State
NOW YOU'RE TALKING WITH MARSHALL RAMSEY: “35 MILLION YEARS DOWN THE CHICKASAWHAY,”
MPB
The Chickasawhay River in southeast Mississippi is a world-renown treasure trove of the Earth’s history, and in a special Mississippi Public Broadcasting original documentary titled “35 Million Years down the Chickasawhay,” some of the river’s ancient discoveries are revealed.
BILOXI GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP
WXXV
Earth Day was the perfect way to kick off Biloxi’s Great American Cleanup.
Missed trash will bring big fines — Supervisors lay down rules for garbage contract prior to contractor bidding
Daily Leader
The next company collecting garbage in Lincoln County will face fines for missed pickups, make regular appearances before the board of supervisors and probably include garbage cans as part of its contract.
City waste collection proposals discussed behind closed doors
Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — Behind closed doors, city leaders reviewed details of what waste companies have offered to provide Natchez residents as a few of those very citizens sat silently outside.
No more 'waste dirt' in Lamar County
WDAM
Lamar County residents will no longer be able to receive a 'waste dirt' delivery after officials found out the service breaks the law.
Here's when charter boats can fish federal waters for red snapper off the Mississippi Coast
Sun Herald
Charter boat owners have a few weeks to get ready to carry anglers into federal waters for red snapper catches beyond the Mississippi Coast.
State Government
Mississippi OKs $25 million in bonds for bridge improvements
AP
Top Mississippi officials have approved the state's borrowing $25 million to help repair or replace dangerous bridges.
Oil Spill
BP spill trustees propose $47.5 million for recreation, water quality projects
Times-Picayune
Federal and state natural resource trustees for the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill will hold a public hearing Tuesday evening (April 24) on their proposal to spend $38 million on 19 recreational projects and $9.5 million on four water quality projects, with the money coming from $5 billion paid by BP for natural resource damages stemming from the spill.
Deepwater Horizon settlement to help restore coast at McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge
Houston Chronicle
Nearly 20 miles of shoreline at McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge will be restored with the help of $26.5 million in funds related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, federal officials announced Monday.
Early designs released for long-awaited Gulf Coast Discovery Center in Navarre
PNJ
After five years in the making, the Gulf Coast Discovery Center has taken another step toward becoming reality.
8 years after the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster: coastal roundup
Times-Picayune
It's been eight years since the Deepwater Horizon rig drilling BP's Macondo well blew up, killing 11 workers and causing an 87-day uncontrolled release of more than 160 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. In this Coastal New Roundup, environment reporter Mark Schleifstein discusses with WWNO's Travis Lux what's changed and what has not changed since then, including how fine money is being used to restore Louisiana's coast, and the status of federal regulations governing future deepwater drilling.
Regional
GEORGIA BENEFITS FROM EPA DECISION
WSB
A decision by the Environmental Protection Agency is good news for Georgia. The EPA announced Monday it will begin treating energy created by burning trees as renewable, the same as wind and solar. Biomass from burning wood to produce electricity will be considered carbon-neutral.
UWA forms partnership to help fight invasive species
Tuscaloosa News
The University of West Alabama has formed a partnership with the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District to serve as a resource to landowners trying to control invasive species.
National
White House Deterring Republicans From Defending Pruitt, Sources Say
Bloomberg
White House officials are cautioning Republican lawmakers and other conservative allies to temper their defense of Scott Pruitt, according to two people familiar with the discussions, in a sign that administration support for the embattled EPA chief may be waning.
Pruitt to unveil controversial 'transparency' rule limiting what research EPA can use
Washington Post
WASHINGTON - Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is expected to propose a rule Tuesday that would establish new standards for what science could be used in writing agency regulations, according to individuals briefed on the plan. It is a sweeping change long sought by conservatives.
Pruitt declares that burning wood is carbon neutral
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared Monday that burning trees is carbon neutral.
Science Says: Amount of straws, plastic pollution is huge
AP
WASHINGTON (AP) - Cities and nations are looking at banning plastic straws and stirrers in hopes of addressing the world's plastic pollution problem. The problem is so large, though, that scientists say that's not nearly enough.
Court rules against Trump administration’s delay on car efficiency fines
The Hill
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration cannot delay a regulation that increased automakers’ fines for cars that violate fuel efficiency standards.
Press Releases
Alligator Hunting Season and Permit Process Approved for 2018
JACKSON – On April 18, the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks approved rule changes for the 2018 alligator hunting season on public waters and private lands in Mississippi.
USGS Tracks How Hurricane Floodwaters Spread Non-Native Freshwater Plants and Animals
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate may have spread non-native freshwater plants and animals into new water bodies, where some of them can disrupt living communities or change the landscape.To help land managers find and manage these flood-borne newcomers, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have created four online maps, one for each hurricane.
