State
"Viva Recycling" conference held in Tupelo
WTVA
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA)-- Recycling is big business.
Take Tupelo Recycling for instance where there's hundreds of thousands of
pounds of recyclable materials.
http://www.wtva.com/news/Recycling_Talk_.html
Hinds County creek loaded with garbage
WLBT
HINDS COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -A Utica resident is concerned
about tons of garbage illegally dumped in the Little Tallahala creek on
Prentiss Crump road.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/30365912/hinds-county-creek-loaded-with-garbage
Mississippi in multi-state probe of VW's bogus emissions tests
MBJ
Mississippi has joined more than two dozen other states in investigating
whether German car manufacturer Volkswagen used deceptive trade practices
to convince consumers that their cars were environmentally friendly, when
they weren't.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/10/mississippi-in-multi-state-probe-of-vws-bogus-emissions-tests/
Mysterious Fuel Spill Causes Road Closures
WTOK
Philadelphia, Miss. A diesel gas spill led to some major traffic issues in
an already congested part of Philadelphia Tuesday.
http://www.wtok.com/home/headlines/Mysterious-Fuel-Spill-Causes-Road-Closures-337714191.html
Jackson awarded a $16.5 million grant
Clarion Ledger
Jackson has been awarded a $16.5 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Transportation for infrastructure improvements along
North State Street and West County Line Road.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/10/27/jackson-awarded-165-million-grant/74674876/
Pascagoula set to begin paving project next month at Point Park
Mississippi Press
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Pascagoula's Point Park will undergo a paving
project beginning Nov. 2, and the popular park is expected to remain open
during the 45-day construction time.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/10/pascagoula_set_to_begin_paving.html#incart_river
Mississippi Power ups Kemper cost by $110 million through mid-2016
Sun Herald
Mississippi Power said Tuesday it is still reviewing the construction,
commissioning and startup schedule for the lignite portion of the Kemper
County energy plant and still anticipates it will be operational by
mid-2016, but at a higher cost.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/business/article41610510.html
Case closed on MDOT beer run probe
Clarion Ledger
The Mississippi Department of Transportation has ended an
investigation into a worker who used an agency truck to carry beer
and passengers to an Ole Miss game.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/10/27/case-closed-mdot-beer-run-probe/74695858/
Oil Spill
Extensive coral damage related to BP spill, study finds
AP
NEW ORLEANS — Gulf coral damage from the massive BP oil spill is more
extensive than previously thought, according to a new study that revealed
sick and dying corals in the rich, deep-water environment off the coasts of
Alabama and Mississippi known as the Pinnacles.
http://www.gulflive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/extensive_coral_damage_related.html#incart_river
Regional
EPA demands Sabal redirect from Floridan Aquifer
Valdosta Daily Times
By Joe Adgie
October 27, 2015 8:30 pm
ATLANTA — The Environmental Protection Agency has recommended the Sabal
Trail Pipeline be redirected away from the Floridan Aquifer, and that would
mean the proposed pipeline would not come through Lowndes County.
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/local_news/epa-demands-sabal-redirect-from-floridan-aquifer/article_3b1df28e-6794-5b75-a7d8-6c388d1d57c7.html
National
EPA proposes to expand Toxic Release Inventory by adding emissions from oil
and gas facilities
By Don Hopey / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed requiring large oil
and gas processing facilities to publicly report, for the first time, the
names and amounts of the toxic chemicals they emit to the federal Toxics
Release Inventory.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/environment/2015/10/27/EPA-proposal-would-require-oil-and-gas-facilities-to-report-chemicals-to-Toxics-Release-Inventory/stories/201510270202
How critics plan to torpedo Obama's prized climate rule
The Hill
Opponents of President Obama's climate rule for power plants are uniting
behind a legal strategy aimed at blocking the contentious regulations from
taking effect.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/258321-how-critics-plan-to-torpedo-obamas-prized-climate-rule
18 Texas Counties deemed 'nonattainment areas' by EPA due to increased
ozone regulations
SE Texas Record
HOUSTON - On Oct. 1 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strengthened
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb)
to 70 ppb nationwide.
http://setexasrecord.com/stories/510644751-18-texas-counties-deemed-nonattainment-areas-by-epa-due-to-increased-ozone-regulations
New regs for Wednesday: 9/11 health insurance, mortgage disclosures,
emissions
The Hill
Emissions: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will open a new
climate rule to public examination.
The EPA will hold public hearings next month in four cities around the
country for the proposed requirements for greenhouse gas emissions from
electric utility generating units.
The public hearings will be held in Pittsburgh, Denver, Atlanta and
Washington, D.C. starting Nov. 12.
http://thehill.com/regulation/258198-new-regs-for-wednesday-9-11-health-insurance-mortgage-disclosures-emissions
Opinion
EPA protects people by enforcing the law
By Gina McCarthy
The Hill
America has come a long way in protecting public health and the environment
over the past 45 years. Since 1970, we've cut air pollution by nearly 70
percent, while our economy has tripled in size. America's environmental
laws have provided a solid foundation for success, but they're only part of
the equation. Without resources to work hand-in-hand with state, local, and
tribal partners to enforce these laws, progress isn't possible. Laws talk
the talk; but enforcement walks the walk.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/258101-epa-protects-people-by-enforcing-the-law
Obama's New Ozone Standard: More Regulations, More Problems
Forbes
Few are happy. Expect a flurry of lawsuits and congressional action against
the Environmental Protection Agency's new ground-level ozone standard. Now
that the EPA's new standard of 70 parts per billion (ppb) — down from 75
ppb — has been published in the Federal Register, environmental groups,
states and industry groups are gearing up to fight the regulation before it
becomes law.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertbradley/2015/10/27/obamas-ozone-standard-a-wrong-road-too-far/
Press Releases
Wicker Works to Block Costly EPA Regulations
Miss. Senator Joins Efforts to Overturn Extreme 'Clean Power Plan'
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is supporting two measures
aimed at blocking the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) so-called
"Clean Power Plan." The bipartisan proposals authored by Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., (S.J.Res. 23) and Senator Shelley Moore
Capito, R-W.Va., (S.J.Res. 24) would overturn the Obama Administration's
restrictive regulations for new and existing coal-fired power plants.
"Congress is taking strong steps to challenge this regulatory assault,"
Wicker said. "The President's agenda is a blatant overreach that would
destroy jobs and lead to skyrocketing energy costs for people and
businesses in Mississippi. Even those who agree with the goal of these
regulations have said that EPA's plan cannot work for our state."
Under the "Congressional Review Act" (CRA), Congress can overturn actions
by a federal agency, like EPA, following the formal publication and
submission of a rule to Congress. If the two CRAs are enacted into law,
they would nullify both sections of the costly power rule even if portions
of the plan have already gone into effect. Leader McConnell is expected to
schedule votes soon on the two proposals, which are co-authored by Sens.
Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D, respectively.
The Administration's expensive plan consists of two major phases of
implementation:
· First, the finalized regulation would limit the construction of new
coal-fired plants. This portion would effectively ban coal-fired power
plants from being built in the future, thus eliminating the potential
for coal jobs in America.
· Second, the Administration has proposed and finalized a regulation to
cut carbon-dioxide emissions from existing power plants. In effect, this
regulation would force the closures of coal-fired power plants
throughout the country.
Wicker was joined by Mississippi's entire congressional delegation in
sending a letter to EPA, the United States Department of Agriculture, and
the White House Office of Management and Budget calling for an
investigation into whether carbon-dioxide reduction goals associated with
the Clean Power Plan are achievable at a reasonable cost – specifically for
Mississippi.
EPA Settlements Help Protect Public Against Health Hazards from Lead
Exposure
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today
announced 75 enforcement actions from the past year that require renovation
contractors and training providers to protect people from harmful exposure
to lead dust and debris, as required by EPA's Lead-based Paint Renovation,
Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulations.
Seventy-five settlements were filed from October 2014 through September
2015 for renovations performed on pre-1978 homes and child-care facilities,
and each requires that the alleged violator certify its compliance with RRP
regulations to EPA and, in most cases, pay civil penalties to resolve the
alleged violations. The violations cited in the settlements reflect EPA's
goal to reduce illegal and unsafe renovations, and the lead hazards risks
that result from them.
"Ensuring that lead-based paint is properly removed and handled helps
protect children's health when repairs or renovations are performed in
older housing, particularly where kids live" said Cynthia Giles, assistant
administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
"These cases show that EPA is serious about making sure companies that
break the law are held accountable when they undercut responsible
businesses and put public health at risk."
In three of the settlements, entities agreed to fund voluntary lead
abatement projects, which require removal of lead-based paint and
post-construction testing to ensure that no hazardous conditions remain.
Each of the projects is expected to cost at least $20,000 to complete.
Approximately two-thirds of the cases involved failure to obtain EPA
certification prior to conducting renovations. The cases reflect an
increased focus on ensuring that firms and renovators comply with lead-safe
work practices intended to protect children and others from exposure to
lead dust. More than half of the cases cited violations of work practice
standards and other requirements that directly affect how work is
performed.
Lead dust and debris from improper renovation activities on properties
built prior to 1978 is a major source of lead exposure that can cause lead
poisoning. Although using lead-based paint in dwellings was prohibited
after 1978, it is still present in more than 30 million homes across the
nation, in all types of communities. The RRP Rule provides important
protections for children and others vulnerable to lead exposure. Even low
levels of lead in the blood of children can result in behavior and learning
problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and
anemia. In rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma and even
death.
The RRP Rule, which is part of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act, is
intended to ensure that owners and occupants of pre-1978 "target housing"
and "child-occupied facilities" receive information on lead-based paint
hazards before renovations begin, that individuals performing such
renovations are properly trained and certified, and that renovators and
workers follow specific lead-safe work practices during renovations to
reduce the potential for exposure to lead.
The penalties in the settlements address the cited violations. Enforcement
penalties also help deter other violations, and level the playing field for
companies that follow the law. These fines help eliminate the financial
advantage a violator may get by underbidding competitors that are
compliant.
Contractors that are certified under EPA's RRP regulations are encouraged
to display EPA's "Lead-Safe" logo on worker's uniforms, signs, websites,
and other material, as appropriate. Consumers can protect themselves by
looking for the logo before hiring a home contractor, and by being
generally aware of whether a renovator is following lead-safe work
practices when working on their property. Those practices, such as what a
renovator must do to minimize lead dust dispersion, are outlined in EPA's
Renovate Right lead hazard information pamphlet, available at
http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/renovaterightbrochure.pdf
Renovators are required to give the pamphlet to property owners and
occupants within 60 days before starting any renovation.
In the following settlements, the companies paid civil penalties in excess
of $25,000, respectively:
• Garden Homes Management, Corp. (CT) paid a penalty of $54,644,
and will perform a window replacement supplemental environmental project
valued at $20,000 for violating certification, firm responsibility,
information distribution, and recordkeeping requirements; and violating
Lead-based Paint Disclosure Rule information distribution and disclosure
requirements.
• Blue Mountain Air, Inc. (CA) paid $51,030 as a penalty for
violating firm certification, recordkeeping, and firm responsibility
requirements.
• Line Construction Company (KS) paid a fine of $33,642 to settle
violations of firm certification, recordkeeping, and information
distribution requirements.
• The Whalley Glass Company (CT) paid a $31,286 penalty for
violating firm certification, firm responsibility, information
distribution, and recordkeeping requirements.
• William DeMarse, d/b/a Bill DeMarse Professional Painting (MI)
paid a fine of $28,545 for non-compliance with firm certification, work
practice, and firm responsibility requirements.
• Cardo Windows, Inc. (NJ) settled, paying a fine of $27,000 for
failing to comply with information distribution and recordkeeping
requirements.
In each of the following cases, EPA recovered more than $20,000 in a
combination of penalties and a Supplemental Environmental Project:
• RDF Inc. d/b/a Paul Davis Restoration (NE) will perform a
supplemental environmental project valued at $27,304, in addition to paying
a penalty of $3,033, for failure to comply with firm responsibility,
recordkeeping, information distribution, and work practice requirements.
• Bordner Installation Group, Inc. (MO) will undertake a
supplemental environmental project valued at $20,000 and pay a penalty of
$2,198 for violating recordkeeping and information distribution rules.
In the following settlements, companies paid civil penalties in excess of
$10,000, respectively:
• Scherrer Engineering and Construction, Inc. (WV) paid $22,500
as a penalty for violating requirements for firm certification, information
distribution, firm responsibility, and work practice standards.
• Colossal Contractors, Inc. (MD) paid a $21,196 penalty for
failing to comply with information distribution, recordkeeping and work
practice requirements.
• JSH Home Improvements, LLC (PA) paid $19,096 as a penalty for
non-compliance with firm certification, firm responsibility, information
distribution, recordkeeping, and work practice requirements.
• Blue Door Painters, Inc. (VA) paid a penalty of $18,000 for
failing to comply with standards for work practices, firm responsibility,
information distribution, and recordkeeping.
• Envirotech, Inc. (MO) paid a penalty of $14,024 for failing to
comply with information distribution, work practice, and firm
responsibility requirements.
• Blue Springs Siding and Windows, LLC (MO) paid $13,566 for
non-compliance with firm certification and recordkeeping requirements.
• AAPCP LC (VA) settled, paying a fine of $12,800 to settle
information distribution violations.
• Pella Windows & Doors (MO) settled with a fine of $12,558 for
violating firm certification and recordkeeping requirements.
• Damage Control & Restoration, Inc. (KS) $12,194 for
non-compliance with information distribution and recordkeeping obligations.
• Whitney Management & Maintenance Co. (CT) paid a penalty of
$10,285 for failing to comply with firm certification, information
distribution, firm responsibility and recordkeeping requirements.
EPA entered into expedited settlement agreements with the companies listed
below. These agreements allow violators to quickly resolve certain minor
lead-based paint offenses (not including work practice violations) with a
reduced penalty, typically $2,000 or less.
• Hatillo, LLC Home Improvement Services (CT)|
• 8AS Construction (NY)
• Total Perfection Construction, Inc. (NY)
• Chesapeake Finishing, Inc. (MD)
• RLS, LLC, (PA)
• Jimmy Johns Construction, LLC (PA)
• Only Bathrooms, LLC (PA)
• Ohio Laborer's Training & Apprenticeship Trust Fund (OH)
• Arch Environmental Group, Inc. (MI)
• Northern Environmental Consultants, LLC (MI)
• Fortune Homes, Inc. (CO)
• Gold Spring International, Inc. (CA)
• JUV, Inc. (CA)
• Southwest Construction & Property Management (CA)
• KCK Builders, Inc. (CA)
• Taber Construction, Inc. (CA)
• Kitchens By Design, Inc. (CA)
• All Best Builders, Inc. d/b/a All Trusty Builders (CA)
• Wickman Development and Construction (CA)
In the following settlements, the companies paid fines less than $10,000,
respectively, generally reflecting a reduction based on ability to pay.
Every case obtains compliance with RRP regulations.
• DiNuzzo LLC d/b/a DiNuzzo Painting (CT)
• John Fogg Jr. Enterprises, LLC (CT)
• Star Painting, LLC (NJ)
• Integrated Construction Maintenance, LLC (MD)
• J & R Builders, LLC (WV)
• Elk Custom Homes Contracting, Inc. (PA)
• Mark Ferrar, Hawk Mountain Soda Blasting & MARCAT VT, LLC (PA)
• CertaPro Main Line Painters (PA)
• Robert W. Heh, Jr. Construction Co., d/b/a Window Depot USA
(PA)
• American Remodeling and Roofing, Inc. (PA)
• Zook Quality Builders (PA)
• Window World Penn-Ohio, LLC (OH)
• The Door Store of Louisville, LLC (KY)
• Castillo Construction Services, Inc. (FL)
• Perdue Builders (KY)
• Allied Doors South Florida, LLC (FL)
• Paul Sellars General Contractor (KY)
• Tiny's Construction, LLC (TN)
• Hammond and Brandt Builders, LLC (TN)
• The Clinard Co., Inc. d/b/a Clinard Home Improvement (TN)
• Omni Services, LLC (SC)
• The Glass Guru (FL)
• Rohrer Group, Inc. d/b/a Window World of Akron, Ohio (OH)
• Capitol Painting & Decorating (IL)
• Matthew Young (MO)
• Home Performance Services, LLC (MO)
• Custom Builders Russellville, Inc. (MO)
• Accent Systems, Inc. d/b/a Accent DKI (NE)
• Tony Kapple d/b/a Kapples Building Remodeling (IA)
• JakeCo Painting, LLC (MO)
• Springer Building & Design, Inc. (KS)
• Housemasters Contracting Co. (MO)
• Brown Restoration, Inc. (MO)
• Dynamic Specialties, Inc. d/b/a Dynamic Porch & Patio (MO)
• Repairs Unlimited (KS)
• Bielenberg Builders, Inc. (NE)
• C & W Harrison (MO)
• Superior Inspection Services, Inc. (OR)
More information about the RRP Rule and how contractors can get certified
is available at
http://www2.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program
