State
Nine beaches across Harrison and Hancock counties closed ahead of July 4. Here’s why.
Sun Herald
Nine beaches across Harrison and Hancock counties are closed until further notice due to a blue-green Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB), according to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Toxic algae bloom hits Mississippi coast, closes beaches: What you need to know
Clarion Ledger
Freshwater intrusion from the Bonnet Carre Spillway opening in Louisiana has, in part, caused an outbreak of blue-green algae along areas of the Mississippi coast. Consequently, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has closed beaches, and the bloom's presence has raised questions about health risks and the safety of local seafood.
Beach closure signs only cover a portion of the affected area
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Large stretches of beach have been closed by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality because of that harmful algae bloom. All beaches in Hancock County and in Long Beach and Pass Christian are closed. (See the latest closure map here: https://bit.ly/2xgYCQs)
More signs go up along Mississippi beaches warning of dangerous toxic conditions
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - A total of nine beaches are now closed across two counties in South Mississippi as concerns over a toxic algae bloom continue to grow.
Crews were out early Tuesday morning putting up signs and orange warning flags in Harrison County warning people not to get in the water.
Local beaches closed due to harmful algal bloom
Sea Coast Echo
It may be summer, but for now, the beaches in Hancock County, Pass Christian, Long Beach and one station in Gulfport are officially closed.
Could hazardous blue algae head to the Gulf Coast next?
WPMI
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WPMI) — Beaches in our neighboring Mississippi counties are closing at a rapid rate because of a harmful, blue-green algeae bloom spotted in the area.
Harmful algae bloom closes 9 Mississippi beaches
WWL
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss — Across a long stretch of the Mississippi gulf coast, beaches are closed because of a harmful algae covering the water. The blue-green algae bloom has closed nine beaches along about a 25 mile long stretch of coast.
HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM ON THE COAST
WXXV
A major outbreak of a blue-green harmful algal bloom has officials keeping a close eye on the beaches across the Gulf Coast. Four beach locations in Hancock County and five beaches in Harrison County have taken precautionary measures by urging residents to stay out of the water.
Mississippi shrimpers say they’re at ‘spillway ground zero’
WLOX
WAVELAND, Miss. (WLOX) - It’s barely a week into the 2019 shrimp season, and many of those who drop the nets for a living say this year may be one of the worst ever. That includes those who work and fish in the waters in and around Hancock County.
Marine life, seafood, environment: Report details impacts of Bonnet Carre Spillway on the Mississippi Sound
WLOX
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) - A task force appointed by Mississippi’s governor released an updated report Tuesday detailing its efforts to monitor conditions in the Mississippi Sound.
BONNET CARRE SPILLWAY UPDATE
WXXV
With the ongoing freshwater pouring in the Mississippi waters, the Governor’s Task Force continues to track the effects of the Bonnet Carre Spillway opening in the Mississippi Sound.
Since the spillways opening, there have been 131 dolphins and 156 sea turtles, which are an endangered species, found dead. Almost 80 to 90 percent of oysters and 40 to 50 percent of the blue crabs are gone.
Localized Gulf Coast bacteria case prompts need for safety precautions
Monroe Journal
For Kenny Cross of Lackey, a four-day weekend getaway to Orange Beach, Alabama in May was a nice vacation. Contracting bacteria from swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, enduring his right leg swelling to three times its normal size and spending 15 days at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, however, gives him a different review of the trip. As he continues to heal, his advice to beachgoers is simple.
MDEQ mobile workshops educating young people on environmental issues
WLOX
PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (WLOX) - The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality hosted a workshop in Pass Christian Tuesday. Teachers wanted to educate children on what’s happening on the Coast, as well as make learning fun.
Supplemental deer feeding underway in flood zone
WLBT
This week the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks began dropping bales of hay along the levee in Warren and Issaquena Counties.
Dept. of Wildlife supports Yazoo Pump Project amid review
NewsMS
MAYORS DISCUSS FLOODING IMPACT ON THEIR AREAS AND IN DELTA
MPB
The thousands of acres flooding could cost towns along the Mississippi River billions of dollars in damage. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports on impacts for people living in River cities and towns.
Regional
Algae bloom in Lake Pontchartrain could be disturbing the local food chain
WWL
Don Dubuc spends a lot of time on the water. The host of WWLTV’s Fish and Game report also spends a lot of time over it while driving on the Causeway. It’s a good opportunity, he says, to look for wildlife.
LOUISIANA RESTAURANTS NOW REQUIRED TO LABEL IMPORTED SHRIMP, CRAWFISH
WXXV
Next time you cross the state line and eat in New Orleans, or any other Louisiana restaurant, you’ll know just where your seafood came from. The state’s governor, John Bel Edwards has signed bill 335 into law, and it is now in effect.
National
EPA Announces Reversal of Decades-Old Air Toxics Policy
Bloomberg
The EPA is reversing a 24-year-old air policy that would allow power plants, refineries and other industrial sources to avoid stringent controls for toxic air pollution, it announced June 25. the mandated threshold still has to show it is continuing to emit below that threshold.
As Coal Fades in the U.S., Natural Gas Becomes the Climate Battleground
NYT
America’s coal-burning power plants are shutting down at a rapid pace, forcing electric utilities to face the next big climate question: Embrace natural gas, or shift aggressively to renewable energy?
Environmental Protection Agency launches PFAS Action Plan
WBAY
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) -- A chemical known to cause damage to the reproductive and immune system will now be more strictly monitored in Wisconsin.
New EPA rule could expand number of Trump officials weighing in on FOIA requests
The Hill
More political appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could soon have the authority to weigh in on public information requests.
Flood damage at least $2 billion for Mississippi River towns
AP
Repairs and cleanup following the prolonged flooding along the Mississippi River will cost more than $2 billion, an advocacy group for river communities said Tuesday.
Press Releases
Task Force provides Bonnet Carré Spillway monitoring update
BILOXI, Miss. – With the ongoing freshwater intrusion into Mississippi waters from the Bonnet Carré Spillway, the Governor’s Task Force has continued to track the effects of the spillway opening on the Mississippi Sound. With the spillway nearing 50 days open, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) have provided Gov. Phil Bryant with their most recent findings.
Reducing Regulatory Burdens: EPA’s Proposal Levels the Playing Field for Sources That Reduce Hazardous Air Emissions
06/25/2019
WASHINGTON (June 25, 2019) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule to implement the clear language of the Clean Air Act that allows a “major source” of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) to reclassify as an “area source” after acting to limit emissions to below the levels that define major sources.
EPA Recognizes 2018 WasteWise Winners for Diverting Over 356,000 Tons of Waste from Landfills
06/25/2019
WASHINGTON (June 25, 2019) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2018 winners of the national WasteWise awards. The work conducted by the 10 winning organizations collectively prevented and diverted over 356,000 tons of waste from entering landfills and saved the organizations over $19.6 million in avoided landfill fees.
Draft Recovery Plan Revisions for 42 Endangered Species To Assist Service and Partners Measure Progress and Address Threats
Additions part of comprehensive effort to ensure all Endangered Species Act recovery plans contain quantifiable recovery goals
June 26, 2019
USFWS
As part of an agency-wide effort to advance the recovery of our nation’s most imperiled species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made publicly available draft revisions for 29 Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plans that provide a recovery roadmap for 42 federally protected species. This is the second batch of revised recovery plans, and is part of the Department of the Interior’s Agency Priority Performance Goals, which call for all ESA recovery plans to include quantitative criteria on what constitutes recovery by September 2019.
