State
Hattiesburg City Council hears solution to wastewater system
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -At the Hattiesburg City Council's work session meeting, an outside party presented with a solution to its waste water system.
http://www.wdam.com/story/32594004/hattiesburg-council-presented-new-solution-to-wastewater-system
Council agrees to trial of microbiology treatment
Hattiesburg American
Hattiesburg City Council members voted Monday to approve a trial run of a new microbiology treatment process that could save the city money at no cost to the city.
Recycling program receives $10K grant
Enterprise-Journal
By Clay Russell
McComb’s Recycle One program received a welcome lift last week with news that it has been awarded a $10,000 grant for recycle bins in the McComb Sports Park and other city parks.
http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_6b3ef8a0-5818-11e6-a2eb-d790cbab4232.html
Trash travel: Men bring recycling message down river
Natchez Democrat
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 2, 2016 NATCHEZ — A boat made up of recycled materials — including 800 plastic bottles — is keeping Öve men a×oat on their 2,400-mile adventure down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2016/08/02/trash-travel-men-bring-recycling-message-down-river/
Multiple crashes create traffic nightmare on I-10 in Jackson County
WLOX
JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Both eastbound lanes of I-10 are now open near Hwy. 609. Crews worked for more than an hour to clear a four-vehicle accident that included two vehicle fires.
http://www.wdam.com/story/32591893/four-vehicle-pileup-shuts-down-i-10-eastbound-near-hwy-609
Water Supply Operator recognized
Bolivar Commercial
The Mississippi Water and Pollution Control Operators Association at its recent Annual Meeting recognized Bobby Brown of Cleveland as a finalist for Water Supply Operator of the Year.
http://www.bolivarcommercial.com/newsx/item/4736-water-supply-operator-recognized
LAWMAKERS FOCUS ON TAX STRUCTURE, SPENDING BY STATE AGENCIES
MPB
A number of legislative working groups have two objectives over the next five months: Find ways to improve the state's tax system, and make state agency spending more efficient. As MPB's Mark Rigsby reports, the renewed focus comes after state agency budget cuts, low revenue collections, and patching the state budget with money from the rainy day fund.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2016/08/02/lawmakers-focus-on-tax-structure-agency-spending/
Oil Spill
Payments from 2012 BP settlement $7.9 billion so far
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The office that processes claims for businesses and people who suffered economic losses from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says it has approved payments totaling $8.5 billion as of June 30.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/payments-from-2012-bp-settlement-7-9-billion-so-far/
Transocean to Buy Rest of Transocean Partners in $514 Million Deal
Transocean CEO says deal will offer simplified administration and cost savings
WSJ
Swiss offshore drilling company Transocean Ltd. agreed to buy back the master limited partnership that it formed two years ago, under pressure from Carl Icahn, in a deal that values Transocean Partners LLC at about $514 million.
Regional
Alligator gar now seen as weapon against Asian carp
AP
It's a toothy giant that can grow longer than a horse and heavier than a refrigerator, a fearsome-looking prehistoric fish that plied U.S. waters from the Gulf of Mexico to Illinois until it disappeared from many states a half-century ago.
National
EPA Watchdog Opens a Criminal Probe Into 2015 Colorado Spill
Agency’s inspector general looks into incident that turned Animas River mustard yellow
WSJ
The Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general has opened a criminal investigation into last summer’s massive mine-waste spill in Colorado’s Animas River, which was caused after one of its contracting firms accidentally triggered the release.
On Monday, Republican lawmakers who had called for the criminal inquiry praised the investigation, which was disclosed Friday by the agency’s independent watchdog arm.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/epa-watchdog-opens-a-criminal-probe-into-2015-colorado-spill-1470094768
EPA cancels Flubendiamide insecticide use in the US
Pesticide said to be 'too toxic' and risky for certain water-borne species
Western Farm Press
n what’s being called a “first-of-its-kind” move, the Environmental Protection Agency cancelled registration of an insecticide that was previously approved for use and ultimately labeled in 49 states.
http://westernfarmpress.com/government/epa-cancels-flubendiamide-insecticide-use-us
State adopts new clean-water rules after years of debate
AP
After years of heated debate, Washington state regulators adopted new clean-water rules Monday tied partly to how much fish people eat.
