State
COSTCO PERMITS TO REMAIN INTACT
Northside Sun
Developers of the Ridgeland Costco recently won a major victory, thanks to environmental permitting officials, but opponents of plans to bring the wholesale warehouse to Highland Colony Parkway vow to fight on.
Last week, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) permit board refused to pull the permits granted for the construction of the third phase of Renaissance at Colony Park.
Civic women’s club takes recycling survey
Picayune Item
The Civic Woman’s Club of Picayune presented a survey on interest to establish a county wide recycling program during Wednesday’s Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Floodgate reopened as high water stands in Mississippi Delta
AP
VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) - A floodgate in the Mississippi Delta has been reopened as large stretches of rural land remain underwater.
Tenn-Tom Waterway reopens
WTVA
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - The Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway reopens after being shutdown for several weeks due to flooding and heavy rains.
Regional
EPA issues recommendations for level of toxin from blue-green algae considered harmful for swimming
WPTV
ST LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued new recommendations for what it says should be considered a dangerous level of exposure to cyanotoxins, released by blue-green algae, when swimming.
Morganza Spillway could be open by June 2, governor to call for federal emergency declaration
Times-Picayune
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news conference on Thursday (May 23) that the opening of the Morganza Spillway could happen as early as June 2.
LaPlace manufacturing plant fails to meet emission reduction goals
Times-Picayune
A LaPlace chemical plant failed to meet a state order requiring it to curb its release of potentially cancer-causing emissions.
NOAA predicts a ‘near normal’ 2019 hurricane season for the Atlantic
WLOX
Local I-Team: Northeast Memphis property owner accused of illegally dumping on his property
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) - A Northeast Memphis property owner already in environmental court is accused of continuing to illegally dump on his property.
National
Historic U.S. Bill To Clean Up Recycling At The Bin And Save Billions
Forbes
In a landmark move, a national recycling strategy is to be launched across the U.S., aiming to streamline recycling bin labels and, in so doing, give the market a desperately needed overhaul.
Frac sand expected to remain cheap as supplies outpace demand
Houston Chronicle
Sand prices for oil and gas fracking and for the valuations of sanding mining companies are expected to remain depressed as growing supplies continue to outpace rising demand, research reports say.
EPA taking 1st big steps to clean up leaking Colorado mines
AP
DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will take the first major steps this summer to clean up wastewater flowing from dozens of old mines at a Superfund site in southwestern Colorado, officials said Thursday.
$26 million cleanup planned for Grand Calumet River
Chicago Tribune
A $26 million cleanup of a portion of the Grand Calumet River is planned to remove contaminated sediment.
US withdraws train crew proposal that came after explosions
AP
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration said Thursday it was withdrawing a proposal for freight trains to have at least two crew members, nullifying a safety measure drafted under President Barack Obama in response to explosions of crude oil trains in the U.S. and Canada.
Are the balloons released before the Indy 500 really safe? We tested them.
Indianapolis Star
INDIANAPOLIS -- In a bit of citizen science, the IndyStar conducted an experiment to test a claim that the balloons released by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year are biodegradable, and therefore pose little risk to wildlife.
Press Releases
MDMR accepting proposals for GOMESA projects
BILOXI, Miss. –The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is accepting proposals for projects that may receive funding from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Securities Act (GOMESA). The deadline for proposals to be submitted is 5 p.m. on June 13, 2019.
Four Additional Counties Added to Mississippi’s Latest Federal Disaster Declaration
PEARL - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved four more counties to receive Public Assistance as part of Federal Disaster Number 4429, which is in response to the February 22-24 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that impacted the state. Those counties, as previously requested by Governor Phil Bryant, are Coahoma, Leflore, Sunflower and Washington.
The addition of these four counties brings the total number receiving federal assistance to 24. The others already included in this disaster are Alcorn, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Clay, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Lowndes, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tishomingo, Union, Webster andYalobusha.
The Public Assistance categories are as follows:
- Category A: Debris Removal.
- Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.
- Category C: Roads and Bridges.
- Category D: Water Control Facilities.
- Category E: Buildings and Equipment.
- Category F: Utilities.
- Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities and Other Items.
Both MEMA and FEMA will continue to complete joint damage assessments in other counties that were affected by the February storm system. Additional designations may occur at a later date, if requested by the state and warranted by the results of those assessments.
Mississippi is also approved statewide for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which is for measures/actions taken that reduce or eliminate long term risk to people and property from natural hazards.
For more information about recovery efforts, visit MEMA’s website at www.msema.org. The best way to get up-to-date information is to “Like” MEMA on Facebook, @msemaorg or “Follow” us on Twitter @msema.
EPA Seeks Comment on Proposed Options for Regulating Perchlorate in Drinking Water
05/23/2019
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks public input on a range of options regarding the regulation of perchlorate in public drinking water systems.
NOAA predicts near-normal 2019 Atlantic hurricane season
El Nino and warmer-than-average Atlantic help shape this season’s intensity
May 23, 2019
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is predicting that a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season is most likely this year. This outlook forecasts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of a below-normal season. The hurricane season officially extends from June 1 to November 30.
National Park Visitor Spending Contributed $40 Billion to U.S. Economy
Report Finds 2018 Spending Supported 329,000 jobs in Hotels, Restaurants, Transportation, Recreation
5/23/2019
WASHINGTON – As the summer vacation and travel seasons opens, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced today that visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2018 resulted in a $40.1 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 329,000 jobs.
