State
COURT DENIES JACKSON REQUEST TO MOVE TREATMENT PLANT CASE FROM RANKIN TO
HINDS COUNTY
Northside Sun
FRI, 05/20/2016
Arguments can finally begin in a case that will determine whether or not
Rankin County will get its own wastewater treatment plant.
http://northsidesun.com/news/court-denies-jackson-request-move-treatment-plant-case-rankin-hinds-county
Code Orange Ozone Advisory in effect today
Fox 13
A "Code Orange Ozone Forecast" has been issued for the Memphis metropolitan
area for today.
http://www.fox13memphis.com/news/code-orange-ozone-advisory-in-effect-today/298509644
Miss. campus news: May 22
Clarion Ledger
]MSU
Researchers lead efforts to protect watershed
More than 20 campus units and 30 faculty and staff members at Mississippi
State University are teaming with state and federal agencies and local
stakeholders to restore the water quality of a creek that flows through
campus and is the focal point of the Catalpa Creek watershed.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/05/22/miss-campus-news-may-22/84757948/
Rare Black Bears are on the move
WLBT
Some folks in the Edwards believe a rare black bare has been sniffing
around their home. Mississippi Wildlife experts tell us, yes that's
possible since the small bears are shaking off winter doldrums.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/32027622/rare-black-bears-are-on-the-move
Oil Spill
Six years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists still know
little about Gulf dolphins
Houston Chronicle
Kristi Fazioli slowed the Boston Whaler and cut the engine when a fin
finally emerged where the Houston Ship Channel passes Bolivar Peninsula. At
the bow, Sherah Loe, a graduate student, readied her camera.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Six-years-after-the-Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill-7930581.php
Regional
Edible 6-pack rings provide safe snack for ocean life
Times-Picayune
A Florida microbrewery has created an edible six-pack ring that, if it ends
up in the ocean, can be safely eaten by marine life.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2016/05/edible_6-pack_rings_provide_sa.html#incart_river_index
8 Alabama drinking water systems have chemicals linked to cancer above safe
levels, EPA says
Al.com
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new drinking water health
advisory for certain man-made chemicals Thursday, warning consumers that
exposure to elevated levels of the compounds can lead to a number of health
problems over time, including cancer in adults and developmental effects
impacts to fetuses and breastfed infants.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/epa_8_alabama_drinking_water_s.html
National
House, Senate roll out chemical safety compromise
The Hill
Leading lawmakers in the House and Senate on Friday unveiled a compromise
chemical safety overhaul bill after months of negotiations.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/280707-house-senate-roll-out-chemical-safety-compromise
New Complaints of Exposures Emerge at Hanford Site
Noxious-vapors incidents spur renewed calls for action at nuclear-weapons
cleanup project
WSJ
A fresh spate of worker complaints about exposures to noxious vapors from
waste tanks at the closed Hanford nuclear-weapons complex in Washington has
brought renewed calls for action and renewed criticism of the Energy
Department's handling of the giant cleanup project.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-complaints-of-exposures-emerge-at-hanford-site-1463823000
Opinion
Session II: Attack of Lawmakers Wanting to Spend BP Money
Geoff Pender
Clarion Ledger
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, there's talk of
"2016 Legislative Session II: Attack of the Lawmakers Wanting to Spend BP
Money."
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/05/21/pender-special-session/84658854/
Legislative Dems, Bryant find common ground on Personnel Board
By Bobby Harrison
Daily Journal Jackson Bureau
JACKSON – If legislative leaders attempt to override the veto of Republican
Gov. Phil Bryant on at least one piece of legislation, he will have the
backing of an unusual group – legislative Democrats.
http://djournal.com/news/legislative-dems-bryant-find-common-ground-personnel-board/
Press Releases
May 20 2016
Wicker Helps States Improve Dam Safety, Infrastructure
Miss. Senator Works to Prevent Dam Failures, Protect Communities
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works, is supporting legislation aimed
at preventing dam failures and improving dam safety throughout the country.
The "High Hazard Potential Small Dam Safety Act" – introduced by Senators
Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Jack Reed, D-R.I. – would provide
federal grant assistance for the rehabilitation and repair of non-federal,
high-hazard-potential dams.
"Dams play a critical role in our nation's water supply, flood control,
recreation, and other commercial needs," Wicker said. "There are more than
300 high-hazard dams in Mississippi, many located in small communities that
cannot afford to make repairs. I am hopeful that this new effort will
improve safety and protect this important infrastructure."
The bipartisan bill, S. 2835, would expand FEMA's existing National Dam
Safety Program to allow non-federal entities to apply for matching grants
for the repair and removal of non-federal, non-agricultural,
non-hydroelectric small dams that a state dam safety agency has identified
as having high-hazard potential. The program is not mandatory, but allows
states to determine which, if any, dams they would submit for assistance.
The legislation is supported by the Association of State Dam Safety
Officials and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
High-hazard-potential dams are categorized as those where failure is
probable to cause loss of human life and endanger population centers and
ecosystems, especially in periods of extreme weather and flooding.
According to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, the number of
high-hazard potential dams increased nationally from 9,281 in 1998 to more
than 14,700 in 2013.
There is currently no federal program to assist states with the repair or
removal of these non-federal, high-hazard-potential small dams. This leaves
many dams vulnerable and some states without the ability to address the
risks posed by small dam failures that would likely result in the loss of
lives, homes, and businesses.
The state of Mississippi has 5,680 dams on the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality inventory, 305 of which are classified as having
high-hazard potential.
http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0DD2F8C0-B6E6-4A89-BA7E-D4C848C7C1D9
EPA Announces over $1.5 Million to Assess and Clean Up Contaminated Sites,
Promote Economic Redevelopment in Mississippi
Brownfields grants to transform and uplift communities, leverage jobs
Contact Information: Davina Marraccini, (404) 562-8293 (Direct), (404)
562-8400 (Main) marraccini.davina@epa.gov
ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today
the selection of 4 new grant investments totaling $1,525,000 to four
communities in Mississippi. Recipients will each receive approximately
$325,000 - $400,000 in funding toward EPA cooperative agreements. The
Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (ARC) grants go to communities
that are underserved and economically disadvantaged, including
neighborhoods where environmental cleanup and new jobs are most needed.
"These grants will empower communities to transform idle, languishing lands
into vibrant hubs for business, jobs, and recreation," said EPA
Administrator Gina McCarthy. "It's all about providing that initial
funding, and sparking that first conversation to set stalled sites on a
path toward smart, safe redevelopment that directly benefits communities."
EPA's Brownfields Program strives to expand the ability of communities to
recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses. The
investments will provide communities with the funding necessary to assess,
clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and
leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.
Brownfields ARC grants provide resources early on, which is critical for
the success of communities' abilities to leverage additional partnerships
and resources. Partnerships between neighborhoods, local developers and
governments are essential for impacted communities to acquire the resources
needed to meet their revitalization goals.
The Mississippi grant recipients are:
· Greenwood, Miss. Assessment Grant
Community-wide $400,000
· Hernando, Miss. Assessment Grant
Community-wide $400,000
· Vicksburg, Miss. Assessment Grant
Community-wide $400,000
· Yazoo City, Miss. Assessment Grant
Community-wide $325,000
Studies have shown that residential property values near brownfields sites
that are cleaned up increased between 5 and 15 percent. Data also shows
that brownfields clean ups can increase overall property values within a
one-mile radius. Preliminary analysis of 48 brownfields sites shows that an
estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue was
generated for local governments in a single year after cleanup. This is two
to seven times more than the $12.4 million the EPA contributed to the
cleanup of these brownfields.
This latest funding advances EPA's broader commitment to making a visible
difference in communities by focusing on coordinating federal investments
to help environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically
distressed communities address local priorities. The Brownfields Program
invests in communities where there are multiple federal agency partnerships
at work. Aligning federal resources allows agencies to better meet
communities' needs and for communities to more effectively reap the
benefits of collaborative investments. ARC grantees demonstrate a high
level of preparedness to undertake specific projects, as they have firm
commitments of leveraged funds to move projects forward. An impressive 70
percent of recipients have secured public and private resources which will
directly align and further the efforts of proposed projects.
There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in
America. Since the inception of the EPA's Brownfields Program in 1995,
cumulative brownfields program investments have leveraged more than $20
billion from a variety of public and private sources for cleanup and
redevelopment activities. This equates to an average of $17.79 leveraged
per EPA brownfields dollar expended. These investments have resulted in
approximately 108,924 jobs nationwide. EPA's Brownfields Program empowers
states, communities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent,
assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields sites.
List of the FY 2016 Applicants Selected for Funding:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-fy16-arc-grants-selected-funding
More on ARC grants:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-brownfields-grant-funding
More on EPA's Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
More on successful Brownfields stories:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-success-stories
Administrator McCarthy Announces $55.2 Million to Assess and Clean Up
Contaminated Sites, Promote Economic Redevelopment Nationwide
Brownfields grants to transform and uplift communities, leverage jobs
WASHINGTON – At an event at a former brownfield site in Burlington,
Vermont, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina
McCarthy announced today the selection of 218 new grant investments
totaling $55.2 million to 131 communities across the U.S. Recipients will
receive approximately $200,000 - $820,000 in funding toward EPA cooperative
agreements. The Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup (ARC) grants go
to communities that are underserved and economically disadvantaged,
including neighborhoods where environmental cleanup and new jobs are most
needed.
"These grants will empower communities to transform idle, languishing lands
into vibrant hubs for business, jobs, and recreation," said EPA
Administrator Gina McCarthy. "It's all about providing that initial
funding, and sparking that first conversation to set stalled sites on a
path toward smart, safe redevelopment that directly benefits communities."
Today's event highlighted progress made in cleaning up and redeveloping a
formerly contaminated site in Burlington, the Maiden Lane project. Public
and private investment in the site, including by ARC grant recipient
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), led to the
development of 28 housing units, including four affordable housing units.
The CCRPC invested $38,000 in assessment funding from a previous assessment
grant at the site, which leveraged private investment of more than $5
million.
EPA's Brownfields Program strives to expand the ability of communities to
recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses. The
investments will provide communities with the funding necessary to assess,
clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and
leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.
Brownfields ARC grants provide resources early on, which is critical for
the success of communities' abilities to leverage additional partnerships
and resources. Partnerships between neighborhoods, local developers and
governments are essential for impacted communities to acquire the resources
needed to meet their revitalization goals.
Approximately $14 million of the assessment and cleanup funding will go to
applicants who are also EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant recipients
and Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Dept. of Transportation
(DOT)/EPA partnership communities. Funding will help communities clean up
and reuse brownfield sites to create community assets such as housing,
recreation and open space, health facilities, employment, education, social
services, transportation options, infrastructure and commerce
opportunities. For example, Dubuque, Iowa's new $200,000 cleanup grant will
address contamination at the Blum property, a former scrap yard and
recycling facility, and will lead to the development of a pocket park for
residents of the distressed Washington Neighborhood within Dubuque. In
addition to the benefits gained by creating more community spaces, this
funding will also build upon Dubuque's 2010 DOT TIGER grant and 2015 EPA
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant which support the revitalization of
the Washington Neighborhood.
Studies have shown that residential property values near brownfields sites
that are cleaned up increased between 5 and 15 percent. Data also shows
that brownfields clean ups can increase overall property values within a
one-mile radius. Preliminary analysis of 48 brownfields sites shows that an
estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue was
generated for local governments in a single year after cleanup. This is two
to seven times more than the $12.4 million the EPA contributed to the
cleanup of these brownfields.
This latest funding advances EPA's broader commitment to making a visible
difference in communities by focusing on coordinating federal investments
to help environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically
distressed communities address local priorities. The Brownfields Program
invests in communities where there are multiple federal agency partnerships
at work. Aligning federal resources allows agencies to better meet
communities' needs and for communities to more effectively reap the
benefits of collaborative investments. ARC grantees demonstrate a high
level of preparedness to undertake specific projects, as they have firm
commitments of leveraged funds to move projects forward. An impressive 70
percent of recipients have secured public and private resources which will
directly align and further the efforts of proposed projects.
There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites in
America. Since the inception of the EPA's Brownfields Program in 1995,
cumulative brownfields program investments have leveraged more than $20
billion from a variety of public and private sources for cleanup and
redevelopment activities. This equates to an average of $17.79 leveraged
per EPA brownfields dollar expended. These investments have resulted in
approximately 108,924 jobs nationwide. EPA's Brownfields Program empowers
states, communities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent,
assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields sites.
List of the FY 2016 Applicants Selected for Funding: https://www.epa.gov/
brownfields/brownfields-fy16-arc-grants-selected-funding
More on ARC grants:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-brownfields-grant-funding
More on EPA's Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields
More on successful Brownfields stories:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-success-stories
