State
Water pollution permit reissued for Kemper plant
AP
JACKSON – State officials are affirming a permit that allows Mississippi Power Co.’s Kemper County power plant to discharge water into a creek during high rainfall.
MDEQ reaffirms water discharge permit for Kemper Co. power plant
WLOX
JACKSON, MS (WLOX) -Tuesday, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality reaffirmed a water discharge permit issued to Mississippi Power’s Kemper plant that allows plant water to flow into a creek during a heavy rain.
http://www.wlox.com/story/33367911/mdeq-reaffirms-water-discharge-permit-for-kemper-co-power-plant
Natchez mayor, aldermen discuss Titan Tire contaminant issues
Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — Long-term effects of a 1989 chemical spill at the former Titan Tire plant may soon see Önality. Attorney Michael Caples of Butler Snow reported to the Natchez Board of Aldermen Tuesday that trace amounts of two chemicals still exist in groundwater at the site, located at 89 Kelly Ave. http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2016/10/12/natchez-mayor-aldermen-discuss-titan-tire-contaminant-issues/
Adams County needs a litter help
Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors would like some help catching litterbugs. Road Manager Robbie Dollar said the county puts out cameras in high litter and illegal dump sight locations, but getting an accurate tag number can be difÖcult.
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2016/10/11/adams-county-needs-a-litter-help/
Ocean Cleanup: Stennis Engineers, Researchers Partner in International Expedition
Sea Coast Echo
Mississippi engineers and researchers working at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County are partners in an international aerial expedition to measure plastic debris in the world’s oceans.
http://www.seacoastecho.com/article_10249.shtml#.V_4yl_nx6Uk
Schulz shows off new Hernando facility
Commercial Appeal
Hernando officials are happy to see new jobs flowing from the specialty pipes undergoing finishing at a recently added production facility in the city, and they hope more jobs are on the way.
Feds: Mississippi city should repay tornado recovery grant
AP
JACKSON, MISS.
A division of the federal government says the city of Louisville, Mississippi, should repay a $25.4 million grant awarded for recovery from a 2014 tornado.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article107448912.html
Contract hearings assess 'double-dipping' from state retirees
Clarion Ledger
Retire. Stay home for 90 days. Begin collecting pension. Return part-time on contract. Keep collecting pension.
Ed Dept. retiree contracts draw fire
Mississippi Today
Legislative leaders raised concerns Tuesday about the Mississippi Department of Education contracting with 114 retired employees, saying the practice could be considered “double dipping.”
http://mississippitoday.org/2016/10/11/ed-dept-retiree-contracts-draw-fire/
Nobody knows how much money Mississippi State Fair makes
Clarion Ledger
No one knows whether the Mississippi State Fair makes or loses money because of flaws in the Fair Commission’s accounting records that go back at least seven years.
Oil Spill
DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL DISASTER EXTENDS ITS TOXIC REACH
Newsweek
Scott Porter remembers the last time he felt completely well. It was a warm, clear day with sparkling blue skies in June 2010. A deep-sea diver and marine biologist, he was taking a TV news crew out on a 30-foot catamaran to one of his favorite spots in the Gulf of Mexico, a coral reef growing on an abandoned oil platform at Main Pass 311.
http://www.newsweek.com/deepwater-horizon-bp-oil-spill-sickened-gulf-residents-508362
Good Samaritan Bills Elusive Despite Gold King Mine Spill
Bloomberg
Good Samaritan legislation that would relieve those who clean up abandoned mines of third-party liability has been controversial despite heightened attention to the problem after the 2015 Gold King Mine spill, a Colorado mining official said Oct. 7.
http://www.bna.com/good-samaritan-bills-n57982078334/
Regional
Georgia Power ash pond closures continue across the state
Georgia Power ash ponds contain toxic materials prompting closures
Albany Herald
ALBANY — Georgia Power announced Tuesday the latest progress on its plan to safely close all of its 29 coal ash ponds across the state.
National
Obama aide: Little chance of carbon tax in near term
The Hill
There’s very little chance that Congress could pass an economy-wide tax on carbon dioxide emissions in the near term, President Obama’s top energy adviser said.
Climate Pact Transparency May Spur Collaboration: Officials
Bloomberg
Transparency requirements included in the Paris Agreement set to take effect in November may spur additional action and collaboration in battling climate change, federal and state officials said Oct. 7.
http://www.bna.com/climate-pact-transparency-n57982078311/
GE to Buy Wind Turbine Blade Maker for $1.65 Billion
GE is buying the blade maker from private-equity firm Doughty Hanson
WSJ
General Electric Co. is buying LM Wind Power, a manufacturer and supplier of rotor blades to the wind industry, for $1.65 billion.
GE says the move brings in-house the design and manufacturing of wind turbine blades for its renewable energy business and makes it easier to increase energy output.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/ge-to-buy-wind-turbine-blade-maker-for-1-65-billion-1476187689
Press releases
PARTIAL STATE LEVEL BURN BAN ISSUED IN MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON, Miss. – (Press Release) – At the request of the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC), Governor Phil Bryant has issued a partial state level burn ban. The partial state level burn ban is effective immediately for the following fifty-two (52) counties, and has no exemptions:
ADAMS, ALCORN, AMITE, ATTALA, BENTON, BOLIVAR, CARROLL, CLAY, CHICKASAW, CHOCTAW, COAHOMA, DESOTO, GRENADA, HINDS, HOLMES, HUMPHREYS, ISSAQUENA, ITAWAMBA, LAFAYETTE, LAUDERDALE, LEAKE, LEE, LEFLORE, LOWNDES, MADISON, MARSHALL, MONROE, MONTGOMERY, NESHOBA, NEWTON, NOXUBEE, OKTIBBEHA, PANOLA, PONTOTOC, PRENTISS, QUITMAN, RANKIN, SCOTT, SHARKEY, SUNFLOWER, TALLAHATCHIE, TATE, TIPPAH, TISHOMINGO, TUNICA, UNION, WARREN, WASHINGTON, WEBSTER, WINSTON, YALOBUSHA, YAZOO
The MFC requested the partial state level burn ban due to the increase in wildfire occurrences, elevated drought conditions, dry vegetation, and the forecasted weather patterns. The 7-day forecast does not predict significant rainfall large enough to pull the state out of the current drought. These conditions have created an increased risk for devastating wildfires.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for the counties listed is currently near or above 700 – the KBDI maximum value is 800. The link below shows a visual representation of the current drought conditions:https://www.wfas.net/index.php/keetch-byram-index-moisture–drought-49
In addition, the Southern Area Coordination Center has issued a Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory for Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and part of Georgia through October 21, 2016. “With the passage of Hurricane Matthew along the east coast relative humidity values are forecast to drop into the teens over this area. There will also be a high likelihood of gusty winds, especially along the western face of the Appalachian Mountains.”
For more information on the advisory, visit:http://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/resources/safety/Fuels_fire_behavior_advisory_Final.pdf
Since September 1, 2016, the Mississippi Forestry Commission has responded to and suppressed 453 wildfires that burned 4,141 acres. During this time, 767 homes, commercial structures, and outbuildings were saved by MFC wildland firefighters, while 24 were destroyed or damaged. Our goal is that a partial state level burn ban will help prevent future wildfire occurrences.
EPA Acts on New Chemical Law to Fast-Track Five Chemicals
WASHINGTON - EPA is taking swift steps to carry out requirements in the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act and to reduce exposure to certain persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals.
“The threats from persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals are well-documented,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator in EPA’s office of chemical safety and pollution prevention. “The new law directs us to expedite action to reduce risks for these chemicals, rather than spending more time evaluating them. We are working to ensure the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act signed in June of this year delivers on the promise of better protecting the environment and public health as quickly as possible.”
The five chemicals to receive expedited action are:
- Decabromodiphenyl ethers (DecaBDE), used as a flame retardant in textiles, plastics and polyurethane foam;
- Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), used in the manufacture of rubber compounds and lubricants and as a solvent;
- Pentachlorothio-phenol (PCTP), used as an agent to make rubber more pliable in industrial uses;
- Tris (4-isopropylphenyl) phosphate, used as a flame retardant in consumer products and other industrial uses; and
- 2,4,6-Tris(tert-butyl)phenol, used as a fuel, oil, gasoline or lubricant additive.
The statutory deadline for EPA to propose action is June 22, 2019.
The new law gave manufacturers an opportunity to request by September 19, 2016, that EPA conduct risk evaluations for the PBT chemicals on EPA’s 2014 Work Plan, as an alternative to expedited action. Requests for risk evaluations were made for two chemicals that can be used in fragrance mixtures.
For the remaining PBT chemicals, EPA must move ahead to take expedited action to reduce exposure to those chemicals to the extent practicable. After EPA finishes identifying where these chemicals are used and how people are exposed to them, the Agency will move directly to propose limitations on their use.
PBT chemicals are of particular concern because they remain in the environment for significant periods of time and concentrate in the organisms exposed to them. These pollutants can transfer among air, water, and land, and span boundaries of geography and generations.
The new amendments to TSCA will help bring significant improvements to public health as EPA continues to take the steps necessary for its successful implementation.
More about the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act and EPA’s implementation activities and to sign up for updates, visit: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/frank-r-lautenberg-chemical-safety-21st-century-act
EPA Awarding $1.3 Million to Revitalize America’s Urban Waters and Surrounding Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $1.3 million to 22 organizations in 18 states to help protect and restore urban waters and to support community revitalization and other local priorities.
“Often underserved communities in our nation’s cities face disproportionate impacts from pollution, and too often they lack the resources to do something about it,” said Joel Beauvais, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water. “EPA provides support to empower these communities to improve the quality of their waterways and to help reconnect people and businesses with the water they depend on.”
Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets, and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can enhance economic, educational, recreational, and social opportunities in surrounding communities.
This year’s Urban Waters grantees will inform and engage residents in stormwater management and pursue community-based plans to address pollution in waterways. To accomplish these goals, many projects will address trash in waterways; test rivers, streams and lakes for pollutants; and prepare the next generation of environmental stewards for careers in the green economy. The 22 organizations receiving EPA grant funding are as follows:
Mystic River Watershed Association, Massachusetts ($60,000) will partner with towns and cities near Boston to create a multimedia education program to increase awareness of stormwater pollution for a regional coalition of municipalities.
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Massachusetts ($60,000) will develop a green infrastructure plan for Day Brook in Holyoke to reduce stormwater flow into the brook and resulting combined sewer overflow discharges into the Connecticut River.
NY/NJ Baykeeper, New Jersey ($48,150) will expand its plastic pollution reduction project by identifying, reducing, and preventing plastic transported via stormwater from reaching the lower Passaic River watershed and Newark Bay complex.
Sarah Lawrence College, New York ($60,000) will work with community scientists to investigate the severity and local sources of water pollution while increasing community engagement and stewardship in four underserved urban watersheds in the Lower Hudson River region.
Anacostia Watershed Society Inc., Maryland ($50,000) will educate and train middle-school students from low-income communities in Washington, DC on the problems associated with stormwater runoff and mitigation strategies through a variety of activities.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia ($59,773) will develop a community greening and green infrastructure plan for its two urban campuses and the Richmond Arts District.
The Conservation Fund, Georgia ($60,000) will expand community engagement in planning for two future green infrastructure projects aimed at reducing stormwater runoff located in the headwaters of Proctor Creek in Atlanta.
University of Tennessee, Tennessee ($59,995) will, through a community-driven effort, collect nutrient data across the Baker Creek watershed, which will help the City of Knoxville and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation develop a watershed restoration strategy.
Openlands, Illinois ($60,000) will, in partnership with the Healthy Schools Campaign, manage the Space to Grow program which transforms schoolyards into vibrant places that benefit students, communities, and the environment.
The University of Toledo, Ohio ($59,988) will, in collaboration with North Toledo community members, Vistula Management, United North, and the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission, develop a plan to incorporate green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) at low income, multi-family housing sites in Toledo, Ohio.
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Lousiana ($60,000) will partner with several New Orleans-based underserved schools to assess neighborhood stormwater runoff. The data from which will be used to improve local pollution mitigation practices.
Amigos Bravos, New Mexico ($55,508) will work with an underserved community located in Alburquerque’s South Valley to address chronic flooding due to poor stormwater management.
Saint Louis University, Missouri ($58,793) will evaluate whether the use of brine pretreatment as an alternative to chloride used as road salt will help reduce local chloride water pollution.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska ($59,935) will improve stormwater and green infrastructure training and assistance for Omaha’s workforce, students, and residents.
City and County of Denver, Colorado ($60,000) will develop the Heron Pond Regional Open Space Master Plan to consolidate and restore into open space approximately 80 acres of land surrounding Heron Pond, with an ultimate goal of reducing urban runoff pollution, improving wildlife habitat, and creating recreation opportunities for the highly urbanized, industrial, and underserved Globeville neighborhood.
Groundwork Denver Inc., Colorado ($60,000) will work with local high school students from Sheridan, Colorado, an underserved community located at the mouth of Bear Creek, and Metropolitan State University, to determine the sources of E. coli feeding into the creek.
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota ($58,996) will develop and promote a stormwater and green infrastructure educational program for K-12 and college students and the broader community, culminating in a community design charrette for the planning of low-impact development and green infrastructure practices for the proposed Rural America Initiatives development.
Arizona State University, Arizona ($58,227) will work with students and Girl Scouts Troops to monitor water quality in local waterways and recreational fisheries to develop recommendations for community- based solutions.
Constitutional Rights Foundation, California ($59,673) will, in partnership with Los Angeles Waterkeeper and UCLA, expand its teaching curriculum for local undeserved high school students on community stormwater assessments to include enhanced STEM education, and will conduct local civic-minded community environmental projects.
Heal the Bay, California ($59,998) will partner with Los Angeles Trade Technical College and local high schools to monitor bacterial water pollution in the Los Angeles River, which will be used to make recommendations to local government agencies and watershed stakeholders for improving water quality and protecting public health.
Lummi Indian Business Council, Washington ($56,433) will teach third- through fifth-grade students at the Lummi National Schools about how a watershed works, water quality parameters, sources of impairments, and how this impacts the salmon and shellfish that the Lummi Nation depends on for subsistence, economic, and cultural needs.
The Lands Council, Washington ($45,250) will offer green job training and career pathways through the Green Sleeves Program at the Geiger Correctional Center in Spokane and will work with local high school teachers to develop and teach a year-long environmental science curriculum focusing on stormwater pollution and low-impact remediation.
The Urban Waters Small Grants are competed and awarded every two years. Since its inception in 2012, the program has awarded approximately $6.6 million in Urban Waters Small Grants to 114 organizations across the country and Puerto Rico, with individual award amounts of up to $60,000.
To learn more about the funded projects, visit https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/urban-waters-small-grants
Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program: https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters
