Dow Chemical is pushing the Trump administration to scrap the findings of federal scientists who point to a family of widely used pesticides as harmful to about 1,800 critically threatened or endangered species.
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/35195374/ap-exclusive-pesticide-maker-tries-to-kill-risk-study Press Releases
Mississippi’s RESTORE Act State Expenditure Plan Approved
(JACKON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) announced today that Mississippi’s initial State Expenditure Plan (SEP) has been approved by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council). The $49.8 million plan describes projects and programs which Mississippi will fund under RESTORE Act.
The projects and programs identified for funding in this plan include: the Mississippi Gulf Coast Water Quality Improvement Program ($45 million), Pascagoula Oyster Reef Complex Relay and Enhancement ($3.5 million), and Compatibility, Coordination, and Restoration Planning ($1.3 million).
“Mississippi has developed a SEP that effectively addresses the requirements set forth in the RESTORE Act, Treasury regulations and SEP Guidelines. We look forward to working with Mississippi to help ensure an efficient grants process for the activities approved in the SEP,” said Ben Scaggs, Acting Executive Director, RESTORE Council.
“The RESTORE Council’s approval of this plan is another important step in Mississippi’s comprehensive restoration efforts. The plan focuses on improving water quality and marine ecosystems, and these goals were established based on public input during the plan development process,” said Marc Wyatt, Director of the MDEQ Office of Restoration.
The RESTORE Act makes available 80 percent of the Clean Water Act civil and administrative penalties paid by the responsible parties for the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Oil Spill Impact Component, also referred to as Bucket 3, accounts for 30 percent of the funds available in the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. The State of Mississippi, as determined by the RESTORE Act, will receive 19.07 percent of the 30 percent allocation of the Oil Spill Impact Component. The RESTORE Act required Mississippi, through MDEQ, to prepare a State Expenditure Plan describing each activity, project, or program for which Mississippi seeks funding under Bucket 3.
As part of the grant process, all activities for which funding is sought will be carefully reviewed to ensure consistency with the approved SEP, and compliance with the RESTORE Act and all other applicable requirements. Funding for implementation activities are disbursed to the state after verification of compliance with all applicable federal environmental and other laws. Funding for planning activities in the SEP will be disbursed after verification of a direct relationship to the Spill Impact Component.
Click here for project details and to view the Mississippi State Expenditure Plan.
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EPA to Reconsider Oil and Gas Rule
EPA continues to follow through with President Trump’s EO on American energy independence
04/19/2017
Contact Information:
U.S. EPA Media Relations (
press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON – In a letter to petitioners today, EPA announced the agency’s intent to grant a reconsideration of the Oil and Gas New Source Performance Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources Rule (NSPS Rule/Methane NSPS/Oil and Gas Rule/0000a), and stay a June 3 compliance date for 90 days, as EPA takes public comments.
“EPA is continuing to follow through with President Trump’s Energy Independence Executive Order,” said Administrator Pruitt. “American businesses should have the opportunity to review new requirements, assess economic impacts and report back, before those new requirements are finalized.”
EPA is convening a proceeding for reconsideration of the Final Rule, “Oil and Natural Gas Sector: Emission Standards for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources,” published June 3, 2016, at 81 FR 35824. EPA is sending a
letter to the petitioners who requested reconsideration of the rule, to notify them that remaining obligations under the rule will be administratively stayed upon reconsideration.
EPA Grants Available to Reduce Emissions from Diesel Engines
04/19/2017
Contact Information:
Christie St. Clair (
stclair.christie@epa.gov)
202-564-2880
Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Lenexa, Kan., April 19, 2017) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the availability of grant funding to modernize the nation’s diesel fleet by retrofitting or replacing vehicles with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding at least $11 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds.
Diesel-powered engines move approximately 90 percent of the nation’s freight tonnage, and nearly all highway freight trucks, locomotives, and commercial marine vessels are powered by diesel engines. DERA is considered one of the most cost-effective federal programs, averaging more than $13 in health and economic benefits for every $1 in funding.
EPA is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions and exposure. The Agency encourages applications from fleets in areas designated as having poor air quality. Priority will be given to projects that engage local communities and applicants that demonstrate their ability to continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.
"DERA is a bipartisan program to help fleet companies improve regional air quality, proving that good environmental policy can go hand in hand with good business," said Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
Eligible applicants include regional, state, local and tribal agencies, and port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality. Nonprofit organizations may apply if they provide pollution reduction or educational services to diesel fleet owners, or if their principal purpose is promoting transportation or air quality. The application deadline is
June 20, 2017.
EPA anticipates awarding between 20 and 80 assistance agreements under this competition. Applicants must request funding from their EPA regional office. The maximum grant funding for individual applications varies by region. EPA anticipates releasing a separate Request for Proposals for tribal applicants during 2017.
Since the first year of the DERA program in 2008, EPA has awarded nearly 690 grants across the U.S. Many of these projects fund cleaner diesel engines that operate in economically disadvantaged communities, whose residents suffer from higher-than-average instances of asthma, heart and lung disease.
Agencies in EPA Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine Tribal Nations) can contact Greg Crable at 913-551-7391 with questions regarding the DERA grant program.
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