State
No injuries reported after evacuation near Drexel Chemical Company
WMC
The Tunica County EMA ordered an immediate evacuation for the area around the Drexel Chemical Company to Town South Line on Thursday afternoon.
Workers labor to make the beach squeaky clean for Spring Break
WLOX
Throughout the weekend, thousands of visitors will head to the Gulf Coast for Spring Break activities. Many will visit for the first time, which is why people who are employed by the Harrison County Sand Beach Authority worked hard Thursday to make a good first impression.
Hattiesburg to host hazardous waste day
WDAM
The City of Hattiesburg is partnering with several government and community agencies to host its annual ‘Right Way to Throw Away Day’ on Saturday, April 20.
State Government
COMING SOON
Northside Sun
More than $26 million earmarked to rehab North State Street
For the thousands of motorists who drive North State Street each day, the commute could soon be a lot smoother, with $26.3 million in projects ongoing or planned for the roadway.
Oh, shoot: Mississippi Capitol loses its World War I cannons
AP
The Mississippi Capitol is losing its cannons.
National
House panel launches probe of EPA’s air policy chief
Washington Post
The House Energy and Commerce Committee launched an investigation Thursday into whether the Environmental Protection Agency’s air policy chief and his deputy have improperly aided their former industry clients since joining the administration.
Battle heats up over Trump’s redefinition of protected waters
San Antonio Express-News
With a controversial rewrite of an Obama administration clean-water rule under way, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a Texas court to issue a nationwide injunction against the 2015 rule.
U.S. EPA to revise proposed freeze of vehicle fuel economy rules
Reuters
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday the agency would revise its proposed freeze of vehicle fuel economy standards before unveiling its final regulation in the coming months.
U.S. EPA may grant fewer biofuel waivers due to low credit prices: Wheeler
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could grant fewer waivers exempting small refineries from the country’s biofuel policy as lower prices for blending credits have reduced the cost of compliance, the agency’s administrator Andrew Wheeler told Reuters on Thursday.
New York City Agencies to End Reliance on Single-Use Plastic
WSJ
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order directing city agencies to end buying single-use plastic food containers and cutlery and replace them with compostable or recyclable alternatives.
Ex-Lobbyist David Bernhardt Confirmed as Interior Secretary
WSJ
WASHINGTON—The Senate confirmed David Bernhardt as interior secretary, putting another former advocate for business interests at the forefront of the Trump administration’s environmental and energy policy.
Chevron is paying $33 billion for Anadarko Petroleum
CNN
Chevron is paying $33 billion to acquire Anadarko Petroleum in a massive deal that will bolster its natural gas and shale operations.
Indiana man gets 3 years in prison in alleged waste scheme
AP
An Indiana man who pleaded guilty in Chicago federal court to an alleged scheme that involved his recycling firms reselling hazardous electronic waste has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Fiat Chrysler to Settle Lawsuit for $110 Million
WSJ
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will pay $110 million to settle a longstanding lawsuit alleging that the auto maker misled U.S. investors regarding safety concerns and excess diesel emissions, according to court documents.
Schools, COTA use VW settlement funds for new, cleaner vehicles
Columbus Dispatch
New low- or no-emission vehicles purchased partly from a national settlement against Volkswagen for rigging pollution-control equipment on diesel cars will hit central Ohio streets this summer.
EPA says GE cleared in Hudson PCB cleanup; NY to sue agency
Albany Times-Union
General Electric will not be required to restart dredging of the Hudson River after the Environmental Protection Agency found the company's seven-year, $1.7 billion cleanup of PCBs in the river satisfied a 2002 agreement between the two, the federal agency said Thursday.
Press Releases
Latest Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks Shows Long-Term Reductions
04/11/2019
WASHINGTON (April 11, 2019) — The 2019 edition of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) comprehensive annual report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions shows a long-term trend in falling greenhouse gas emissions.
Trump Administration to Help Rural Communities Grow Recreation Economy
04/11/2019
WASHINGTON (April 11, 2019) — Today, in support of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the Northern Border Regional Commission in announcing assistance to help communities revitalize their economy through outdoor recreation.
Army Corps closes final bays at Bonnet Carré Spillway
Published April 11, 2019
NEW ORLEANS – Based on the reduced flows in the Mississippi River at Red River Landing, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District closed the final bays of the Bonnet Carré Spillway Thursday, April 11.
