State
District to prepare environmental impact statement for pumps project
Vicksburg Post
The announcement Thursday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District will prepare a supplemental environmental impact study for the Yazoo Area Pump Project has some offcials hoping the study could lead to its start.
US Engineers Examine Impact of Mississippi Pump Proposal
AP
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday that it will re-examine the potential environmental impact of a proposal for massive pumps to drain floodwaters from parts of rural Mississippi, drawing immediate criticism from conservation groups that say the project would be harmful and expensive.
Corps ‘ignored’ endangered species along Coast when opening Bonnet Carré, new lawsuit says
Sun Herald
Two nonprofit environmental groups claim in a federal lawsuit filed against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Mississippi River Commission that the agencies have violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to properly study the damage Bonnet Carré Spillway openings cause.
State Government
Economic woes from virus are ‘insane,’ Mississippi gov says
AP
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday that economic problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic are “insane” as the state — like other parts of the U.S. — continues to see steep increases in the number of people filing for unemployment benefits.
How Mississippi is approaching the question of reopening the economy
WLBT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi’s shelter-in-place order will expire Monday, but Governor Tate Reeves plans to make an announcement about the next steps Friday morning.
Meanwhile, the question of when to re-open for business is one facing every governor across the country.
Mississippi Supreme Court rules in favor of C Spire for state contract
WLBT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A legal victory for C Spire.
C Spire announcing a unanimous ruling by the Mississippi Supreme Court to award the company the state technology contract.
Regional
SC industries may get breaks from pollution rules because of coronavirus
The State
With the coronavirus hurting businesses across South Carolina, state regulators are in some cases relaxing environmental protection requirements for industries they say have suffered as the disease pandemic sweeps across the state.
A snake with toes? No, creature squirming in Alabama creek is rarely seen ‘congo eel’
Sun Herald
A rarely seen creature that looks equal parts snake, fish and lizard was found slithering in an Alabama creek this week, prompting state biologists to step in with an identification.
National
EPA issues rule critics say threatens power plant pollution regulation
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday finalized a decision that critics say threatens regulations designed to limit pollution from power plants.
Oil state governors seek renewable fuel waiver for refiners
CQ-Roll Call
Oil-state governors want the EPA to waive refineries' obligations to comply with the nation's biofuels policy, arguing that the coronavirus pandemic is causing the industry economic hardship.
Lawsuit alleges EPA ignored its own scientists’ recommendations on dicamba
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved Monsanto’s dicamba-based herbicide under a conditional two-year registration. The agency determined dicamba, a traditionally volatile herbicide, would no longer be allowed to be sprayed unless incidents of the pesticide harming other crops “are not occurring at unacceptable frequencies or levels.”
Press Releases
Vicksburg District to prepare supplemental environmental impact statement for Yazoo Backwater Pumps Project
VICKSBURG, Miss. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District announced April 16 that it will prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Yazoo Area Pump Project in the Yazoo Backwater Area in Mississippi.
EPA Finalizes MATS Supplemental Cost Finding and “Risk and Technology Review”
04/16/2020
WASHINGTON (April 16, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) corrected flaws in the 2016 Supplemental Cost Finding for the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal- and oil-fired power plants, consistent with a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
EPA Smart Sectors Program Releases Additional “Sector Snapshots”
04/16/2020
WASHINGTON (April 16, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released “sector snapshots” for eight industries participating in the Smart Sectors Program. The sector snapshot is a web-based tool that shows historical environmental and economic performance on a sector basis. Users can interact with data that include a range of up to 30 different combinations of environmental and economic parameters to view trends over time.
