discuss the draft FPL and seek
public input is as follows:
Aug. 20, 2015 |Texas A&M University |6:00 p.m.
|6300 Ocean Drive |CST
|Corpus Christi, TX 48412 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Aug. 26, 2015 |FWC Fish & Wildlife Research |6:00 p.m.
|Institute |EST
|100 Eighth Ave. SE |
|St. Petersburg, FL 33701 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Aug. 27, 2015 |Gulf Coast State College |6:00 p.m.
|5230 West US Hwy. 98 |CST
|Panama City, FL 32401 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Sept. 1, 2015 |Battle House Renaissance Mobile |6:00 p.m.
|26 North Royal St. |CST
|Mobile, AL 36602 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Sept. 10, 2015 |Coast Coliseum & Convention Center |5:00 p.m.
|2350 Beach Blvd. |CST
|Biloxi, MS 39531 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Sept. 15, 2015 |Homer L. Hitt Alumni Center |5:30 p.m.
|2000 Lakeshore Drive |CST
|New Orleans, LA 70148 |
------------------------+-------------------------------------+------------
Sept. 16, 2015 |Morgan City Municipal Auditorium |5:30 p.m.
|728 Myrtle St. |CST
|Morgan City, LA 70380 |
The draft FPL can be found on the Council's website at
www.RestoreTheGulf.gov.
The public is encouraged to provide comments online at
www.RestoreTheGulf.gov (preferred method); by mail to Gulf Coast Ecosystem
Restoration Council, Attention: Draft FPL Comments, Hale Boggs Federal
Building, 500 Poydras Street, Suite 1117, New Orleans, LA 70130; by e-mail
todraftfplcomments@restorethegulf.gov; or in person during formal public
comment periods at any of the public meetings.
