State
Millions of pounds of hazardous waste illegally trucked to Missouri, feds say
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
FRANKLIN COUNTY • Thirteen million pounds of hazardous waste has been illegally stored in a building in a Franklin County floodplain for nearly four years, according to federal and state documents.
Nine million pounds of the waste was first dumped in Mississippi before being dug up and illegally transported to Missouri, according to a federal indictment filed this year in St. Louis against companies from Missouri and Ohio, and their officers.
Garbage, water and sewer rates to increase in Meridian
Meridian Star
The Meridian City Council on Tuesday approved a 10 percent increase in water/sewer and garbage collection rates.
OYSTER AQUACULTURE FARM
WXXV
Officials at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources held a public hearing tonight at the Bolton Building in Biloxi to discuss a new oyster aquaculture farm.
Trump nominates Mississippian to Administration
NewsMS
President Donald Trump has just announced his intention to nominate Randy Reeves to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Memorial Affairs.
Oil Spill
Revenue up, improvements underway at Coast Coliseum
WLOX
Positive revenue numbers and plans for some significant improvements in the future. That's the message Coast Coliseum Director Matt McDonnell delivered to Harrison County supervisors Tuesday as he presented the annual budget for the facility.
Maritime Museum sails forward with plan to raise money
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -The dream of opening a world class Maritime Museum in Pascagoula is sailing forward.
RESTORE Act: Escambia County Commission will submit $8.6 million plan for 10 projects
PNJ
After five years of development through commission meetings, advisory committees and staff reviews, Escambia County's plan for the first phase of the RESTORE Act is ready to be sent to the federal government for approval.
National
Hundreds of EPA Workers Leave in Recent Days
Nearly 400 employees have left the agency since Aug. 31, with most of the departures coming through buyouts
WSJ
WASHINGTON—Nearly 400 workers have left the Environmental Protection Agency in recent days, the agency said Tuesday, a wave of departures that soon could take the agency’s staffing to its lowest point in almost 30 years.
EPA workforce shrinking to Reagan-era levels: agency official
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The workforce at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is on course to fall to its lowest level since Ronald Reagan was president, an agency official said on Tuesday.
Environmental and health groups gear up to defend Obama EPA’s gas-mileage standards
Washington Post
The tug of war over how much more fuel efficient new cars and trucks should be in coming years — a fight that once seemed all but settled — will play out again on Wednesday in a downtown Washington hotel.
EPA General Counsel Pick Criticized Agency’s Rules
Bloomberg
President Donald Trump’s pick to be the EPA’s top legal counsel is a staunch critic of the Obama-era regulations he could play a crucial role in unraveling.
After Oil Refinery Is Damaged by Harvey, Benzene Is Detected in Houston Area
City and EPA investigate potentially dangerous plume after Valero Energy Partners reported leak tied to hurricane
WSJ
The city of Houston, the Environmental Protection Agency and an environmental advocacy group are investigating a potentially hazardous plume of a carcinogenic substance in one neighborhood after a nearby oil refiner reported its operations suffered hurricane-related damage.
As Houston Recovers From Harvey, Getting Fuel Flowing Again Is a Slow Process
Starting up refineries can be a weeks-long, risky process; restoring transport infrastructure is also key
WSJ
HOUSTON—Oil refineries here are starting to come back online as the epicenter of the U.S. energy industry begins to recover from Hurricane Harvey. But getting the fuel flowing again isn’t as easy as flipping a switch, and some key transport infrastructure remains down.
Ash Covers Oregon Cities, Wildfire Smoke Chokes U.S. West
Wildfires send smoke from Seattle to Denver
AP
TROUTDALE, Ore.—A growing Oregon wildfire covered parts of Portland’s metropolitan area Tuesday with ash and forced the shutdown of a lengthy stretch of highway through the state’s scenic Columbia River Gorge.
Justice Department drops appeal to save Obama overtime rule
The Hill
The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that it will not defend an Obama-era Labor Department rule that would have extended overtime benefits to more than 4 million workers after a federal judge struck it down last week.
Opinion
Guest column: Threats, restoration and hope along the Pearl River
The Advocate
Andrew Whitehurst
The idea that the Pearl River needs restoration and not more disturbance is gaining traction with state agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi that are now discussing the decommissioning of the Pearl River Navigational Canal.
