State
16 beaches in Harrison, Jackson and Hancock counties now closed ahead of July 4
Sun Herald
Sixteen 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.
4 more beaches close in Biloxi, Ocean Springs. Hancock County creates new system to warn public.
Sun Herald
UPDATE: Mississippi beach water warnings now extend into Jackson County
WLOX
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) - The water warnings have now hit Jackson County. Tuesday night, four new areas were added to the list of those closed to swimming and fishing. That means a total of 16 areas of Mississippi’s shoreline are now impacted by the over a toxic algae bloom continue to grow.
UPDATE: 4 More Beaches closed in Mississippi, water not safe
WJTV
The MDEQ announced new water closures Jackson County, in addition to existing closures in Harrison and Hancock Counties, due to the growth of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB).
In a statement about the harmful substance, MDEQ said “An algal bloom is the rapid growth of algae on the surface of the water.”
MDEQ ISSUES FOUR MORE BEACH CLOSURES
WXXV
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued additional closures Tuesday for four beach stations (Stations 11A, 12A, 14, and 15) due to a blue-green Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) extending into that area.
4 more Mississippi beaches closed due to toxic algae bloom
Clarion Ledger
Mississippi has closed four more of its Gulf Coast beaches to swimming until further notice along the Biloxi corridor as a growing bloom of blue-green algae continues to spread, creeping into popular Ocean Springs.
Algae bloom is not as bad, but Mississippi Sound is far from healthy
WLOX
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Every day, a team of scientists is working to track the harmful algae bloom that has closed much of the water in the Mississippi Sound.
‘Open for business’: Toxic algae bloom not affecting Ship Island waters, park service says
WLOX
GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Long lines and excited families. It’s exactly what Captain Louis Skrmetta with Ship Island Excursions likes to see.
Hancock County adopts warning system for the beaches
Sea Coast Echo
The Hancock County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved an emergency flag warning system for the county beach.
MISSISSIPPI DEEP SEA FISHING RODEO STILL ON
WXXV
The Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo is just days away and the event is still planning to go on despite recent problems with toxic algal blooms on the Coast.
Environmental group ends suit over land for endangered frog
AP
An environmental group is dropping its legal fight over critical habitat for an endangered frog, with a settlement now proposed in the case, but the group also says the story isn't over.
Aldermen look at changes to stormwater code
Commercial Dispatch
STARKVILLE -- After an April storm, the city recorded flooding on 30 of its streets. By then, the city's year-to-date rainfall had almost doubled as city officials and residents alike wondered what could be done.
Public Service Commission launches investigation into Northeast Itawamba Water Association
Daily Journal
Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has launched an investigation into Northeast Itawamba Water Association following a report of system overcapacity from the Mississippi Department of Health.
COYOTE POPULATION CAUSING PROBLEMS IN CITY LIMITS
WCBI
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Columbus councilmen approve getting some help to get rid of coyotes in the city.
CDC ALERTING SWIMMERS OF FECAL PARASITE THAT COULD BE PRESENT IN POOLS
WCBI
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- This week you may be headed to the backyard or to a local community pool to swim.
But as the days heat up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns swimmers about a parasite that can be lurking in the water.
Defenders of vegan bacon sue Mississippi over labeling law
AP
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal lawsuit says Mississippi is violating free-speech rights by banning makers of plant-based foods from using terms such as "meatless meatballs" and "vegan bacon."
VNMP unveils largest expansion in its history
Vicksburg Post
Tuesday morning at Champion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, the site of what was the front lawn of the Champion Plantation and the site of the Battle of Champion Hill in May 1863, history was made a second time.
State Government
Former Stone County Utility Authority employee accused of embezzlement
WLOX
JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - A former administrative assistant for the Stone County Utility Authority is accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from residents paying their utility bills.
Oil Spill
A near-decade after BP oil spill, now-public payout claims run gamut -- including an ex-NBA star
The Advocate
As judges and high-powered attorneys gathered inside an ornate Camp Street federal courtroom in April, the defendant in the case they were set to argue was identified only by a long series of numbers: BP Exploration v. Claimant ID 100139132.
Regional
Katrina, BP, 2019 Mississippi River -- Oyster Industry Braces For Another Major Disaster
WWNO
The commercial fishing industry on the Gulf Coast has seen two major disasters in the last 15 years: Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. Now, some fear we’re on the cusp of a third. The culprit: historic flooding from the Mississippi River.
The World’s Appetite Is Threatening the Mississippi River
Pollutants from booming farms combined with record wet weather are contaminating the nation's mightiest waterway.
WSJ
Flowing 2,300 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River provides drinking water, food and jobs for millions of people. A journey downriver reveals how the agricultural industry is contributing to one of the nation’s biggest ecological disasters.
Nightmare of the iguana: Florida tells homeowners to kill green iguanas 'whenever possible'
USA Today
Pardon the American iguanas residing in sunny Florida for not feeling very patriotic on this Fourth of July.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which protects crocodiles and places strict guidelines on hunting deer, has put the scaly, yardlong-or-more creature also known as the green iguana on its hit list.
National
US won’t impose rule to protect against coal ash spill costs
AP
BILLINGS, Mont. — The Trump administration said Tuesday that it won’t require electric utilities to show they have money to clean up hazardous spills from power plants despite a history of toxic coal ash releases contaminating rivers and aquifers.
Green groups sue EPA for exempting farms from reporting pollution tied to animal waste
The Hill
A coalition of green groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) late Monday over a rule that lifts requirements for major farms to report the pollution they emit through animal waste.
New York Manufacturers Fear Emissions Limits Could Upend Industries
Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to sign bill setting highest standards in U.S. for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions
WSJ
New York legislation establishing the country’s highest standards for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions has companies scrambling to determine how much it will cost to comply.
Maritime Operators Set Full Speed Ahead for Cleaner Ships
Excluded from the Paris climate agreement, the shipping industry is taking concrete steps to clean up its act
WSJ
Shipping historically has never been much of a friend to the environment.
Oceangoing vessels have burned heavy oil, the world’s dirtiest propulsion fuel, since they switched from coal in the early 20th century, and operators since then have sailed around unclear rules over who enforces climate protection.
Press Releases
EPA Releases Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) Mobile Application in the Google Play™ Store
07/02/2019
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) mobile application (app), a tool that uses satellite data to alert users that a harmful algal bloom could be forming based on specific changes in the color of the water in more than 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the United States.
EPA Evaluates Risk from Electric Power Facilities and Proposes No Additional Federal Requirements
07/02/2019
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it finds that the risk from Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution facilities does not warrant financial responsibility requirements to cover the costs of possible hazardous substance releases due in part to the existing state and federal requirements on these facilities.
