State
Grenada Community Seeks Answers after Toxic Dumping
DeltaNewsTV
Residents in one Grenada Community say that while Government Officials have ignored them, their neighbors are being diagnosed with cancer and some have died.
Utility Authority provides tour of facilities, update
Picayune Item
Representatives of the Picayune City Council and House of Representatives toured Pearl River County Utility Authority facilities Thursday afternoon.
...In Picayune, the city was under pressure by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to address long standing issues with the city’s wastewater treatment lagoon on Airport Road. T
Supervisors looking at options to fix foul odor from Ceres lagoon
Vicksburg Post
County officials are hoping improvements to the Ceres Industrial Complex lagoon can make a stinky situation better.
RENEW OUR RIVERS CAMPAIGN
WXXV
There’s power in numbers. Workers with several Coast power companies and other South Mississippi businesses hit the waters of the lower Pascagoula River today in a combined effort to renew our rivers.
Group working to cleanup and mark Fort St. Pierre
Vicksburg Post
Frederick Briuer stood on the pavement at Snyder’s Bluff near the site of Fort St. Pierre and looked at the trash and garbage flowing out of trashcans and trashbags and littering the ground.
Arrow pulls out of Titan facility
Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — Natchez’s next garbage hauler will not house its operations in the city’s former Titan Tire facility, meaning the city will continue to pay approximately $84,000 yearly for security at the unused building.
Regulator orders changes at north Mississippi water utility
AP
OXFORD, MISS. Mississippi utility regulators are ordering changes in a rural water association.
Traveling exhibit will show how water shapes society
AP
A Smithsonian Institution exhibit called Water/Ways will be on display for nine months in Mississippi.
Fulton, Itawamba resolve BlueFire land dispute
Itawamba County Times
After months of back-and-forth with Itawamba County, Fulton officials finally have a deed for their portion of the property that was to house the BlueFire Renewables plant.
New owners plan to reopen overhauled Mississippi sawmill
AP
VICKSBURG, MISS. New owners are overhauling a Mississippi sawmill and plan to reopen it in July. William Van Devender says his family has purchased the former Anderson-Tully Co. mill in Vicksburg.
Alligator hunting season permit applications available starting June 1
Applications are free, but there is a processing fee
WAPT
Alligator hunting season permits will be available to purchase June 1-7 through the Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks website.
Oil Spill
Bayou Chico, Santa Rosa Sound RESTORE projects get Gulf Consortium approval
PNJ
The Gulf Consortium has approved the RESTORE Act's state expenditure plan, which includes $12.6 million to clean up Bayou Chico and $12.6 million to improve water quality in Santa Rosa Sound.
Infrastructure Week: Stressing link between coastal restoration and jobs
Times-Picayune
Regional
Authorities looking to clear jam of trash and logs blocking Pearl River travel
The Advocate
The Pearl River between Bogalusa and Slidell has become choked off by an unsightly dam of logs, garbage and debris that even fish can’t get through, let alone boats plying the waterway.
Slidell Superfund site becomes marina with snip of ribbon - and years of work
Times-Picayune
For years, Slidell officials say, they heard a constant complaint about the city's Heritage Park: Even though it was on Bayou Bonfouca, it just wasn't boater friendly.
Toxic waste still oozes at abandoned landfill as state cleanup lags
The Tennessean
For Mike Melton, the nightmare next door continues.
Melton is among the scores of neighbors who live next to a landfill nicknamed "Black Mountain" that continues to ooze toxic sludge more than a year after it was abandoned by its owner, Nashville real estate developer Scott Sohr.
National
EPA's Pruitt, praised for effectiveness, hits bumps in his rollback campaign
Washington Post
WASHINGTON - In March, as part of Scott Pruitt's aggressive campaign to roll back federal regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed relaxing standards for storing potentially toxic waste produced by coal-burning power plants.
Frustration in West after EPA does away with chemical plant rules
Austin American-Statesman
Five years after the fatal explosion of the West Fertilizer plant exposed wide gaps in oversight of chemical facilities, it appears the disaster won’t result in significant federal reforms or regulatory overhaul.
Michigan to start statewide study of PFAS in water supply
The MDEQ began sending out letters this week to Michigan's 1,380 public water systems.
WZZM
LANSING - The state's PFAS Action Response Team announced that they are going to conduct a statewide study of PFAS level in public water supplies.
State DNR data shows Illinois brings bulk of Wisconsin air pollution
Journal Times
RACINE COUNTY — The potential legal battle between Wisconsin and Illinois regarding air quality and the Foxconn Technology Group project has led some to ask: What do the data show?
New study launched to reduce raw sewage flowing in from Tijuana River
KUSI
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A study is being launched to figure out ways to reduce the amount of raw sewage flowing from the Tijuana River into U.S. waterways, the North American Development Bank announced Friday.
Will Trump's pick to run the EPA office in San Francisco show up for work?
LA Times
The White House has finally found someone to take on the stress of overseeing President Trump's fossil fuel-friendly environmental agenda in the heart of hostile territory: California and nearby states.
180 million-year-old crocodile had dolphin-like features, tells tale of 'missing link'
Fox News
The discovery of an ancient type of crocodile that lived during the Jurassic Period, at the height of the age of dinosaurs, has shed new light on the species.
Opinion
Drill, baby, drill: Oil activity heats up in southwest Mississippi
Mac Gordon
Clarion Ledger
Multiple signs indicate new oil activity in Mississippi’s southwest corner. One of the best is most mornings at the Chevron station on McComb’s northern end.
Analysis: Tough choices remain for Mississippi pension fund
AP
Pension plans are long-term enterprises with ups and downs, structured to pay out over decades. And if there's anyone who has the long view of Mississippi's Public Employees Retirement System, its outgoing Executive Director Pat Robertson.
Press Releases
Council Announces Alabama Commitment and Planning Support Award
On May 15, 2018, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) awarded a RESTORE Council-Selected Restoration Component Implementation grant to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) for a total amount of $2,100,000.00. ADCNR applied for these funds in response to the RESTORE Council’s 2017 Funded Priorities List for Commitment and Planning Support (CPS FPL). The Alabama CPS FPL project will enhance collaboration, coordination, public engagement, and the use of best available science to fulfill the requirements of the RESTORE Act Council-Selected Restoration Component, commonly referred to as “Bucket 2”, meet the commitments of the Comprehensive Plan Update 2016: Restoring the Gulf Coast's Ecosystem and Economy, and address associated planning needs for developing future Funded Priorities Lists (FPLs). The State of Alabama will draw and build upon existing partnerships and collaborative endeavors to develop portfolios of projects for inclusion in future FPLs that will provide significant benefits for the natural resources of Coastal Alabama. ADCNR will engage in planning and collaboration activities over the 5-year period of this award to meet the near-term need to develop strong proposals for future FPLs while setting the foundation for long-term restoration success. If you have any questions regarding Alabama grant actions or other Alabama RESTORE Council Selected Restoration Component activities, please contact Hank Burch at Hank.Burch@dcnr.alabama.gov.
EPA Announces Appointment of Mike Stoker to Region 9 Administrator
05/18/2018
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the appointment of Mike Stoker to become regional administrator for Region 9. Mr. Stoker will oversee environmental protection efforts in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
Mike Stoker has spent his life working as an attorney at law specializing in agriculture, labor, land use, and environmental law and most recentely served as director of government affairs for UnitedAg, the second largest agricultural association in California. Mr. Stoker has spent much of his career serving the public. He was a member on Santa Barbara County’s Board of Supervisors from 1986-1994, chairman of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board from 1995-2000, and California deputy secretary of state from 2000-2002.
“Mike Stoker is highly qualified and well-equipped to lead Region 9,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Through his public service and career in law, he understands the environmental challenges facing the region and will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to EPA.”
His appointment is receiving widespread praise:
U.S. Congressman Jeff Denham (CA-10): “I've known Mike for almost 20 years. His background makes him exceptionally well-qualified and I can think of no one who will do a better job of putting the Valley jobs and Valley families first.”
President of the California Business Roundtable Robert C Lapsley: “To grow jobs in California, we need balance between our important environmental needs and diverse economy. Mike Stoker understands our economy, he understands our environment and he understands that successful public policy requires strong communication and balance. His qualifications as an agricultural law attorney, with an emphasis in environmental law, combined with his decades of experience as an appointed and elected policymaker including the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will serve California well. We look forward to working with Mr. Stoker in his new position as EPA Region 9 Administrator.”
Executive director of SOS California Judy Rossiter: “Having worked with Mike Stoker directly on a number of issues over the past decade, SOS California fully supports Mike's appointment to the EPA! He has devoted his career to the service of our community and has faithfully fulfilled his commitments with fair and balanced practices. Mike’s passion and life-long concern for the environment will shine throughout his appointment.”
Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the California Chamber of Commerce Martin Wilson: “Mike Stoker will bring years of practical, hands on experience to the EPA’s Region 9. With background as an elected member of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors as well as his work as an environmental attorney for California’s farmers makes Mike uniquely qualified to understand the public and economic pressures facing regulators in this three-state region. The President has chosen wisely in naming Mike Stoker the EPA Region 9 Administrator.”
Executive Vice President and General Counsel for UnitedAg Clare Marie Einsmann: “UnitedAg has worked with Mike Stoker for many years. He has always been a big supporter of agriculture. Mr. Stoker understands the need for cooperation between agriculture and the EPA in order for California agriculture to continue to produce 80% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables.”
Executive director for the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture, and Business Andy Caldwell: “Mike Stoker is the perfect choice to serve as region 9 administrator. He has demonstrated experience in managing and directing regulatory efforts in a manner that maximizes the benefits while minimizing the costs.”
