State
New irrigation technologies can save growers water, money
Irrigation specialists working to help growers make more efficient use of irrigation, saving water and money.
Delta Farm Press
The water level in the alluvial aquifer serving the Mid-South states continues to decline while the demand for irrigation water is increasing, according to studies by agencies such as as Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Water Management District.
http://www.deltafarmpress.com/irrigation-systems/new-irrigation-technologies-can-save-growers-water-money
Recycling options might increase
Vicksburg Post
Vicksburg residents could soon be able to dispose of recyclable paper and plastic at one of four recycling bins placed at local schools.
The bins are part of a joint program involving the city, the Vicksburg Warren School District and Miss-West Industries, funded by a $50,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. http://www.vicksburgpost.com/2017/02/15/recycling-options-might-increase/
Proposed countywide flood maps focal points of open house
Monroe Journal
Several Monroe County property owners could be recommended or required to purchase flood insurance if federally proposed flood maps pass at the local government levels. The first step in the process is a come-and-go open house Feb. 16 from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Monroe County Government Complex, located at 1619 Highland Ave. in Amory.
http://djournal.com/monroe/2017/02/10/proposed-countywide-flood-maps-focal-points-open-house/
Residents asked to help with second Aberdeen Community Cleanup Day
Monroe Journal
ABERDEEN – Last September, a morning’s worth of volunteer help resulted in overgrown grass weedeated down and unsightly trash picked up throughout town. On Feb. 18, residents will have another chance to make a difference in Aberdeen’s aesthetic appearance.
http://djournal.com/monroe/2017/02/14/residents-asked-help-second-aberdeen-community-cleanup-day/
Amory wood chip processor launches tracking system
Monroe Journal
AMORY – Enviva Holdings, LP, the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, recently released the first data from its groundbreaking Track & Trace (T&T) program. T&T is a proprietary system that enables Enviva to track every truckload of wood the company procures from the forest back to its source, providing a detailed understanding of the characteristics of the wood the company uses.
http://djournal.com/monroe/2017/02/11/amory-wood-chip-processor-launches-tracking-system/
2 areas open Thursday for oyster tonging
AP
BILOXI, MISS.
State officials say two areas will open at legal sunrise Thursday for oyster tonging.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article132957239.html
Oil Spill
What the BP spill did, and how scientists figured it out
Times-Picayune
Researching the damage
During the Feb. 6-9 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference in New Orleans, researchers who participated in the Natural Resource Damage Assessment after the 2010 BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico explained how they assessed damage to wildlife and land onshore, in nearshore waters, on the sea floor, in the air and in the water column.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2017/02/assessing_bp_spill_damage_to_n.html#incart_river_index
Regional
State, local officials left in dark as Iberville Parish oil spill goes uncleaned for months in wetlands
The Advocate
A company's neglect to report a spill has allowed up to 18,480 gallons of oil to stagnate uncleaned in the wetlands of Iberville Parish for at least six months, regulators said Wednesday.
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/environment/article_28ccf1ac-f3d6-11e6-82a1-1f6f5b44c091.html
Georgia scores major victory in water wars feud with Florida
AJC
Georgia notched a victory in a long-running legal dispute with Florida on Tuesday when a judicial official urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reject strict new water consumption limits that Georgia said would have struck a devastating blow to the state’s economy.
http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-scores-major-victory-water-wars-feud-with-florida/kOdvkyyRf6yBFYLsx3bCML/
National
Report: Trump aiming to sign executive orders on EPA
The Hill
President Trump aims to sign executive orders cutting into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) climate work shortly after his nominee to lead the agency is confirmed by the Senate, according to a report.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319667-report-trump-aiming-to-sign-sweeping-epa-executive-orders
Collins to vote against Trump’s EPA pick
The Hill
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will vote against confirming President Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319766-sen-collins-to-vote-against-trumps-epa-pick
Interim EPA head says hiring freeze hurting the agency
The Hill
A Trump administration hiring freeze for the federal government is damaging the Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA’s acting administrator said in a video message to employees on Wednesday.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319754-interim-epa-head-says-hiring-freeze-hurting-the-agency
Conservative groups fight carbon tax proposal
The Hill
A coalition of conservative groups is fighting back against Republicans who are pushing for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319647-conservative-groups-fight-carbon-tax-proposal
Oroville puts focus on dam spillways – aging and some never tested
McClatchy
WASHINGTON
When operators of Oroville Dam suddenly ordered evacuations on Sunday, it focused a big spotlight on a crucial piece of California’s flood-control infrastructure – spillways.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article132992819.html
Church sues after playground found contaminated with lead, mercury, PCBs
NJ.com
ENGLEWOOD - A church has sued the manufacturer of its cushioned playground floor, claiming the 12 tons of rubber matting contained hazardous materials, including lead, mercury and PCBs.
http://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2017/02/church_sues_after_playground_found_contaminated_with_lead_mercury_pcbs.html
Opinion
If You Kill a Migratory Duck, Your Goose May Be Cooked
A century-old law stymies development to protect common fowl like crows and hummingbirds.
WSJ
Renovations on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge north of San Francisco were stopped last month after a hummingbird’s nest, about the size of a tennis ball, was discovered in the construction zone. Ho hum. Just another hang-up caused by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a century-old law that protects more than a thousand avian species.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-you-kill-a-migratory-duck-your-goose-may-be-cooked-1487203949
Press Releases
Two areas open Feb. 16 for oyster tonging
BILOXI, Miss. – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Wednesday that two areas will open at legal sunrise Thursday, Feb. 16, for oyster tonging.
The areas are:
Conditionally Approved Area II “A” – This includes northern portions of the Pass Christian and Henderson Point reefs and Hornets Reef inside the tonging line.
Conditionally Approved Area II “B” – This includes Waveland and St. Stanislaus reefs inside the tonging line.
The limit is 15 sacks per day. All applicable rules and regulations shall remain in effect, and all other waters and reefs shall remain closed to the harvest of oysters.
For more information, harvesters may call the Oyster Hotline at 228-374-5167 or 1-800-385-5902.
The Band Perry to Headline First Mississippi Bicentennial Concert
JACKSON – GRAMMY Award® winners and Mississippi natives The Band Perry will headline the Governor’s Concert for the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration South. The free event kicks off celebrations around the state during 2017.
“We are honored to celebrate the 200th anniversary of statehood with world-renowned musicians who make Mississippi’s music known around the globe,” said Gov. Phil Bryant. “With blues, gospel, rock ‘n’ roll and country music from our greatest songwriters and performers, this concert represents all Mississippians.”
The Band Perry will lead the lineup on April 1 at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport. The concert will also feature GRAMMY nominee Vasti Jackson, recording artist Paul Thorn and Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, featuring Gulfport native and Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe Johnson.
The Governor’s Concert will begin with “We Are Mississippi,” an orchestral salute to the state’s musical heritage conducted by Dr. Jay Dean, Executive Director of the Arts Institute of Mississippi. The showcase will also feature the Roots Gospel Voices of Mississippi, 2015 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest winner David Lee, the Mississippi Bicentennial Symphony Orchestra, the Mississippi Bicentennial Singers and the 200-voice Mississippi Bicentennial Chorus.
“The city of Gulfport is excited to host this incredible event with talent from around Mississippi and our own hometown hero, Jaimoe Johnson,” said Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes.
A full slate of additional events are planned for March 31 and April 1 at Centennial Plaza, located at 200 E. Beach Boulevard. The events include ongoing live regional entertainment, a “Salute to Mississippi and the Military” exhibition and the “Taste of Mississippi,” pairing coastal and international cuisine with local craft beers. The United States Postal Service will also unveil the new Mississippi Commemorative Stamp on March 31 at 11:00 a.m.
“It promises to be the party of the century,” said George Schloegel, chairman of the South Mississippi Bicentennial Committee.
All events during the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration, including the Governor’s Concert, are open to the public with free, ticketed admission. Attendees must reserve tickets online at www.visitmississippi.org/200 for each day they wish to attend. Visitors are limited to six tickets each.
“This Mississippi-made, all-star lineup is a fantastic way to celebrate 200 years of statehood,” said Visit Mississippi Director Craig Ray. “I encourage everyone to reserve their tickets online now. With popular acts like The Band Perry and a strong lineup of attractions throughout the event, we expect to have a full house.”
Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration events are also planned for the north and central regions of the state, in Oxford on June 24 and Jackson on Dec. 9 during the grand opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. For more information on the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration, please visit www.visitmississippi.org/200 and www.ms200south.org.
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