State
Rutledge adds Arkansas to power plan fight
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge joined 23 other states' offices in sending a letter to Republican leaders, asking the incoming presidential administration and Congress to withdraw the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan, according to a news release from the attorney general's office.
…Thursday's letter was signed by attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, according to the news release.
 | www.arkansasonline.com Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge joined 23 other states' offices in sending a letter to Republican leaders, asking the incoming presidential administration and Congress to withdraw the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan, according to a news release from the attorney general's office. | |
ONE LAKE PROJECT COULD BE APPROVED IN 2017 BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Northside Sun
Federal approval for the One Lake project could come sometime in 2017.
However, much work still needs to be done before construction begins on the flood control and economic development proposal.
http://northsidesun.com/news/one-lake-project-could-be-approved-2017-federal-government
Man who helps keep Ocean Springs running is leaving the city
Sun Herald
OCEAN SPRINGS
The man who holds it all together for the city, public works Director Johnny Groue, is resigning to take a top job with the Jackson County Utility Authority.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/jackson-county/article121329948.html
| | www.sunherald.com Ocean Springs Public Works Director Johnny Groue has given notice he's resigning to take a job with the Jackson County Utility Authority. | |
Fulton looks to recoup funds from BlueFire investment
By Adam Armour
Itawamba County Times
FULTON – Fulton officials are looking into ways to recoup some of the money the city invested in the failed BlueFire Renewables project.
http://djournal.com/news/fulton-looks-recoup-funds-bluefire-investment/
State hearing set for Arnold Line Water Association
Hattiesburg American
The Mississippi Public Service Commission has set Jan. 19 as the date representatives from Arnold Line Water Association must appear at a hearing in Jackson to defend their decision not to comply with the commission's advised changes to the association's rules and regulations.
Sidon bird count returns
AP
SIDON, MISS.
Bird enthusiasts are spending Saturday counting every species they see as part of the 27th annual Sidon Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article121512132.html
Turkey harvest reporting approved by commission
Clarion Ledger
The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks gave approval this week for a turkey harvest reporting system starting in 2017.
Poultry, forestry lead Mississippi agriculture
Daily Journal
STARKVILLE – Poultry remains Mississippi's top agricultural commodity with an estimated value of $2.9 billion, and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2017.
http://djournal.com/news/poultry-forestry-lead-mississippi-agriculture/
$30M in transfer funds frozen by AG opinions
By Bobby Harrison
Daily Journal Jackson Bureau
JACKSON – The Legislature will have to take action early in the 2017 session, beginning Jan. 3, to free up about $30 million that was supposed to be transferred to the state general fund through the Budget Transparency and Simplification Act.
http://djournal.com/news/30m-transfer-funds-frozen-ag-opinions/
Public pension fund faces test
AP
JACKSON — Lawmakers, county supervisors, mayors, school superintendents and college presidents should hope that the run-up in the stock market that began after Donald Trump's election continues.
Oil Spill
Fillingane talks BP oil spill settlement money
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -Before lawmakers head to Jackson for the upcoming session, local legislators met in Hattiesburg to discuss ideas that will benefit Pine Belt residents.
http://www.wdam.com/story/34083777/fillingane-talks-bp-oil-spill-settlement-money
National
EPA to Appeal Court-Ordered Analysis of Coal Jobs Lost
AP
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to appeal a federal judge's ruling that it must begin evaluating how many power plants and coal mining jobs are lost because of air pollution regulations, analysis it hasn't done in decades.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/epa-appeal-court-ordered-analysis-coal-jobs-lost-44247144
Five ways Trump could unwind Obama's environmental policies
The Hill
Many of President Obama's climate and environmental policies are unlikely to survive under President-elect Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Sends Mixed Signals on Ethanol Mandate
President-elect backed the federal biofuels rules as a candidate, but his EPA pick opposes them
WSJ
After campaigning as a strong supporter of the use of ethanol and other biofuels in the nation's gasoline supply, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen a forceful adversary of those federal requirements to implement them.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-sends-mixed-signals-on-ethanol-mandate-1481913689
With fewer agents, EPA cuts back on cases
Salem News
WASHINGTON — Despite fears that environmental protections will relax under Donald Trump's administration, fewer cases are being pursued by the Environmental Protection Agency now than at any time in the past 20 years.
Future of Top Pesticide Uncertain After Grueling Cancer Review
Bloomberg
The future of glyphosate, the most widely used pesticide in the world, is uncertain after a grueling, four-day review of the Environmental Protection Agency's scientific evaluation of the chemical's cancer-causing potential.
https://www.bna.com/future-top-pesticide-n73014448761/
New EPA Rule on Mercury Fillings Leaves Some Grinning
Bloomberg
Mercury-laden fillings from dental offices that have sometimes ended up being flushed down the drain won't be regulated as industrial releases of pollution under a new Environmental Protection Agency final rule.
https://www.bna.com/new-epa-rule-n73014448760/
Congressional inquiry faults Michigan officials and EPA for Flint water crisis
AP
Congressional Republicans quietly closed a yearlong investigation into the crisis over lead in the Flint, Mich., drinking water supply, faulting both state officials and the Environmental Protection Agency for contamination that has affected nearly 100,000 residents.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-flint-water-20161216-story.html
In Texas, EPA proposing more emissions restrictions
WFAA
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated this summer when the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a federally crafted plan aimed at reducing haze in Big Bend National Park and other wilderness areas in the state. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is still moving ahead with another rule that might have the same effect — prompting utilities to shutter some of the state's coal-fired power plants.
Holiday Lights Are Pretty. But They Can Also Be Power-Hungry
The largest incandescent Christmas lights use 175 times more electricity than mini-LEDs, and even the smallest incandescent bulbs consume 10 times more energy
WSJ
Americans love their holiday lights.
Residents from Honolulu to Brooklyn blanket their houses in bulbs this time of year, and nearly every state hosts one or more holiday light extravaganzas, including drive-through parks that charge by the carload.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/holiday-lights-are-pretty-but-they-can-also-be-power-hungry-1481896801
New regs for Monday: Gas leaks, immigration, food labels
The Hill
Gas leaks: The Department of Transportation is moving forward with new pipeline safety requirements.
http://thehill.com/regulation/310714-new-regs-for-monday-gas-leaks-immigration-food-labels
Opinion
A coal-fired future would be pretty bleak
Paul Hampton
Sun Herald
"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
— Noted scientist Paul Hampton, channeling Al Pacino channeling Michael Corleone
I was going to give it a rest but it looks as if I must return to toil in the orchard of cherry-picked facts to answer the question: "If the climate's changing, who made all these snowflakes?"
http://www.sunherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/paul-hampton/article121299448.html
The EPA's Science Deniers
The agency changes its view on fracking and water without evidence.
WSJ
Speaking of fake news, the political scientists at the EPA have rewritten the conclusion of a report in order to cast doubt on the safety of hydraulic fracturing. Consider this EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy's parting gift to Donald Trump.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-epas-science-deniers-1482099327
Strangulation budget hits state employees and the poor
Bill Crawford
Sun Herald
Merry Christmas, state employees.
The budget proposed by Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, House Speaker Philip Gunn and their budget committee colleagues targets you. If you get to keep your job, they want you to work harder and do more for no more pay. The budget is bad for your retirement (PERS), too. Oh, but you will get a tiny tax cut.
http://www.sunherald.com/opinion/other-voices/article121350138.html
Press Releases
| Restore Council Unveils Updated Plan to Invest in Gulf Coast Restoration |
| |
| NEW ORLEANS, La., Dec. 16, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in his role as chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council), today announced the finalization of the Comprehensive Plan Update to guide over $3 billion in investments to enhance the resources and economies of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The plan was unanimously adopted by the five Gulf States (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas), the Departments of Agriculture, the Army, Commerce, and Interior, the Coast Guard, and the Environmental Protection Agency. "Today's announcement builds the foundation for State and Federal partners to fulfill their commitments to the 22 million Americans who live in Gulf coastal counties and parishes to revitalize their economies and the Gulf ecosystem they depend upon," Vilsack said. "The Comprehensive Plan Update reflects unprecedented collaboration between federal, state, tribal and local partners and creates the framework for ongoing coordination, engagement and transparency as we continue to invest in strategies to restore this vital region." The updated comprehensive plan commits to working with the public to devote RESTORE funds to large scale ecosystem restoration, builds upon lessons learned from the Council's initial investments, establishes a 10-year funding strategy, and refines the Council's process for making decisions based on public engagement and the best available science. The Council will continue to support ecosystem restoration that can enhance local communities by giving people desirable places to live, work, and play, while creating opportunities for new and existing businesses of all sizes, especially those dependent on natural resources. In addition, the Council will support ecosystem restoration that builds local workforce capacity. "The Council is pleased to present this Comprehensive Plan Update," said Justin R. Ehrenwerth, Executive Director of the Council. "We thank the public for comments provided on the draft update. The Council has incorporated modifications to the update based on public input. We look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders as we move forward with comprehensive restoration across the coast." The Comprehensive Plan Update builds on progress the Council has made since establishment in July 2012, including prioritizing over $183 million in restoration investments announced in December 2015. With resolution of the civil claims from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Council was able to revise its Initial Comprehensive Plan to reflect lessons learned and the timing and amount of restoration funding. In the coming months and years, the Council will focus on collaboration—among its members and with other partners—to fully leverage available funds and further advance comprehensive Gulf restoration. The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) and the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund (Trust Fund), and dedicates 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the Trust Fund, for restoration projects in the Gulf Coast region. The Council is chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and members include the Governors of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as the Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, the Army and the Interior, and the Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Read more about the Comprehensive Plan, the RESTORE Act and the Council at www.RestoreTheGulf.gov. Since 2009, the Obama administration has developed a long-term strategy and inclusive framework to address the coastal resilience needs of the Gulf Coast region; brought federal, state, and local government together to better align decision-making and resources; and secured unprecedented settlement to ensure the Gulf coast communities will have the resources needed to make significant progress toward restoring ecosystems, economies, and businesses in the region over the next 20 years. # |
NOAA Fisheries to hold Jan. 11 meeting
on proposed TEDs requirement
BILOXI, Miss. – NOAA Fisheries will hold a public hearing in January in Biloxi to discuss a proposal that would require the use of Turtle Excluder Devices in skimmer trawls.
NOAA's proposal includes withdrawing the alternative tow time restriction and requiring skimmer trawls, pusherhead trawls and wing nets (butterfly trawls) rigged for fishing to use TEDs. These devices are designed to keep small turtles from getting caught in the nets.
The hearing will be from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the Biloxi Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd, and fishermen are invited to attend and comment on the proposal.
NOAA Fisheries also will accept written comments through Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017. Comments can be mailed to Michael Barnette, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33701 or faxed to 727-824-5309.
Comments can be filed electronically at www.regulations.gov. Enter the following docket number in the search box: NOAA-NMFS-2016-0151.
