State
WLOX News This Week: Oysters
WLOX
Video
http://www.wlox.com/clip/13000335/wlox-news-this-week-oysters
MDMR officials oppose proposed changes to NOAA shark regulations
Sun Herald
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources oppose proposals by NOAA Fisheries that would increase shark regulations for recreational and commercial fishermen.
http://www.sunherald.com/sports/outdoors/article124013594.html
State agencies discuss declines in wild turkey population
Sun Herald
The wild turkey harvest in Mississippi is declining.
The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; the Mississippi Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation; and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks staff discussed the continual statewide decline in wild turkey harvests during its open educational session in November.
http://www.sunherald.com/sports/outdoors/article124013464.html
Schools receive Mississippi Power environmental grants
Hattiesburg American
At the beginning of the 2016 school year, Mississippi Power sent out information regarding its Environmental Education Grant program to almost 180 schools in its 23-county service territory.
Olive Branch deals with trash switch
DeSoto Times-Tribune
As the City of Olive Branch transitions from one garbage service provider to another, officials have been working to alert residents about the changes. Some confusion may have developed about what trash can to use for garbage removal, however.
LAWMAKERS LOOK AHEAD TO 2017 STATE BUDGET
MPB
Mississippi lawmakers will likely spend a majority of the 2017 legislative session debating how much money the state will spend during the next fiscal year.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2016/12/30/lawmakers-look-ahead-to-2017-state-budget/
Oil Spill
Will oyster industry rise again, 40 miles inland?
Sun Herald
If the Mississippi oyster industry rebounds from the disastrous past 11 years, its rebirth likely will begin in an out-of-the-way hatchery about 40 miles from the Sound.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/article123994454.html
How to start a battle royal at the Legislature
Sun Herald
If things shake out in Jackson the next three months the way Sen. Michael Watson predicts, they should sell tickets.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/article124084749.html
Regional
Air you breathe in Knox County improving, say officials
Knoxville News Sentinel
The air you are breathing has become more breathable.
At least that’s the word from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Knox County Health Department.
Navarre group sues EPA over clean water
Pensacola News Journal
A Navarre-based environmental group has filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to create and implement new, more stringent guidelines limiting the toxins that can be released into Florida's surface water.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2016/12/30/navarre-group-sues-epa-over-clean-water/95958700/
What's behind the dramatic drop in soft-shell crab production in Louisiana?
The Advocate
Many nights, Trudy Luke is up all night monitoring her blue crabs.
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_3677e882-cdea-11e6-8513-b310fd196faa.html
Barge spills 500 gallons of diesel in Reserve, officials say
Times-Picayune
A barge spilled around 500 gallons of diesel oil Monday evening (Jan. 2) into the Mississippi River during a fuel transfer at a facility in Reserve, according to officials with the United States Coast Guard and the St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center.
http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2017/01/barge_spills_500_gallons_of_di.html#incart_river_index
National
EPA Eases Ability to Rescind Some Air Pollution Permits
National Law Review
On November 7, 2016, EPA issued a final rule easing the ability to rescind some air pollution permits that regulators deem no longer necessary.
http://www.natlawreview.com/article/epa-eases-ability-to-rescind-some-air-pollution-permits
Former Georgia Gov. Perdue top Trump candidate for Agriculture post
Fox News
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is a leading candidate to be President-elect Donald Trump’s agriculture secretary, the Trump transition team confirmed Monday with Fox News.
4 children die when pesticide, water mix creates toxic gas
CNN
Four children died after someone at their home sprayed water on a previously applied pesticide, causing a reaction that produced toxic phosphine gas, officials in Amarillo, Texas, said.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/us/amarillo-texas-pesticide-deaths/index.html
American Farm Bureau Federation takes aim at EPA
Crop Protection News
The Environmental Protection Agency is in the sights of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
http://cropprotectionnews.com/stories/511064629-american-farm-bureau-federation-takes-aim-at-epa
US issuing new rules to curb illegal fishing
AP
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Obama administration is issuing new rules it says will crack down on illegal fishing and seafood fraud by preventing unverifiable fish products from entering the U.S. market.
The Future Of Food Is Wet And Salty
Forbes
Aquaculture is an umbrella term that describes seafood farming in all its iterations, including growing saltwater fish and shellfish in the ocean, and freshwater fish in recirculating systems on land.
New regs for Monday: Disabled workers, open records, chemicals
The Hill
Chemicals: The EPA is giving the public another 60 days to comment on a rule that will require anyone intending to manufacture or process three certain chemicals to give the agency a 90-day notice.
Opinion
Weak Federal Powers Could Limit Trump’s Climate-Policy Rollback
NY Times
With Donald J. Trump about to take control of the White House, it would seem a dark time for the renewable energy industry. After all, Mr. Trump has mocked the science of global warming as a Chinese hoax, threatened to kill a global deal on climate change and promised to restore the coal industry to its former glory.
Forget The IRS, It's The EPA's Auditors You Should Fear
Forbes
Ever gotten a notice letter from the IRS telling you that you’re about to be audited? It’s something that most people dread. But it could be worse: imagine if the Environmental Protection Agency, a government body tasked with enforcing this nation’s environmental laws–not scouring financial balance sheets–was auditing you instead. And imagine if based on the results of the EPA’s financial audit, the agency could make you pay tens of millions of dollars in extra “green” taxes, retroactively, for last year.
Press Releases
Storm Damage Reports to MEMA
PEARL – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has received damage reports from severe weather in Mississippi. Several counties have damage to homes and power outages. No injuries are being reported. There are nearly 20,000 customers without power.
- Entergy 11,042
- Southern Pine Electric 7,329
Counties reporting damage:
- Claiborne: Trees and powerlines down.
- Clarke: Trees and powerlines down.
- Copiah: Home and Sweetwater United Methodist Church damaged, trees and powerlines down.
- Covington: Homes damaged, trees and powerlines down.
- Forrest: Flash flooding and trees down.
- Jefferson: Trees down.
- Jones: Trees down.
- Perry: Trees and powerlines down.
- Lamar: Trees and powerlines down.
- Lauderdale: Home damaged, trees and powerlines down.
- Lawrence: Trees and powerlines down.
- Lincoln: Home damaged and trees and powerlines down near Brookhaven.
- Marion: Home damaged, trees and powerlines down.
- Pearl River: Trees and powerlines down.
- Pike: Homes damaged, trees and powerlines down.
- Simpson: Homes and chicken houses damaged near Mendenhall.
- Smith: Trees down and power outages.
- Walthall: Homes damaged, trees and powerlines down.
The National Weather Service will determine if the damage was caused by tornadoes.
The State Emergency Operations Center is staffed and monitoring conditions and requests for resources from counties.
MEMA will provide updates as information becomes available. The best way to get up-to-date information during this event is to “Like” MEMA on Facebook, or “Follow” us on twitter @msema.
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Several fishing seasons open Jan. 1, 2017
BILOXI, Miss. – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Friday that several fishing seasons will open Jan. 1, 2017.
The commercial fishing seasons for Flounder and Red Drum will open at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, in Mississippi territorial waters.
The total allowable catch for commercial landings of Red Drum is set at 60,000 pounds between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2017. That catch is divided into three four-month periods with a 20,000-pound catch allowed in each period: Jan. 1-April 30; May 1-Aug. 31 and Sept. 1-Dec. 31.
If the commercial catch is not met or is exceeded in any of the three-month periods, the pounds shall be added or subtracted to the next time period.
MDMR officials also announced that the recreational fishing season for Greater Amberjack will open in Mississippi territorial waters at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2017.
The recreational fishing season for Gray Triggerfish shall remain closed in Mississippi territorial waters for 2017 or until further notice.
