State
Oyster aquaculture farm moving ahead in Jackson County
WLOX
JACKSON COUNTY, MS -
The Mississippi Sound near Round Island off Pascagoula may soon be home to a new oyster aquaculture off bottom farm, where oysters grow in baskets suspended in the water.
http://www.wlox.com/story/36140584/cmr-votes-to-move-forward-with-oyster-farm-off-jackson-co
6 NEW CASES OF WEST NILE REPORTED ACROSS MISSISSIPPI
WCBI
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss.- The Mississippi State Department of Health reports six new cases of West Nile Virus Monday. That brings the 2017 state total to 25. The cases reported are in Clay, Lowndes, Forrest, Hinds, Leake and Rankin counties.
https://www.wcbi.com/video-6-new-cases-west-nile-reported-across-mississippi/
Study: LA coastal plan could increase MS flood risk
WLOX
HANCOCK COUNTY, MS -
A new study has been published, outlining the potential flood risk that could be imposed on Mississippi when new flood walls go up to protect the Louisiana coast.
http://www.wlox.com/story/36143388/study-la-coastal-plan-could-increase-ms-flood-risk
Regional
Different strains of vibrio reported in Mobile County
WDAM
Six cases of the virus vibrio
There are now six reported cases of the virus vibrio in Mobile County. That's an increase over recent years.
http://www.wdam.com/story/36141546/different-strains-of-vibrio-reported-in-mobile-county
National
Court rejects greens’ challenge to Texas natural gas export project
The Hill
A federal court has rejected a challenge to a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Texas.
In its Tuesday decision, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the Department of Energy (DOE) conducted the necessary environmental and economic reviews before it approved the Freeport LNG export terminal project.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/346604-court-rejects-greens-challenge-to-texas-natural-gas-export-project
EPA to rewrite toxic waste limits for power plants
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to rewrite limits on toxic waste from power plants, the agency said in a court filing this week.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/346658-epa-to-rewrite-toxic-waste-rule-for-power-plants
Press Releases
This is a News Release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region.
Date: August 15, 2017
Contact: Laury_parramore@fws.gov
Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov
Deputy Secretary Bernhardt Announces More Than $52 Million in Federal
Funding To Bolster Tribal, State Wildlife Conservation Projects
WASHINGTON – *U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt today
announced more than $52 million in funding to Native American tribes and
state wildlife agencies through the Tribal Wildlife Grant (TWG) program and
the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) program. The funds, which are provided by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, give critical support for a diverse
array of species and habitats across the country.
Under the SWG program, more than $48 million will support imperiled species
and habitats listed in approved state wildlife action plans. All 50 state
and U.S. territorial wildlife agencies have these plans, which proactively
protect species in greatest conservation need. Projects funded through SWG
involve research, monitoring, wildlife surveys, species and habitat
management and other activities.
More than $4 million in TWG funds to Native American and Alaska Native
tribes in 14 states will support fish and wildlife conservation and key
partnerships. The awards will benefit 25 projects that encompass a wide
range of wildlife and habitats, including species of Native American
cultural or traditional importance and species that are not hunted or
fished.
“The work of Native American tribes and state wildlife agencies is
absolutely critical to wildlife conservation in the United States,” said
Deputy Secretary Bernhardt. “We're thrilled to be able to collaborate with
them, their local communities, and other partners to ensure important fish,
wildlife, habitat and cultural needs are met. Tribal and state wildlife
grants are foundational to protecting our nation’s wildlife legacy,
including game and non-game species.”
Examples of state projects funded with SWG grants include:
*North Dakota* -- Last year, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department
completed a project with SWG funding that restored more than 200 acres of
grassland habitat within a priority waterfowl production area. The project
included seeding of a diverse mix of native grasses and forbs on existing
croplands for a variety of tallgrass prairie bird species and other birds
valued for public recreation. In addition to habitat creation, the state
agency also used SWG funds with matching state dollars for monitoring
vegetation species composition and structure and for conducting breeding
bird surveys.
*Georgia *-- SWG awards have funded the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources’ efforts to conserve the sicklefin redhorse sucker, which was
listed by the Service as a candidate species for Endangered Species Act
protection in 2005. As a result of voluntary conservation efforts carried
out by Georgia and North Carolina state agencies and partners—funded in
large part through SWG along with other state monies—the Service determined
in 2016 that listing the sicklefin redhorse sucker as an endangered or
threatened species is not warranted.
*Wyoming* -- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department used SWG funds to assess
the influence of cheat grass, an invasive plant, on small mammals and other
species of greatest conservation need. The study, conducted in partnership
with researchers at the University of Wyoming, found it is likely the
increased risk small mammals perceive in cheat grass habitats reflects
actual risk, with negative consequences for these species. This information
helps biologists and land managers understand and address the effects of
habitat alteration associated with cheat grass on sensitive species.
SWG funds are administered by the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration (WSFR) program and are allocated to states and territories
according to a congressionally mandated formula based on population and
geographic area. Grant funds must be used to address conservation needs,
such as research, wildlife surveys, species and habitat management, and
monitoring identified within state wildlife action plans. The funds may
also be used to update, revise or modify a state’s plan. Click here
<https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG_Funding.htm>
for the complete list of 2017 SWG apportionments.
Learn more about SWG program accomplishments here
<https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG.htm>.
The wide variation in the types of projects funded with TWG dollars is
highlighted by this year’s awards: In Oklahoma, the Tonkawa Tribe of
Oklahoma will receive $155,000 to support a bat conservation project, while
in New Mexico, the Pueblo of Tesuque will receive nearly $200,000 for its
Mule Deer Management and Habitat Enhancement Program. In Washington, the
Puyallup Tribe of Indians will receive nearly $200,000 for habitat
enhancement and population monitoring of the South Rainier elk herd. In
North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will receive $200,000
to support implementation of their wildlife action plan. In Maine, the
Penobscot Indian Nation will receive $200,000 to support Atlantic salmon
and other fisheries management on tribal trust lands. A complete list of
the 2017 Tribal Wildlife Grant awards can be found here
<https://www.fws.gov/nativeamerican/grants.html>.
TWG funds are provided exclusively to fund wildlife conservation by
federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and are made
possible under the Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2002 through the
State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program. Proposals for the 2018 grant
cycle are due Sept. 1, 2017.
For additional information about Native American conservation projects and
the Tribal Wildlife Grants application process, visit
http://www.fws.gov/nativeamerican/grants.html
or <http://www.fws.gov/nativeamerican/grants.html%20or>
http://www.grants.gov/.
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NFWF Announces $5.5 Million in Grants for Longleaf Pine Forest and
Ecosystems Across the Southeast
Partners Celebrate 1 Million Acres of Longleaf Impacted in Program’s Sixth Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 15, 2017) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $5.5 million in grants to support the restoration of the longleaf ecosystem in nine states. Awarded through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund, the grants are expected to generate more than $7 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $12.5 million.
With the addition of these accomplishments, NFWF’s Longleaf Stewardship Fund will reach a historic milestone, surpassing 1 million acres of longleaf pine restored or enhanced.
The 24 projects awarded grants this year are expected to establish more than 13,300 acres and improve more than 270,000 additional acres of longleaf pine habitat across the longleaf pine’s historical range. Grantees will provide educational and technical assistance related to longleaf restoration to more than 5,500 private landowners, with an anticipated 360 landowners entering into stewardship programs on private lands.
The grants will support conservation work in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. A complete list of the 2017 grants made through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund is available here.
The fund, now in its sixth year, represents a landmark public-private partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and private funding from Southern Company, International Paper’s Forestland Stewards partnership, Altria Group, American Forest Foundation’s Southern Woods for At-Risk Wildlife Initiative, and Louis Bacon’s Orton Foundation which is an affiliate of The Moore Charitable Foundation.
The fund combines the financial and technical resources of the funding partners to accelerate the restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem, while implementing the Range-Wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine as part of America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative.
“Restoring or enhancing 1 million acres of longleaf pine forest is no small feat, and the many public- and private-sector partners supporting the Longleaf Stewardship Fund should be immensely proud of reaching this remarkable milestone,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO at NFWF. “The longleaf pine is an iconic and beloved tree throughout most of the South, and the forests these trees anchor represent some of our nation’s richest areas of biodiversity. Restoring these vital habitats at such a large scale could not be done without the cooperation and support of private landowners, federal agencies, military installations, private corporations and a coalition of conservation organizations.”
Unique to the southeastern United States, the longleaf pine ecosystem once encompassed more than 90 million acres, reaching from Virginia to Texas. This fire-adapted ecosystem contains a stunning diversity of plants and animals, including rare species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise and indigo snake, as well as important game species such as bobwhite quail, wild turkey and white-tailed deer.
Longleaf forests also provide a range of additional benefits, supporting forest-dependent economies, military readiness and recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. After experiencing a century-long decline, longleaf forests became the focus of conservation efforts in the late 20th Century when communities, government agencies, nonprofits and private landowners began collaborating to restore longleaf pine and reverse the loss of habitat.
“Together, with the help of private landowners, conservation partners and many other groups and companies, we’re making headway in reversing the decline of America’s longleaf pine forests,” said NRCS Acting Chief Leonard Jordan. “Partnerships like those funded through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund are critical to conserving this unique Southern landscape on both public and private lands, which benefits wildlife, natural resources and rural economies.”
“As one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems, longleaf pine restoration continues to receive broad support and unprecedented collaboration, largely in part from the success of the Longleaf Stewardship Fund,” said Tony Tooke, regional forester with the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region. “The fund is a testament to what can be achieved when public agencies, private companies and other groups work together with a unified vision.”
"DoD's partnership with the Longleaf Stewardship Fund provides wide-ranging benefits for national defense," said Maureen Sullivan, deputy assistant secretary of defense for environmental safety and occupational health. "The Longleaf Stewardship Fund surpassing the impressive milestone of one million acres of longleaf pine restored or enhanced is a true win-win for conservation efforts and the military, helping to ensure the warfighter's continued ability to test, train, and operate on military installations and ranges throughout the southeast. By partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, approximately $11 will be spent by our partners for every dollar DoD spends, helping to establish 3,810 acres of new longleaf pine and enhance an additional 127,634 acres of existing longleaf pine in the vicinity of 7 important military installations."
"We are extremely excited to play a leading role in the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative and celebrate this million-acre milestone for the Longleaf Stewardship Fund," said Cindy Dohner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Southeast regional director. "We are equally excited about the habitat restoration work that will be accomplished through these awards to conserve and improve nearly 300,000 acres of habitat working with hundreds of private landowners. Work at that scale will benefit the iconic gopher tortoise and nearly 300 other species that call this longleaf pine habitat home. And it contributes to our collective effort to deliver good conservation on the ground that has so far played an important role in helping us keep more than 100 at risk fish, wildlife and plants off the list of threatened and endangered species."
“We’re pleased to play a role in restoring a remarkably diverse ecosystem that is deeply connected to the culture and economic growth of our region,” said Southern Company Environmental and System Planning Vice President Jeff Burleson. “Through the landscape-scale conservation approach of the Longleaf Stewardship Fund, a wide range of plants and wildlife that depend on this critical habitat will benefit.”
“Our entire business depends on the sustainability of forests,” said Tom Cleves, International Paper’s vice president of global citizenship. “We are thrilled to team up with organizations that share our commitment to responsible forest management. By working together, we will continue to promote responsible forest stewardship and ensure healthy and productive forest ecosystems for future generations.”
“Promoting the sustainability of natural resources is a core part of Altria’s mission,” said Wendy Shields, manager of corporate citizenship for Altria client services. “By helping restore the longleaf forests, we are improving our communities while protecting the resources on which we depend.”
“Nearly 60 percent of the forests across the South are owned by family forest owners. These individuals want to do right by the land and help with conservation,” said Tom Martin, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation. “We are proud to be a part of the Longleaf Stewardship Fund, to help these landowners overcome some of the barriers to forest management, in order to restore an ecosystem that is so critical to at-risk species.”
“The Longleaf Stewardship Fund is a model public-private partnership that demonstrates the power of cooperative action,” said Louis Bacon, founder and chairman of the Moore Charitable Foundation. “Together, our efforts to restore and enhance longleaf pine ecosystems are having a tremendous, measurable impact in protecting natural habitats, water quality, and plant and wildlife diversity. In my native state of North Carolina, our collaborative efforts will establish more than 900 acres of longleaf pine and enhance another 18,000 acres, which will pay huge dividends to local economies, parks and recreation areas, the environment, and public health.”
Since 2012, the Longleaf Stewardship Fund has invested more than $24.1 million in projects that will establish more than 75,600 acres, improve more than 1,050,000 additional acres of longleaf pine forest and benefit the native species that rely on those forests.
The grants awarded by the Longleaf Stewardship Fund in 2017 continue to build on the success of this public-private partnership, further expanding the longleaf pine ecosystem through collaborative and results-oriented actions.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $3.8 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.
http://www.nfwf.org/whoweare/mediacenter/pr/Pages/nfwf-announces-grants-for-longleaf-pine-forest-2017-0815.aspx
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