Thursday, May 28, 2020

News Clippings May 28, 2020

State

Report: Nearly a half billion gallons of raw sewage leaked into the Pearl River during 2020 flood
WLBT


Shrimpers hoping for bountiful 2020 season
WLOX

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) -Shrimpers and charter boat captains have extra time to get their licenses renewed after the Commission on Marine resources extended the deadline for license renewals and registration to June 30. That action came Wednesday.

CMR EXTENDS EXPIRATION DATE FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSES
WXXV

With shrimping season set to kick off Thursday, many shrimpers are concerned about up to date licenses and permits to begin the season.


State Government

Governor Reeves announces plans for Safe Return order to take effect June 1
WLBT

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -All Mississippi businesses can soon reopen under the Safe Return order announced by Governor Tate Reeves.

Mississippi lawmakers vote to extend session through 2020 to deal with coronavirus response, funding
Clarion Ledger

Mississippi lawmakers advanced a plan Wednesday that would allow them to return any time to deal with coronavirus funding and response through the end of this year. 


Regional

Head of EPA visits local farmers during Atlanta tour
AJC

The head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency is touring metro Atlanta this week, meeting with local farmers and visiting area sites that have received federal grants for cleanup and redevelopment. 


National

Sewage Could Become Next Virus Surveillance Method, EPA Says
Bloomberg

Raw sewage could be a new element of states’ coronavirus surveillance efforts once the EPA completes a new research pilot project.

States, green groups sue Trump over rollback of Obama fuel efficiency regulations
The Hill

Two separate coalitions made up of 23 states and a dozen environmental groups sued the Trump administration Wednesday over its rollback of a key Obama-era climate measure that required automakers to meet ambitious fuel efficiency standards.

Recyclers Stuck With Millions of Uncashed Empties in Lockdown
Recycling centers are closed in some states, leaving households a choice of getting buried by bags of empty cans and bottles or tossing away money
WSJ

Michiganders are sitting on $60 million worth of empty bottles and cans, a lot of them rattling around in the back of Thad Zajac’s Ford Escape.

Michigan's dam safety unit: 2 staff for entire state, a supervisor, and $397K
Detroit Free Press

Luke Trumble has a lot on his plate — all of the dams in 31 southern Michigan counties, to be exact.

Record drop in energy investment expected this year: analysis
The Hill

The largest decline in global energy investment ever recorded is expected this year as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on the industry, according to a new analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

Using waste to make topsoil
Delta Farm Press

Researchers are testing treated sewage sludge, called biosolids, for use in urban settings.
In a new study, researchers combined high-quality biosolids with other urban waste – food and yard waste, sawdust, nut shells, for example. They found several such mixtures to be acceptable in terms of smell and looks, and the mixtures also supported plant growth.


Opinion

No third landfill in Madison County: Make sure state Senate stands with the people
Pat Bruce
Clarion Ledger

While the coronavirus pandemic rightly dominates public attention these days, it’s important not to lose sight of other important public policy issues.
For Madison County and North Hinds County, we must keep our eye on the continued push from a big garbage company to add an unprecedented third landfill in Madison County.