State
Recovery mixed for coastal fishermen
Clarion Ledger
For a newcomer to the Mississippi Coast, the sights and sounds
probably seem normal for life on the water.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/08/21/recovery-mixed-coastal-fishermen/32159737/
Storm debris turned into fishermen's dream
Clarion Ledger
When Hurricane Katrina's storm surge receded, her unimaginable power
was exposed. Concrete and brick buildings were leveled and coastal
bridges twisted and crushed, but for fishermen, some of that debris
became Katrina's silver lining.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/08/21/storm-debris-turned-fishermens-dream/32159779/
Oil Spill
Blessey: Mississippi's BP money should go into South Mississippi trust fund
Sun Herald
BILOXI -- Gerald Blessey said Friday the Mississippi Legislature should
follow the lead of Florida and direct the $750 million the state will
receive in economic damages from the BP settlement into a GoCoast Trust
fund to be spent only in South Mississippi.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/21/6376540_blessey-mississippis-bp-money.html?rh=1
National
Obama pushing for more clean energy choices for consumers
AP
WASHINGTON — Pushing back against fossil fuel interests, President Barack
Obama is pressing to give ordinary Americans more power to choose what kind
of power they use.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/24/6380127/obama-pushing-for-more-clean-energy.html
Countries Slow to Pledge Emissions Cuts Ahead of Paris Climate Talks
Delays raise concerns over developing economies' commitment to accord
planned for later this year
WSJ
Less than a third of governments seeking a global climate agreement have
submitted plans for reducing emissions, raising concerns over developing
countries' commitment to a deal months before talks are meant to culminate
in Paris.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/countries-slow-to-pledge-emissions-cuts-ahead-of-paris-climate-talks-1440357008
The most polluted cities in America
USA Today
More than 138 million people, nearly 44% of the U.S. population,
live in areas where air pollution reaches dangerously high levels
during parts of the year. While exposure to low quality air has
declined in recent years, some cities still experience alarming
levels of pollution.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/08/22/24-7-wall-st-most-polluted-cities/32130565/
Opinion
Political Target: Natural Gas
The methane rule is part of a regulatory wave to raise drilling costs.
WSJ
America's natural gas boom has been a rare economic bright spot, and even
PresidentObama likes to take credit for it. But as his term winds down, the
Administration is waging a war of regulatory attrition to raise drilling
costs and reduce its competitive advantage over wind and solar power.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/political-target-natural-gas-1440367941
State contracts reform shaky at start: Editorial
Clarion Ledger
After years of questionable state contracts and an embarrassing
bribery scandal involving the former head of the state Department of
Corrections, the Mississippi Legislature took steps to roll out
reforms for the board charged with monitoring agencies' contracting
procedures.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/08/22/state-contracts-reform-shaky-start-editorial/32210863/
Why Is the EPA Cleaning Up Mines?
Private mining companies have already shown they are better equipped to
deal with the mess.
WSJ
Images of the bright-yellow Animas River in Colorado, fouled by millions of
gallons of toxic wastewater accidentally released from an abandoned mine by
contractors working for the Environmental Protection Agency last week,
prompt a serious question: Why was the EPA even managing this waste in the
first place? Mining companies that have the skills and experience to clean
up such sites should be doing this work.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-is-the-epa-cleaning-up-mines-1440196476
Press Releases
MPB Documentary Chronicles Ten Years Since Hurricane Katrina
Mississippi Gulf Coast residents reflect on their ongoing journey of
recovery
JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi Public Broadcasting commemorates the 10th
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a documentary showing how far the
Mississippi Gulf Coast has come since August 2005. "Rising Above the
Surge: The Post Katrina Coast" is a story of Mississippians' perseverance
over catastrophe.
An original MPB production, the program premieres Wednesday, August 26 at 7
p.m. on MPB TV with an encore presentation on August 29 at 7 p.m.
"Rising Above the Surge" opens with a look at Hurricane Katrina's
devastation and how far the Mississippi Gulf Coast has come in its
recovery. As some rebuild bigger and better than before, residents and
communities are still dealing with recovery issues ten years after Katrina.
The show focuses on citizens telling stories of struggling with high
insurance costs, changes in building codes and other recovery issues.
The Katrina story is far from over. Unprecedented federal funding has
helped towns to remake themselves into attractive tourist destinations as
well as wonderful places to live. The documentary shows local officials
reflecting on the future of a region famous for its natural beauty, food,
wildlife and community.
Bound by their love for the uniqueness and beauty of the Mississippi Gulf
Coast, residents remains resilient in the face of a story that is still
unfolding.
###
