State
220 tons of Nate debris removed in Biloxi
WLOX
Biloxi's new trash contractor, Pelican Waste, started work with a huge task: remove all the trash and debris left behind by Hurricane Nate. City officials say they've done just that, hauling away more than 200 tons of debris from Biloxi neighborhoods over the weekend. And there's still more cleanup work to be done in west Biloxi.
SAND SOLUTION IN BILOXI
WXXV
A plan to keep sand off of Highway 90 in Biloxi continues to see progress.
Following the Asbestos Trail in Fondren
JFP
JACKSON — The day after developers of a new Hilton hotel suddenly started demolishing structures on a two-acre site in the heart of Fondren, asbestos inspector Ryan Galfetti showed up unannounced after the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality received a complaint that asbestos may be present in the structures and the new piles of debris.
Smoke, flames seen shooting from a Coast Guard vessel
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -Flames shot out of a Coast Guard vessel docked at the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor Wednesday morning before sunrise. Gulfport fire trucks rushed to the harbor and quickly poured water on the burning boat.
Ingalls to widen channel for improved ship access
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -Work will soon begin to deepen the channel that leads into Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula.
Two Louisiana residents plead guilty to smuggling white-tailed deer into MS
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -On Tuesday two Louisiana residents pleaded guilty for smuggling white-tailed deer into Mississippi.
State Government
Sean Tindell sworn in to MS Court of Appeals
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Former state senator Sean Tindell was sworn in to the Mississippi Court of Appeals on Tuesday morning.
Special election for MS Senate District 49 set for Dec. 19
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -Gov. Phil Bryant has set Dec. 19 as the special election date to fill the Mississippi senate seat vacated by Sean Tindell, who was recently appointed to the state court of appeals.
Former prosecutor becoming circuit judge in east Mississippi
AP
MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — A former prosecutor is becoming a circuit judge in Mississippi.
Gov. Phil Bryant announced Tuesday that he is appointing Charles W. Wright Jr. to be one of two judges in the 10th Circuit Court District in Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale and Wayne counties.
Regional
Company responsible for oil and gas rig explosion had previous violations
WALA
The Clovelly oil and gas rig on Lake Pontchatrain in Kenner, La., was completely engulfed in flames Sunday night.
National
EPA Chief Pruitt: Obama 'increased burden' on coal mining industry
Fox Business
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt lashed out at the Obama administration on Tuesday for waging a war on the coal mining industry and defended the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Scientists Getting EPA Grants Can’t Advise Agency, Pruitt Says
Bloomberg
Scientists who have received EPA grants to the “tune of literally tens of millions of dollars” won’t be allowed to serve on the agency’s advisory boards, Administrator Scott Pruitt announced Oct. 17.
Grassley threatens Trump EPA nominees over biofuels mandate
AP
WASHINGTON — A Republican senator says he may seek to block President Donald Trump’s nominees for key posts at the Environmental Protection Agency unless the administration backs off a proposed reduction in the volume of biofuels blended into gasoline and diesel.
Alaskan picked to lead regional EPA office
AP
JUNEAU, ALASKA
Alaska state commerce commissioner Chris Hladick has been chosen to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regional office based in Seattle.
Press Releases
USA Rice Ducks and Unlimited Regional have Conservation
Partnership Program Funding Available for Mississippi
Delta Producers
Jackson, Miss. – The United States Department of Agriculture/Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The funding is through
the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and is a stewardship
partnership between NRCS, USA Rice Council and Ducks Unlimited.
The RCPP program will assist landowners and rice producers that voluntarily
implement conservation and management practices that help to improve
irrigation water management, control sediment and nutrient runoff, and
provide waterfowl habitat on rice production lands. The main goal is to
reduce groundwater demand in the alluvial aquifer from rice production to
ensure sustainability of the water source for future rice production.
This financial assistance program is targeted for rice production acreage
in 10 Delta counties and part-Delta counties over the alluvial aquifer that
produce rice. These counties include Bolivar, Coahoma, Humphreys,
Leflore, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, and Washington.
The project will provide an investment of $560,000 in 2018 to Mississippi
Delta rice growers.
“NRCS is proud to partner with the USA Rice Federation and Ducks Unlimited
to provide financial assistance to eligible landowners and producers in the
Mississippi Delta to address the water resource concerns in the local aquifer,
” stated Kurt Readus, state conservationist for Mississippi.
Landowners and producers interested in participating in the RCPP may apply
at their local USDA Service Center/NRCS office. NRCS financial assistance
programs are accepted on a continuous basis with specific sign-up deadlines
being established to rank, contract and fund qualified tracts of land.
The deadline to sign-up to be considered in the RCPP first ranking period is
November 17, 2017. Additional ranking deadlines may be established if
additional funding becomes available.
Applicants can sign up at their local NRCS office. To locate an office,
EQIP information, visit our website at:
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“GREAT CENTRAL U.S. SHAKEOUT” EARTHQUAKE DRILL
SET FOR OCTOBER 19, 2017
PEARL –The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is encouraging everyone in the state to take part in the 2017 “Great Central U.S. ShakeOut” Earthquake Drill on Thursday, October 19 at 10:19 a.m.
During the self-led drill, participants practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”. The essential steps to take are to:
DROP to the ground.
Take COVER under a sturdy table or desk if possible, protecting your head and neck.
HOLD ON until the shaking stops.
Citizens in Mississippi are not immune to earthquakes. The state is on the outer edge of the New Madrid Seismic Zone which saw a series of major earthquakes in the early 1800’s which caused catastrophic damage. There are several fault lines that cross the state.
“It is not a question of IF but WHEN another major earthquake occurs along the New Madrid fault,” said MEMA Director Lee Smithson. “All Mississippians should know how to protect themselves from an earthquake whether you are at home, school, work or just out in the community. Preparedness is the key to surviving any disaster.”
The ShakeOut is free and open-to-the-public, and participants include individuals, schools, businesses, local and state government agencies, and many other groups. To take part in the ShakeOut, individuals and organizations are asked to join the drill by registering to participate at
www.shakeout.org/centralus.
Once registered, participants receive regular information on how to plan their drill and become better prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.
To date, three million people are registered to participate in this regional event, however drills will also take place throughout most of the nation and in several countries worldwide. More than 40 million people around the globe are expected to participate; and in addition to safety drills, many participants take extra steps to become more prepared for earthquakes or other disasters.
The “Great Central U.S. ShakeOut” is being coordinated by local and state emergency management, as well as by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and its Member and Associate States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and dozens of other partners.
For detailed preparedness information please visit MEMA’s website,
www.msema.org, social media platforms Facebook and Twitter, and the MEMA mobile app under Mississippi EMA.
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Clean Diesel Rebates
2017 School Bus Rebate Application Period is now Open
The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 (PDF)(7 pp, 133 K, January 2011,
About PDF) allows EPA to offer rebates in addition to grants to reduce harmful emissions from older, dirtier diesel vehicles. The rebate program has funded vehicle replacements or retrofits for over 600 vehicles to date. Typically, the rebate application period opens in the fall and projects are completed in less than one year.
The Mississippi State Department of Health’s Bureau of Public Water Supply Introduces Electronic Invoice Payment System
Public water systems can now submit online payments for invoices
October 17, 2017 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
JACKSON, Miss.--(
BUSINESS WIRE)--Mississippi public water systems can now quickly and easily remit water quality analysis payments to the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Bureau of Public Water Supply online via the department’s new
Online Invoice Payment system.
The new system provides quick and easy invoice payment capabilities, and it allows users to pay using all major credit cards or electronic check. In addition to the secure payment processing, users receive email confirmation receipts immediately following a transaction. This service marks the first time credit cards have been accepted as form of payment for invoices.
The Bureau of Public Water Supply Online Invoice System was developed under a self-funded model, at no cost to Mississippi taxpayers. The service joins over 200 innovative digital services created for the state of Mississippi through its eGovernment partnership with Mississippi Interactive.
About Mississippi Interactive
Mississippi Interactive is the official digital government solutions provider for the state of Mississippi. The company builds and manages self-funded, interactive government services on behalf of the state and is part of digital government firm NIC's family of companies.
About NIC
Founded in 1992, NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) is celebrating 25 years as the nation’s premier provider of innovative digital government solutions and secure payment processing, which help make government interactions more accessible for everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies has developed a library of more than 12,000 digital government services for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local government agencies. Among these solutions is the ground-breaking digital government personal assistant, Gov2Go, delivering citizens personalized reminders and a single access point for government interactions. More information is available at
www.egov.com.
Contacts
Mississippi Interactive, LLC
Dana Wilson, 601-351-5023
