State
LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST MISSISSIPPI SILICON
WTVA
TISHOMINGO COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) ---A federal appeals court has ordered a lawsuit filed over the permitting process for Mississippi Silicon in Tishomingo County back to court.
NEW AG. COMMISSIONER SEEKS UNITY AMONG MISS. FARMERS
MPB
Mississippi's new agriculture commissioner is hitting the soil running with a statewide initiative to unify farmers. MPB's Ashley Norwood reports.
Department of Wildlife asks public to submit samples for CWD testing
NewsMS
In 2013, a non-permitted high-fenced enclosure was discovered by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks law enforcement just southwest of Hattiesburg in Lamar County.
Lincoln County supervisors want guarantees with trash pickup
Daily Leader
County supervisors on Monday exacted promises from a garbage company representative come to court favor ahead of next month’s new contract award, showing a glimpse of the guarantees they plan to require from Lincoln County’s next trash collector.
Lafayette County Utility Authority Bill dies in state Senate
Oxford Eagle
Creation of the Lafayette County Utility Authority is now postponed after the bill was not presented in the state senate.
City water and sewer rates increasing
Vicksburg Post
City water and sewer rates are going up.
LONG TIME EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR PASSES AWAY
WCBI
OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss (WCBI)- James Dalton “Jim” Britt, Jr., who spent years working in Noxubee and Okitbbeha Counties, has died.
State Government
State budget stabilized during 2018 session
Daily Journal
JACKSON – The state budget, which was cut more than $360 million during the past two years, was stabilized during the 2018 session that ended last week.
Oil Spill
Mid-Barataria Diversion permit finish line moved up to 2020
Times-Picayune
Regional
Arkansas judge rules six farmers can spray controversial chemical
Reuters
An Arkansas judge has ruled that six farmers in the state this summer can spray a weed killer made by Monsanto Co and BASF SE that was blamed for hurting millions of acres of U.S. crops last year.
Even when Dothan leaves Environmental Protection Agency’s consent order, sewer upgrades will continue
Dothan Eagle
For about six years, the City of Dothan has systemically addressed sewerage issues outlined in an Environmental Protection Agency administrative order.
National
EPA Moves to Cut Obama’s Auto Mileage Rules
Bloomberg
The Trump administration announced that fuel-efficiency regulations for cars and light trucks are too stringent and must be revised, beginning a process sought by the U.S. auto industry to roll back anti-pollution targets.
White House Probes EPA Chief Pruitt Over His Links to Lobbyist
Administration reviews whether he rented accommodations in Washington at below-market rates from the family of an energy lobbyist
WSJ
The White House is conducting a review of Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt’s activities after reports that he had rented accommodations in Washington at below-market rates from the family of an energy lobbyist, a White House official said Monday.
Justice Department Sues California Over Law Blocking Public Land Sales
Measure passed last year amid concerns state national parks would be targeted for sale or for energy and industrial development
WSJ
SAN FRANCISCO—The Justice Department sued California on Monday, seeking to block a new state law that restricts the U.S. government’s ability to sell and manage federal public lands.
Interior Department backing off steep national park fee hikes: report
The Hill
The Interior Department is backing off from substantially raising the entrance fee for national parks after more than 100,000 Americans wrote to complain about the proposed hikes, The Washington Post reported on Monday.
World’s largest dinosaur found in Scotland
The Telegraph
Rare dinosaur footprints belonging to the largest animal to ever roam the planet have been found in Scotland. Dozens of the 170 million-year-old fossils, belonging to early sauropods, have been unearthed in a muddy lagoon on the Isle of Skye.
Press Releases
EPA Honors Entergy Mississippi, Inc. as 2018 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year
04/02/2018
ATLANTA- (April 2, 2018) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring Entergy Mississippi, Inc. as a 2018 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for demonstrating national leadership in cost-saving energy efficient solutions.
EPA Administrator Pruitt: GHG Emissions Standards for Cars and Light Trucks Should Be Revised
04/02/2018
WASHINGTON (April 2, 2018) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt is announcing the completion of the Midterm Evaluation (MTE) process for the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2022-2025, and his final determination that, in light of recent data, the current standards are not appropriate and should be revised.
