State
MDEQ lifts six water contact advisories for the Mississippi Sound
WLOX
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) -Thursday the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality lifted six water contact advisories.
http://www.wlox.com/story/31904319/mdeq-liftssix-water-contact-advisories-for-the-mississippi-sound
HEAVY RAINS LEAD TO HIGH NUMBER OF BEACH WATER CONTACT ADVISORIES
MPB
Posted by Evelina Burnett on May 05, 2016 at 8:00 am
The state is advising swimmers to stay out of the water near the beach in
nine areas in Harrison County due to high bacteria levels. But as MPB's
Evelina Burnett reports, there are efforts underway to try to improve the
coast's water quality issues.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2016/05/05/heavy-rains-lead-to-high-number-of-beach-water-contact-advisories/
MDOT holds annual 'Trash Bash' event to pick up litter
WJTV
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) — Volunteers and staff from the Mississippi
Department of Transportation teamed up Thursday for the annual "Trash Bash"
event.
http://wjtv.com/2016/05/05/mdot-holds-annual-trash-bash-event-to-pick-up-litter/
City Council passes litter ordinance
Hattiesburg American
Litterbugs around Hattiesburg may want to think twice before
throwing that wrapper out the car window or on the sidewalk.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/hattiesburg/2016/05/05/city-council-passes-litter-ordinance/83943104/
Sewage Clarifier Broken in Wesson
Daily Leader
http://www.dailyleader.com/2016/05/05/sewage-clarifier-broken-in-wesson/
Mississippi Power, Southern Company being investigated by SEC
WLOX
KEMPER COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -According a federal filing, Southern Company and
Mississippi Power are being investigated by the Securities Exchange
Commission.
http://www.wlox.com/story/31904493/mississippi-power-southern-company-being-investigated-by-sec
MSU engineering students earn national awards in EcoCAR competitions
MBJ
Students from Mississippi State University (MSU) are working on some of the
most important automotive engineering problems of today by participating in
the national EcoCAR3 competition that challenges teams from 16 universities
in North America to be the most efficient and innovative in improving
hybrid vehicle energy efficiency while reducing emissions and maintaining
performance.
http://msbusiness.com/2016/05/msu-engineering-students-earn-national-awards-in-ecocar-competitions/
'Transparency' bill effects are muddy
Mississippi Today
State agency bean counters are crunching the numbers to figure out
precisely how they will be affected by budget cuts, but agency leaders say
that one little-discussed piece of the legislation further fogs the
picture.
http://mississippitoday.org/2016/05/05/transparency-bill-effects-are-muddy/
National
Poll: Most haven't heard of Obama climate rule
The Hill
Most Americans have heard little or nothing about the Obama
administration's landmark climate change rule for power plants, according
to a new poll.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/278839-poll-most-havent-heard-of-obama-climate-rule
The EPA's lead-in-water rule has been faulted for decades. Will Flint
hasten a change?
Washington Post
For a quarter of a century, the federal rule dictating how communities test
for and control lead in drinking water has satisfied virtually no one.
For the past six years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been trying
to rewrite its complex, controversial regulations.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/epas-lead-in-water-rule-has-been-faulted-for-decades-will-flint-hasten-a-change/2016/05/04/8d25bb12-0de9-11e6-bfa1-4efa856caf2a_story.html
Press Releases
In Recognition of Asthma Awareness, EPA Becomes First Federal Building to
Fly Air Quality Flag
CONTACT: Jason McDonald, (404)-562-9203 (desk), (404)-562-8400 (main)
(ATLANTA) – Asthma is a major public health issue, affecting nearly 24
million people and disproportionately affecting low-income and minority
communities. Although there is no cure for asthma yet, asthma can be
controlled through medical treatment and management of environmental
triggers. In recognition of Asthma Awareness Month, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in Atlanta became the first federal building to fly
the Air Quality Flag in recognition of Asthma Awareness Month.
The Air Quality Flag Program alerts organizations to the local air quality
forecast and helps them to take actions to protect people's health,
including those with asthma. Each day, a flag will be raised based on the
color of the Air Quality Index (AQI) to show how polluted the air is
expected to be. By comparing the colored flags to the AQI, everyone who
sees the flags will know what actions to take to protect their health.
"We know our indoor and outdoor air directly impacts the health, wealth and
well-being of our communities," said Heather McTeer Toney, EPA Southeast
Regional Administrator. "It is why EPA is committed to raising awareness
in the southeast where three of our cities rank in the top five capital
cities for asthma and allergies."
Throughout the month of May, EPA will promote, participate, and conduct
activities in support of asthma awareness and management. Beginning with
Asthma Awareness Week, a special theme will highlight each successive week
to highlight the important links between air quality and human health. The
theme for Asthma Awareness Week is Show How You Care about the Air.
Monday, May 2 Asthma Awareness Week Highlighting State
and Local Events
Tuesday, May 3 Asthma and Air Quality (World Asthma
Day and announcement of Asthma Management Award Winners)
Wednesday, May 4 Air Quality Around the World
Thursday, May 5 Air Quality Trends
Friday, May 6 Citizen Science
EPA will be visiting schools and health fairs in the southeast to provide
more information on the importance of air quality. On May 17-18, 2016, EPA,
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Georgia
Department of Public Health will host the Southeast Regional Asthma Summit
and the Healthy Homes Environmental Exposures Symposium at the Sam Nunn
Atlanta Federal Center regional headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Asthma is a respiratory disease that makes breathing difficult. The
economic impacts of asthma amount to more than $50 billion per year from
direct and indirect costs, such as medical bills and missed school and work
days. EPA's comprehensive asthma program helps those with asthma through
environmental research and education, as well as through community-focused
outreach that aims to increase sustainable access to home visits.
Asthma sufferers can take some important actions to help control their
symptoms and still maintain active lifestyles with three simple steps:
Identify and avoid environmental asthma triggers; create an Asthma Action
Plan with help from your doctor; and pay attention to your local air
quality conditions through the http://airnow.gov website and Air Quality
Index app for your smart phone.
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| USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Results |
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| More Than 800,000 Acres Selected Through Highly Competitive Application Rounds |
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|WASHINGTON, May 5, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the |
|enrollment of more than 800,000 acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through|
|the program's 49th sign up period. Through CRP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture |
|(USDA) helps farmers offset the costs of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain |
|grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and |
|strengthen wildlife habitat. Farmers' and ranchers' participation in CRP continues to |
|provide numerous benefits to our nation, including helping reduce emissions of harmful |
|greenhouse gases and providing resiliency to future weather changes. |
| |
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|"The Conservation Reserve Program provides nearly $2 billion annually to land owners – |
|dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and |
|creating jobs. When these direct benefits are taken together with the resulting |
|economic activity, the benefits related to CRP are estimated at $3.1 billion annually,"|
|said Vilsack. "Over the past 30 years, CRP has created major environmental improvements|
|throughout the countryside. The program has removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere |
|equal to removing nine million cars from the road annually, and prevented 600 million |
|dump trucks of soil from erosion. With today's announcement, USDA is continuing these |
|achievements by maximizing conservation benefits within the limitations provided by |
|law." |
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|This was one of the most selective sign-up periods in CRP's 30-year history, with a |
|record high Environmental Benefits Index cut-off and the lowest-percentage of |
|applications accepted. The high bar means that the per-acre conservation benefits are |
|being maximized and that acres enrolled address multiple conservation priorities |
|simultaneously. |
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|A nationwide acreage limit was established for this program in the 2014 Farm Bill, |
|capping the total number of acres that may be enrolled at 24 million for fiscal years |
|2017 and 2018. At the same time, USDA has experienced a record demand from farmers and |
|ranchers interested in participating in the voluntary program. As of March 2016, 23.8 |
|million acres were enrolled in CRP, with 1.7 million acres set to expire this fall. |
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|Over three million acres have been offered for enrollment this year across the three |
|main categories within CRP, with USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) receiving over 26,000|
|offers to enroll more than 1.8 million acres during the general enrollment period, and |
|over 4,600 offers to enroll more than one million acres in the new CRP Grasslands |
|program. Coming off a record-setting 2015 continuous enrollment of over 860,000 acres, |
|more than 364,000 acres already have been accepted for 2016 in the CRP continuous |
|enrollment, triple the pace of last year. |
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|FSA will accept 411,000 acres in general enrollment, the most competitive selection in |
|in the history of the program, with the acreage providing record high conservation |
|benefits. USDA selected offers by weighing environmental factors plus cost, including |
|wildlife enhancement, water quality, soil erosion, enduring benefits, and air quality. |
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|The results of the first-ever enrollment period for CRP Grasslands, FSA will also |
|accept 101,000 acres in the program, providing participants with financial assistance |
|for establishing approved grasses, trees and shrubs on pasture and rangeland that can |
|continue to be grazed. More than 70 percent of these acres are diverse native |
|grasslands under threat of conversion, and more than 97 percent of the acres have a |
|new, veteran or underserved farmer or rancher as a primary producer. FSA continues to |
|accept CRP Grasslands offers and will conduct another ranking period later this year. |
|Acres are ranked according to current and future use, new and underserved producer |
|involvement, maximum grassland preservation, vegetative cover, pollinator habitat and |
|various other environmental factors. |
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|Participants in CRP establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as |
|approved grasses or trees (known as "covers") to control soil erosion, improve water |
|quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. In |
|return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. |
|Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. |
| |
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|CRP is currently protecting more than 100,000 acres of bottomland hardwood trees, |
|nearly 300,000 acres of flood-plain wetlands, and 300,000 acres each for duck nesting |
|habitat and nearly 250,000 acres of upland bird habitat. In addition, CRP is creating |
|economic benefits that include at least $545 million per year in recreation benefits |
|and water quality benefits from reduced sedimentation of $587 million per year. |
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|Throughout the Obama Administration, USDA has generated thousands of critical |
|partnerships to conserve and protect our natural resources on working landscapes, while|
|enrolling a record number of acres in conservation programs. Seventy-percent of the |
|nation's land is owned and tended to privately, and America's farmers, ranchers and |
|landowners have willingly stepped up to address the growing impacts of a changing |
|climate. With USDA's support, they work to implement voluntary practices that improve |
|air and water quality, prevent soil erosion and create and protect wildlife habitat. |
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|Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation|
|improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to |
|protect land and water on over 400 million acres nationwide. |
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|To learn more about FSA's conservation programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation or|
|contact a local FSA county office. To find your local FSA county office, visit |
|http://offices.usda.gov. |
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