State
Water Contact Advisory Issued for Riverdale Creek
WCBI
BY EMILY CASSULO · OCTOBER 26, 2015
JACKSON, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) — The Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a water contact advisory Monday for the
lower segment of Riverdale Creek in Grenada.
http://www.wcbi.com/local-news/water-contact-advisory-issued-for-riverdale-creek/
Water contact advisory issued for Grenada creek
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (News Release) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality
(MDEQ) issued a water contact advisory Monday for the lower segment of
Riverdale Creek in Grenada.
http://www.wtva.com/news/Water_contact_advisory_issued_in_Grenada_County.html
Mississippi lifts burn ban statewide
AP
Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a proclamation lifting the statewide burn ban
that has been in force since Oct. 20.
http://www.gulflive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/mississippi_lifts_burn_ban_sta.html#incart_river
Commissioners inspect levee
Bolivar Commercial
The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board conducted its 119th annual
inspection recently to show the commissioners and invited guests the
condition of the levee.
http://www.bolivarcommercial.com/newsx/item/2972-commissioners-inspect-levee
UM professor discovers new species
Oxford Eagle
A University of Mississippi biologist collaborated as part of an
international research team on the discovery of a new species of the
Galapagos giant tortoise, findings that are included in the Oct. 21 issue
of PLoS ONE, a peer-reviewed journal published by the Public Library of
Science.
http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2015/10/26/um-professor-discovers-new-species/
Oil Spill
Escambia RESTORE Projects Rated
WUWF
Another step is taken in funding projects in Escambia County, with RESTORE
Act money from the BP oil spill.
http://wuwf.org/post/escambia-restore-projects-rated
Alabama lawyers clean up in BP oil settlement
Al.com
Alabama lawyers are due about $20 million in legal fees connected to the
2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/alabama_lawyers_clean_up_in_bp.html
Regional
Gulf officials argue for shift in managing fishery
Clarion Ledger
WASHINGTON – Gulf Coast officials, joined by charter boat operators
from Mississippi, are urging Congress to pass legislation that would
shift management of the red snapper fishery to states, saying they
would do a much better job.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/10/26/gulf-officials-argue-shift-managing-fishery/74632610/
Feds appeal $3 billion MR-GO restoration ruling against the Army Corps of
Engineers
Times-Picayune
The U.S. Justice Department on Monday appealed a New Orleans federal
judge's decision that the Army Corps of Engineers must pay the full $3
billion cost of restoring wetlands destroyed by the agency's improper
construction and maintenance of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet shipping
shortcut.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/10/feds_appeal_3_billion_mr-go_re.html#incart_river
Homeowners faced with big bills to fix dams deemed unsafe
AP
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - People who live around dozens of lakes in South
Carolina are under emergency orders to repair or replace dams that ruptured
or were deemed unsafe by inspectors after the historic rains this month,
and they face staggering bills ranging from thousands of dollars to perhaps
millions.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/30353313/homeowners-faced-with-big-bills-to-fix-dams-deemed-unsafe?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
National
New Database Tracks Top Environment, Health and Safety Violators
WSJ
The oil and gas, pharmaceutical and utility sectors top the list of a new
corporate misconduct database that tracks U.S. environmental, health and
safety violations of parent and subsidiary companies.
http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2015/10/27/new-database-tracks-top-environment-health-and-safety-violators/
Hickenlooper to seek high court opinion on AG Clean Power Plan suit
Governor says he is concerned by Cynthia Coffman's joining multi-state EPA
lawsuit
By Jesse Paul
The Denver Post
Gov. John Hickenlooper said Monday he will seek the Colorado Supreme
Court's opinion on the legality of Attorney General Cynthia Coffman's
lawsuit to stop implementation of the Clean Power Plan.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_29025307/hickenlooper-seek-high-court-opinion-ag-clean-power
Coal company sues over 'destructive' EPA ozone standards
The Hill
Murray Energy Corp. has filed the first lawsuit against the Obama
administration's new ozone rule.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/258129-coal-company-sues-over-epa-ozone-standards
EPA: Remedy to Landfill Fire to Come in 2015
AP
A plan to make sure an underground St. Louis-area landfill fire doesn't
reach a cache of Cold War-era nuclear waste buried nearby will come before
the end of 2015, an Environmental Protection Agency administrator said
Monday.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/epa-remedy-landfill-fire-2017-34747208
Press Releases
Statewide Burn Ban Lifted
JACKSON—At the request and advice of the Mississippi Forestry Commission,
Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a proclamation lifting the statewide burn ban
that has been in force since Oct. 20.
Local jurisdictions have the authority to issue burn bans, and residents
should verify with their local governments whether a ban is in place prior
to engaging in outdoor burning.
The Mississippi Forestry Commission will continue to monitor conditions and
will issue public updates on burn bans as needed.
To report a wildfire, dial 911 or contact the Mississippi Forestry
Commission Central Dispatch region in your area:
· Northwest Dispatch: 1-877-226-5414
· Northeast Dispatch: 1-800-681-8760
· Southwest Dispatch: 1-888-823-3473
· South Central Dispatch: 1-800-736-9115
· Southeast Dispatch: 1-800-240-5161
For a list of counties included in each dispatch district and for a
printable map of Mississippi Forestry Commission Central Dispatch Regions,
visit http://www.mfc.ms.gov/wildfire-report.php
To learn more about wildfire prevention or to find out if your county is
still under a burn ban, visit http://www.mfc.ms.gov/.
###
GOV. BRYANT DECLARES FALL SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDENESS WEEK
PEARL – Gov. Phil Bryant declares Oct. 26-30 Fall Severe Weather
Preparedness Week in Mississippi.
Mississippi is entering the severe weather season seen each year as the
seasons change. According to the National Weather Service, from 1950 to
2014 the state saw 1,921 tornadoes with 486 of them striking in the months
of October, November and December. The most active tornado month in
Mississippi is April with 365 tornadoes.
On Dec. 23, 2014, a long lived, persistent storm tracked across Marion,
Lamar and Jones counties, producing multiple tornadoes and killing five
people. This storm devastated Columbia and parts of Laurel just two days
before Christmas.
"Mississippi is accustomed to responding to a variety of weather
conditions, but it is important to remember that preparedness begins at
home," said Gov. Bryant. "Sit down with your family and review your plan
today. Know what you and your loved ones will do and where you will go if
severe weather threatens your community."
The National Weather Service will issue a statewide test tornado warning on
NOAA weather radios at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. Schools,
government agencies and businesses throughout the state are encouraged to
participate in the tornado drill. If there is an actual threat of severe
weather, the test will take place on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015.
"To echo what Gov. Bryant said, I urge all Mississippians to sit down at
the dinner table and go over their plan," said MEMA Director Robert Latham.
"I want to especially emphasize people who live in mobile or manufactured
homes to find safe haven in their areas."
The federal, state and local governments have invested millions of dollars
in nearly 100 safe rooms across Mississippi that are intended to protect
citizens from severe weather. The buildings are constructed to withstand
200 mph winds. Check with your county emergency manager to find out the
closest one in your area.
MEMA and the NWS will focus on specific types of severe weather each day of
the week on social media and websites. The outline is as follows:
· Monday, Oct. 26: Severe Thunderstorms. Lightning, large hail and
damaging winds from severe storms are much more frequent than
tornadoes in the South.
· Tuesday, Oct. 27: Flooding and Flash Flooding. Flooding is the number
one cause of weather-related deaths behind heat. Remember… Turn
Around, Don't Drown.
· Wednesday, Oct. 28: Tornado Safety. Repeatedly, people survive people
survive tornadoes by knowing weather safety rules and by taking
appropriate and timely action. A statewide tornado drill will be
conducted at 9:15 a.m.
· Thursday, Oct. 29: Snow and Ice. Surprisingly, these winter events
can affect the Magnolia State before winter officially begins in late
December.
· Friday, Oct. 30: Extreme Cold and Wind Chill. Know what they are and
how to prepare and protect yourself and your home.
"Weather conditions in Mississippi have been very quiet for the last 6
months, but the weather pattern is changing to one that is more favorable
for severe weather for the rest of the fall season," said Steve Wilkinson,
NWS Jackson Warning Coordination Meteorologist.
Local weather information and alerts are available through the NWS online
at the following websites:
· Central Mississippi counties: www.srh.noaa.gov/jan.
· Coastal Mississippi counties: www.srh.noaa.gov/mob or
www.srh.noaa.gov/lix.
· Northern Mississippi counties: www.srh.noaa.gov/meg.
There are several ways to receive severe weather warnings, like a NOAA
weather radio, or one of several applications on mobile devices. A number
of free mobile applications are available for download on smart phones,
which can alert you when a watch or warning is issued for your area.
For detailed preparedness information, contact your county emergency
management agency, or go to MEMA's website at www.msema.org. The best way
to get up-to-date information is to "Like" MEMA and the National Weather
Service on Facebook, or "Follow" us on twitter.
###
Fiscal Year 2016 Guidelines for EPA Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and
Revolving Loan Fund Grants now Available
Contact: James Pinkney, 404-562-9183 (direct), 404-562-8400 (main),
pinkney.james@epa.gov
ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the Fiscal Year
2016 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund
Grants. The Requests for Proposals for each of the three grants are
available on EPA's Brownfields Program webpage: EPA Brownfields Grant
Guidelines.
The webpage also contains other documents to assist applicants. These
include a Summary of Guideline Changes from the previous solicitations,
Assessment and Cleanup Guideline Checklists, Frequently Asked Questions,
and a Grants.gov Tip Sheet. Further assistance will be provided in a
Brownfields Grant Writing Webinar scheduled for November 10, 2015 at 2:00
pm EST. This free EPA Webinar will be announced and posted in the next few
weeks on the EPA webpage.
Proposals must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by
December 18, 2015.
One addition to previous year's Assessment Guidelines is the inclusion of
regional priorities. The Region 4 priority is providing assistance to
Communities That Have Limited In-House Capacity to Manage Brownfields
Projects. The priority is for projects that provide support to communities
that have limited capacity or administrative infrastructure to effectively
manage brownfields programs. Proposals that include partnerships among
governmental entities having shared jurisdiction over the targeted sites
(e.g. state, regional authorities, local governments) relate to this
priority.
The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act
requires the EPA to publish guidance to assist applicants in preparing
proposals for grants to assess and clean up brownfield sites. EPA's
Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, communities, tribes,
and nonprofits to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse
brownfield sites. Guidelines are published for applying for a) Assessment
Grants, which are used to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct
planning (including cleanup planning) and community involvement related to
brownfield sites; b) Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants, which
are used to capitalize a revolving fund and to make loans and provide
subgrants to conduct cleanup activities at brownfield sites; and c)
Brownfields Cleanup Grants, which are used to conduct cleanup activities at
a specific brownfield site owned by the applicant.
The total funding available under the national competitions for Assessment,
Cleanup, and Revolving Loan Fund grants is estimated at $54.5 million
subject to the availability of funds and other applicable considerations.
EPA anticipates awarding about 151 Assessment grants estimated at $34.1
million, 60 Cleanup grants estimated at $11.9 million, and 12 Revolving
Loan Fund grants estimated at $8.5 million.
The Agency's brownfields grants provide communities with the necessary
funding to restore America's land, boost local economies, preserve
greenspace and create jobs while protecting public health.
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| USDA Provides Funding for More Than 1,100 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency |
| Projects Nationwide |
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| Funding supports solar and other renewable energy projects to create jobs and promote |
| energy independence |
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|WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA|
|is awarding loans and grants that will help more than 1,100 rural small businesses and |
|agricultural producers reduce energy usage and costs in their operations. The funding |
|is for energy efficiency improvements and/or renewable energy systems. USDA is |
|financing projects in every state, as well as in the Virgin Islands, the Western |
|Pacific and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. |
| |
| |
|"More rural business owners and ag producers are incorporating energy-saving measures |
|into their business plans," Vilsack said. "These actions improve an operation's bottom |
|line and help reduce its carbon footprint. This funding will help incorporate renewable|
|energy and energy efficiency technology and reduce energy costs. But beyond the local |
|benefits seen by a company saving energy costs and the global benefits of reducing |
|carbon emissions, this funding will also create American jobs by supporting energy |
|production and efficiency installations that are made in rural America." |
| |
| |
|USDA is providing $102 million in loan guarantees and $71 million in grants for 1,114 |
|projects financed through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Among the |
|projects, nearly $6 million is being awarded for 17 anaerobic digesters in California, |
|Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington. In |
|total, these projects are expected to generate and/or save 906 million kilowatt hours |
|(KWh) of energy – enough to power more than 83,675 homes for a year and cut carbon |
|pollution by an estimated 455,000 metric tons. That is the equivalent of taking more |
|than 131,500 cars off the road for a year. |
| |
| |
|The owners of Parker Farms in Ripley, Tenn., are receiving a $45,000 REAP grant to help|
|finance the installation of a 50 kilowatt solar system that was installed late last |
|year. The system has lowered the grain farm's average monthly electric bill by $800 – |
|from $1,140 to $340. That is a savings of nearly $10,000 a year. The solar system |
|covers more than 70 percent of the farm's annual electric costs. Parker Farms |
|participates in the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Green Power Providers program |
|and sells 100 percent of its solar electricity to TVA at a premium. |
| |
| |
|Fresh Air Energy XVI, LLC is receiving a $3.8 million loan guarantee to finance a 6.5 |
|megawatt solar array in Greene County, North Carolina. The project is expected to |
|produce enough energy to power 1,000 average-sized homes for a year. This is one of |
|several loans the company is receiving to expand the use of solar energy in the state. |
| |
| |
|In Pearl City, Hawaii, the owner of the wholesale bakery "The Patisserie, Inc." is |
|being awarded a $256,000 loan guarantee and a $128,000 grant to install a photovoltaic |
|system. It is expected to generate 172,000 kilowatts of energy annually and reduce |
|energy use by nearly 40 percent. |
| |
| |
|Congress created the REAP program in the 2002 Farm Bill. Because of the success of the |
|program, Congress reauthorized it in the 2014 Farm Bill with guaranteed funding of at |
|least $50 million annually for the duration of the five-year bill. The 2014 Farm Bill |
|builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past seven years while |
|achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. |
| |
| |
|Since the start of the Obama Administration, REAP has helped finance 10,753 renewable |
|energy and energy efficiency projects that have reduced energy costs for rural |
|businesses nationwide. During this period, USDA has provided almost $360 million in |
|grants and $430 million in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small |
|business owners. When operational, these projects will generate/save an estimated 8.4 |
|million megawatt hours – enough to power more than 760,000 homes for a year and reduce |
|greenhouse gas emissions by almost 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. That's the |
|equivalent of removing more than 1 million cars from the road. |
| |
| |
|Funding of each award announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the |
|terms of the loan or grant agreement. |
| |
| |
|In addition to the grants announced today, USDA is reminding eligible recipients that |
|the department is accepting applications for future REAP funding. For application |
|deadlines and details on how to apply, contact a USDA state energy coordinator, or see |
|page 60349 of the October 6 Federal Register. |
| |
| |
|President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and |
|resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these |
|investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have |
|empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, |
|small towns and rural communities. |
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