News Clippings 7/13/16

 

State

MEETING TO DISCUSS FLOODING ISSUES IN GULFPORT   Hank Davis 07/12/2016

Another meeting regarding the issue of flooding in Gulfport took place this afternoon.
Citizens and city leaders gathered at the Good Deeds Community Center in Gulfport to discuss recent flooding and possible engineering plans to minimize damage done in the event of future flooding.

http://www.wxxv25.com/2016/07/12/meeting-discuss-flooding-issues/

 

LOW INTEREST DISASTER LOANS AVAILABLE staff 07/12/2016

People whose homes or businesses flooded in late April or early May have until August 8th to apply for SBA disaster loans.
The agency says low-interest disaster loans are available in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties to help recovery from torrential rains and flash flooding April 28th through May 2nd.
The agency says loans of up to $2 million are available for businesses and nonprofit organizations.

http://www.wxxv25.com/2016/07/12/low-interest-disaster-loans-available-2/

 

Littering is a problem at The Rez and along Pearl River By Natay Holmes Published: July 12, 2016

BRANDON, Miss. (WJTV) – Trash along the Pearl River and reservoir is becoming a problem for anyone who boats or fishes.

A volunteer group says they need help keeping the waterways clean.

Plastic bottles, old fishing worm containers and lots of trash are piled along the shore of the reservoir.

http://wjtv.com/2016/07/12/littering-is-a-problem-at-the-rez-and-along-pearl-river/

 

Mississippi students learn water security at institute

Nikki Park, Special to The Clarion-Ledger8:57 p.m. CDT July 12, 2016

The following article was written by University of Mississippi student Nikki Park following the completion of a two-week course designed by the Mississippi Water Security Institute and held at UM's Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

Mississippi is water-rich with some of the most extensive groundwater and surface water resources in the nation.

With the alluvial aquifer as close as 50 feet below the sand and clay soil in many parts of the Mississippi Delta, farmers can easily access this water to irrigate their crops. Deeper aquifers supply drinking water for most of the state of Mississippi. Additionally, streams and rivers flow through the state providing critical habitat for diverse wildlife, and there are many lakes just asking to be fished or floated.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2016/07/12/mississippi-students-learn-water-security-institute/87014782/

 

 

 

National

EPA Pushes States To Shed Light On Lead Data  By Sara Jerome  July 13, 2016

After a year of shocking lead disclosures fromFlint, MI, to the halls of Congress, the federal government is pushing for greater transparency around lead in drinking water.

“States have taken steps to address the risk of lead in drinking water after the crisis in Flint, Michigan, but more needs to be done to share key information with the public, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said [in July],” The Associated Press reported.

U.S. EPA officials sent out letters to state drinking water regulators urging them to make lead sampling results available to the public in online databases. Some states, including Illinois, already publish this data, according to the report. The EPA says a “substantial number” of states post this information.

http://www.wateronline.com/doc/epa-pushes-states-to-shed-light-on-lead-data-0001

 

 

Robbie Wilbur

Communications Director

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Post Office Box 2261

Jackson, Mississippi 39225

rwilbur@mdeq.ms.gov

601-961-5277 (office)

601-421-5699 (cell)

@MDEQ