State
County receives $15K MDEQ grant
Starkville Daily News
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) announced on Monday that it had awarded Oktibbeha County a solid waste assistance grant in the amount of $15,567.
Lauderdale County receives grant to address illegal dumps
Meridian Star
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality awarded Lauderdale County an $18,152 solid waste assistance grant to be used for unauthorized dump cleanup.
Dak Prescott heads anti-litter ad campaign to keep Mississippi beautiful
News MS
As a professional athlete, Dak Prescott understands small things can make a big difference.
So, it came as no surprise when, during a nationally televised football game, he was seen automatically placing his own trash into a receptacle. That small gesture spoke volumes to thousands of fans about Prescott’s character and his sense of personal responsibility, both on and off the field.
Plans for Mississippi's new urban natural space released
WLBT
FLOWOOD, MS (Mississippi News Now) -Plans for Mississippi’s new and largest urban nature space have been released.
USM just built 2 multi-million dollar facilities on the Coast, and 1 is kid-friendly
Sun Herald
OCEAN SPRINGS
Beach Boulevard drivers may have noticed a new, modern building going up near the Port of Gulfport, but it's not related to the nearby casino construction.
What you need to know about red snapper fishing this season
Sun Herald
Recreational fishermen and charter boat anglers can start catching the sweet-tasting red snapper up to 230 miles from the Mississippi Coast starting May 25.
Emergency declaration approved for storm damage cleanup
WTOK
MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - An emergency declaration has been officially declared by the Meridian City Council for Saturday’s Tornado. We are also getting a preliminary look at the numbers.
State Government
New PEER report gives perspective to bridge crisis
WLBT
A new legislative watchdog report is shedding light on how the state got into the bridge crisis.
It's also offering ideas on how to prevent another crisis in the future.
COUNTY EMAS ARE MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE
WCBI
MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – County Emergency Management workers have a tough job when disaster strikes, and state budget cuts don’t make it any easier..
State appeals judge to retire instead of seek re-election
AP
The top judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals is retiring when this term ends Jan. 1.
Chief Judge L. Joseph Lee of Jackson had filed to seek another eight-year term this November.
Oil Spill
Local flood-protection lock moves toward construction
Daily Comet
Officials have approved the final $18.5 million needed to complete design and engineering work for a major flood-protection lock in the Houma Navigation Canal, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday.
UMN hoping for national loon center in northern Minnesota
Minnesota Daily
The University of Minnesota and the National Loon Center Foundation are working to build a center for loon education and conservation near Brainerd.
Regional
Mighty Mississippi: Scientists use model in Louisiana land loss fight
Times-Picayune
Scientists working on new ways to battle the erosion that threatens Louisiana's coastline have a dramatic new tool: a massive replica of the lower Mississippi River.
Louisiana is second-worst in environmental friendliness: report
Times-Picayune
Louisiana ranks second-worst among U.S. states when examining a wide range of environmental indicators, including water and air quality, energy use and recycling, according to an analysis released Tuesday (April 17) by personal finance website WalletHub.
National
Trump’s EPA quietly revamps rules for air pollution
The Hill
The Trump administration has quietly reshaped enforcement of air pollution standards in recent months through a series of regulatory memos.
Coast Guard bill would weaken water pollution rules, environmentalists say
The Hill
The Senate could vote on a Coast Guard bill in the coming days that environmentalists and Democratic attorneys general say would weaken water pollution standards.
California has eight of 10 most polluted U.S. cities
USA Today
Forget the Golden State. California should be called the Smoggy State.
Eight of the USA's 10 most polluted cities, in terms of ozone pollution, are in California, according to the American Lung Association's annual "State of the Air" report, released Wednesday.
EPA could OK pesticides without endangered species review under proposed farm bill
Houston Chronicle
WASHINGTON — A provision in the 2018 farm bill would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to approve pesticides without undertaking reviews now required to protect endangered species.
Woolly mammoths could be brought back to LIFE as scientists begin cloning DNA to resurrect the extinct species
Harvard scientists are planning to modify elephant cells with frozen mammoth DNA
The Mirror
Woolly mammoths could be on the edge of a comeback if a cutting-edge scientific experiment goes to plan.
Press Releases
Administrator Pruitt Approves $26M to State of Mississippi for Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Activities
04/17/2018
WASHINGTON (April 17, 2018) — Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt sent a letter to Mr. Gary Rikard, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and Designated Alternate for the Governor of Mississippi to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council), announcing his approval of approximately $26 million for Gulf Coast restoration activities in Mississippi. “I applaud the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality on the development of a thoughtful and effective State Expenditure Plan Amendment,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Our collective efforts under the RESTORE Act will help ensure the long-term health and resilience of the Gulf Coast ecosystem.”
"We are grateful to Administrator Scott Pruitt, as Chair of the RESTORE Council, for approving Mississippi’s State Expenditure Plan in a timely fashion so we can begin to implement crucial projects including the Remote Oyster Setting Facility project and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Water Quality Improvement Program,” said Rikard. “These projects are a boost to our efforts to improve water quality on the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi Sound and to improve the production of natural oyster reefs and help restore oyster fishery production. Our restoration efforts are integrated for the overall improvement of our natural resources just as the natural resources are dependent on one another. These projects are key components of our efforts and will complement one another along with many of our other projects."
The 2017 Mississippi State Expenditure Plan Amendment was submitted underthe Spill Impact Component of the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act). The funding will support water quality improvement, oyster restoration, habitat conservation and other activities.
Click here to read the letter. Background
The RESTORE Act established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) and the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund (Trust Fund), and dedicates 80 percent of Clean Water Act civil penalties resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the Trust Fund, for restoration projects in the Gulf Coast region.
The RESTORE Council is responsible for administering 60 percent of the total funding allocated from the Trust Fund: 30 percent (plus interest) under the Council-Selected Restoration Component and 30 percent under the Spill Impact Component. The RESTORE Council is chaired by EPA, and members include the governors of: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, as well as the secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, the Army and the Interior.
The RESTORE Council is responsible for helping to restore the ecosystems and economies of the Gulf Coast region by developing and overseeing implementation of a Comprehensive Plan and carrying out other responsibilities. The Gulf Coast ecosystem is one of the most diverse environments in the world and home to a wealth of wildlife, valuable natural resources, abundant seafood, extraordinary beaches and recreational activities, and a rich cultural heritage.
Yesterday, EPA announced the appointment of Ben Scaggs as the Executive Director of the RESTORE Council. A native of Mississippi, Ben Scaggs previously served as Director of EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program, EPA’s Associate Deputy Administrator in Washington, D.C., Director of EPA’s Office of Administration and Resource Management at EPA’s Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation in Region 4 office.
EPA Announces Effort to Update Wet Weather Regulations for Wastewater Treatment Plants
04/17/2018
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will be reaching out to states, local communities, and stakeholders as the Agency begins a new rulemaking process to provide certainty surrounding the use of “blending” by wastewater treatment plants.
“EPA is taking action on a new rule that will give municipalities much-needed clarity on blending at wastewater treatment plants,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “We look forward to engaging with partners at the state and local levels as we work to design a rule that offers a common-sense approach to protecting public health and safely managing our nation’s wastewater.”
Through this effort, EPA seeks to provide regulatory clarity and certainty with respect to the use of blending so that facilities can optimize wastewater treatment during wet weather, which will protect both water quality and public health in the communities they serve.
EPA will be conducting robust stakeholder outreach during the coming months to gather critical input prior to issuing a proposed rulemaking.
Background
Rain and snowmelt can take Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) offline when excess water enters the wastewater collection system and exceeds the POTW’s capacity to treat all incoming wastewater. POTWs often manage excess wet weather flow by routing some of the incoming water around the secondary (biological) treatment units and then “blending” it back in with secondary treatment effluent for disinfection prior to discharge. Blending allows an operator to avoid a possible shutdown or damage to the water treatment plant.
