State
Water contact advisory issued for part of the Mississippi Sound
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued a water contact advisory Friday afternoon for waters off Gulfport Harbor Beach from 20th Avenue east to Thornton Avenue.
http://www.wdam.com/story/33689937/water-contact-advisory-issued-for-part-of-the-mississippi-sound
Wetland restoration complete in Mississippi wildlife refuge
AP
GREENWOOD, MISS.
A water-control structure has been installed to improve wetlands that provide a winter home to more than 30,000 ducks in the Mississippi Delta.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article114378318.html
Marine research center will break ground in Gulfport
Sun Herald
GULFPORT
A new marine research center is coming to the Port of Gulfport and a groundbreaking ceremony is planned Monday.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/education/article114417298.html
Low water levels prompt boat ramp closures
WLBT
RANKIN COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -Low water levels are taking their toll on recreation at the Reservoir.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/33699248/low-water-levels-prompt-boat-ramp-closures
Public hearing on speckled trout set for Thursday
Sun Herald
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will hold a public hearing on proposed speckled trout regulations on Thursday.
http://www.sunherald.com/sports/outdoors/article114531063.html
Cool temps mean hot action for bass, bluegill, crappie
Clarion Ledger
With fall temperatures here, most Mississippi outdoors men and women are focused on the upcoming gun season for deer. Sure, deer hunting steers the outdoors ship in Mississippi, but some of the best bass, bluegill and crappie opportunities of the year are happening now.
Oil Spill
Deepwater Horizon survivor: ‘I am lucky to be alive’
Daily Leader
Ken Roberts says he’s lucky. Some might say he’s blessed. Either way, he figures he’s fortunate to be alive. The 47yearold car detailer from Loyd Star was one of 126 workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig when it exploded April 20, 2010. http://www.dailyleader.com/2016/11/12/deepwater-horizon-survivor-i-am-lucky-to-be-alive/
Regional
EPA favors some state water quality rules, not others
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved of and disapproved of parts of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality's water quality regulations nearly three years after the state submitted the regulations for review.
Non-profit starts to restore land in Mississippi River Basin
AP
POINTE-AUX-CHENES, La. (AP) — A nonprofit organization broke ground last month on an initiative to restore 1 million acres of land in the Mississippi River Basin with the planting of trees in Pointe-aux-Chenes.
EPA Testing Air Quality in Memphis Area
Environmental Protection Blog
EPA is working with the Shelby County Health Department and the Memphis Area Transit Authority, which is field-testing lower-cost air pollution sensor pods in the Memphis, Tenn. area. The pods have been installed at 16 locations -- seven SCHD locations and three MATA transit facilities.
https://eponline.com/articles/2016/11/14/epa-testing-air-quality-in-memphis-area.aspx
National
Trump’s Climate Contrarian: Myron Ebell Takes On the E.P.A.
NY Times
The mug-shot posters, pasted on walls and lampposts around Paris by an activist group during the United Nations climate talks last year, were hardly flattering. They depicted Myron Ebell, a climate contrarian, as one of seven “climate criminals” wanted for “destroying our future.”
Trump has vowed to kill the Clean Power Plan. Here’s how he might — and might not — succeed
Washington Post
Donald Trump is preparing to take office with a broad plan to dismantle many of the environmental policies and priorities established under the Obama administration. And, to the dismay of environmentalists, he’s vowed to make the controversial Clean Power Plan — a proposed rule under the Clean Air Act that would compel power plants throughout the nation to slash their carbon emissions — one of the first rules to be scrapped.
Interior Dept. Issues Rule for Renewable Energy Development on Public Land
One of several major energy rules likely before the end of President Obama’s term
WSJ
WASHINGTON—The Interior Department issued a regulation Thursday aimed at speeding up development of renewable energy on federal lands, one of at least five major energy rules the Obama administration is expected to release in coming weeks, even though they may be swiftly unraveled by President-elect Donald Trump.
Press Releases
Becca’s Story –Help Me Go Green - Recycling and Keeping the Rez Cleaner and Greener!
Keep The Rez Beautiful has an extraordinary volunteer who has a passion for keeping the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland, Mississippi, clean and beautiful!
Nine-year-old Rebecca (Becca) Blair has been picking up litter and volunteering for kayak cleanups around the Reservoir and down the Pearl River, since she was 4!
In March of this year, Becca decided to start a curbside recycling program in her new neighborhood as part of her Homeschooled Math requirements. She also was tired of seeing litter in front of storm drains that head straight to the Ross Barnett Reservoir. With the support of her mother, Michelle, her Grandmother, and Keep America Beautiful affiliate Keep the Rez Beautiful,
Becca had the additional motivation of wanting to reduce her family’s waste from going to a local landfill. Initially, she was going to tally the amount of waste for a month. With help from neighbors, she decided to offer her recycling project to 19 neighbors.
She developed a flyer, "He Me Go Green and Recycle!" As of this post, she has picked up and dropped off at the area’s recycling rolloff, 2,000 lbs of plastics -- and counting! Keep the Rez Beautiful (KTRB) donated Boat and Tote bags to Becca at the outset of her program. The bags are collected once a week from neighbors – Becca tallies the amount and off to the rolloff they go.
Becca recently requested 100 more bags for her Grandmother’s neighborhood of 80 homes. Another neighborhood in the area is also interested in her project.
"An end result might be our county supervisors seeing the need for curbside recycling," said Jeannine May, executive director of KTRB. "That would be fantastic for the 29,000 people living in the area."
Becca and her family have also been on board with KTRB since it became a Keep America Beautiful affiliate in 2011.
See Becca Blair featured on Walt Grayson's weekly WLBT-WDBD MS News Now "Making a Difference" feature here.
