State
$1.4M grant for Enviva Lucedale road project announced
WLOX
LUCEDALE, Miss. (WLOX) - We’re getting a glimpse at what a multi-million dollar wood pellet plant in George County will look like. Thursday, Gov. Phil Bryant announced a grant for a road project so trucks will have a separate entrance in and out of the facility.
$1.4 million grant will help secure wood pellet plant for Lucedale
Sun Herald
AFTER A VETO, PUMP TALKS CONTINUE IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA
MPB
Recent flooding in the South Mississippi Delta is reigniting conversations about a controversial pump project. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports on why people are for and against the pumps being installed.
Floodgate opens again, letting Mississippi Delta flood drain
AP
VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) — A floodgate in Mississippi has reopened as the Mississippi River falls, allowing a months-long flood in parts of the Mississippi Delta to begin draining.
More ramps open in Pelahatchie Bay
WLBT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Following another good report from its partners in the battle against the invasive plant giant salvinia, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District board of directors Thursday opened four additional boat ramps and a kayak ramp in the Pelahatchie Bay area of Barnett Reservoir.
Shrimp season opens with disappointing results
WLOX
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) -The opening of the 2019 shrimp season was as disappointing as expected for the shrimpers that dropped their nets beginning around 6 a.m. Thursday.
Clay, Itawamba, Monroe, Oktibbeha counties declared federal disaster areas
WTVA
JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) - Four more local counties have been designated as federal disaster areas, opening the door to more financial help from the government to recover from the bad weather on April 13 and 14.
Pine Belt counties receive $260,000 in payments in lieu of taxes
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Counties in the Pine Belt will receiver more than $260,000 in payments in lieu of taxes for 2019.
Regional
Collierville landfill: Town files legal complaint against operator for smell, sound issues
Commercial Appeal
Collierville has filed a legal complaint against the operators of a landfill and recycling center on the town's north end amid ongoing efforts to decrease the frequency and severity of odor flareups that can come from the area and waft toward nearby homes.
Jefferson landfill odor fix could take several months, cost millions
Times-Picayune
Any remedy for the noxious odors attributed to the Jefferson Parish landfill will take several months, if not years, to put in place and would cost millions of dollars. These were among the conclusions a consultant shared Wednesday (June 19) with the Jefferson Parish Council.
‘This is heartbreaking for us’: River residents heavy-hearted; Tyson facing lawsuits
Cullman Tribune
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – On Thursday, June 6, approximately 220,000 gallons of effluent (liquid waste or sewage) were spilled by the Tyson Foods, Inc./River Valley Ingredients plant (formerly American Proteins) in Hanceville into the Dave Young Creek, which flows to the Mulberry Fork. The spill led to a “massive fish kill” and a warning against recreational use of the Mulberry Fork. It was the plant’s fourth environmental incident affecting the Mulberry Fork since 2011.
National
EPA orders Houston lab staff to relocate to Okla.
E&E News
EPA plans to move staff from a Houston regional laboratory to another facility 400 miles away.
Bitter talks over auto emissions turn personal as California and EPA chiefs feud
LA Times
Top environmental regulators in Washington and Sacramento sparred Thursday over failed negotiations on contentious vehicle emissions and fuel economy rules — each blaming the other for a standoff that could lead to years of legal battles and dueling auto requirements in parts of the U.S.
A fire at a Philadelphia oil refinery sparked an explosion felt for miles
CNN
A large fire broke out early Friday at an oil refinery in Philadelphia, rattling the area with at least one booming explosion and lighting up the dark sky with huge balls of gas and flame.
Press Releases
Vicksburg District opens Steele Bayou Control Structure gates, anticipates the opening of the Little Sunflower Control Structure
Published June 20, 2019
VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District opened the gates of the Steele Bayou Control Structure June 20 at 9 a.m.
EPA Announces $9.3 Million in Supplemental Funds to Clean Up and Reuse Brownfield Sites in Communities Across the U.S.
06/20/2019
WASHINGTON (June 20, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing $9.3 million in supplemental funding for 24 current successful Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grantees.
USDA Announces Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2019 – USDA announced today it is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts five-year status reviews of 53 Southeastern species
June 20, 2019
As part of the process mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will conduct five-year status reviews of 53 endangered or threatened fish, wildlife, and plants. These species are found in the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The public is invited to provide information and comments concerning these species on or before August, 19, 2019.
