New Career Webpages
State
Natchez selected to receive $492K from EPA to use at former Titan Tire
Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — Natchez has been chosen to receive $492,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup funding.
River residents comment on resort plans for sewer treatment facility
Tylertown Times
For about an hour last Tuesday, opponents to plans by an RV park to construction of a wastewater treatment facility which would discharge into the Bogue Chitto River had their say.
County schools get grant for two new buses
Pontotoc Progress
Pontotoc County School Superintendent Dr. Brock Puckett said next year students on one route at North and South will benefit from a new bus. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality awarded the school a $35,470 grant for two new school buses.
Recycling company seeks to bring service to Vicksburg
Vicksburg Post
An executive for an at-home recycling service wants to bring it to Vicksburg. Dennis Wise, vice president of sales for Recyclops, a Sandy, Utah-based company, discussed the company’s programs with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at Monday’s meeting.
Gulf and Ship Island Building set for USM blue economy renaissance
WLOX
GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A historic building in downtown Gulfport is becoming the blueprint for continued growth in South Mississippi’s Blue Economy.
Pascagoula Chevron Refinery not affected by pipeline disruption, still shipping out fuel to MS
WLOX
GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Across the country, including in the Magnolia State, gas lines are long and many pumps are out following the Colonial Pipeline being shut down this week after being hacked.
Biloxi loses a ‘leader in the shrimp industry’ with death of Richard Gollott
Sun Herald
Richard Gollott, a pillar in the Mississippi Coast’s seafood industry, died Sunday after a battle with cancer at 77 years old.
Alabama Fossils
Alabama Public Television (video)
Includes an interview with MDEQ’s James Starnes.
State Government
MSDH to release details Thurs. on approval of Pfizer vaccine for 12-15 year olds
WLBT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Mississippi State Department of Health will hold a press briefing on Thursday regarding the approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents.
Negotiations underway for state to acquire two hotels, defunct restaurant near Jackson fairgrounds
WLBT
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The state of Mississippi will soon spend millions to acquire and demolish three properties near the state fairgrounds, including two hotels still functioning but “needing a lot of work,” according to Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson.
Revenue estimates stay high, $212.1 million in April over sine die estimates
Y’all Politics
Total revenue collections for the month of April FY 2021 are $212,138,179 or 28.53% above the sine die revenue estimate.
Oil Spill
Jimmy Harrell, drilling boss on ill-fated Deepwater Horizon oil rig, dies at 65
WWL
NEW ORLEANS — Jimmy Harrell, the man in charge of drilling on the Deepwater Horizon when the mobile oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico 11 years ago, has died at his home in Morton, Mississippi.
Regional
Shell game: Conflict, secrecy cloud battle over SC oyster farming permit
Post and Courier
JAMES ISLAND — A conflict of interest involving a floating oyster farm in a popular creek has spawned hard questions about government secrecy, insider dealing and the sanctity of public lands in South Carolina.
Invasive snail species could threaten crawfish production
Delta Farm Press
Calling them the densest he’s ever seen, LSU AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson was startled to find invasive apple snail egg masses in St. James Parish, but said preventative measures, and a little help from Mother Nature, can mitigate the spread and potential damage to the crawfish industry.
Citing Biden's climate goals, Franklin Haney's nuclear company tries new tactic with TVA
Commercial Appeal
The company ensnared in a years-long legal battle to buy an unfinished nuclear plant from the Tennessee Valley Authority showcased a new tactic Wednesday — tying the fight over the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant to President Joe Biden's plans to curtail climate change.
National
U.S. has entered unprecedented climate territory, EPA warns
Washington Post
For years, President Donald Trump and his deputies played down the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and delayed the release of an Environmental Protection Agency report detailing climate-related damage. But on Wednesday, the EPA released a detailed and disturbing account of the startling changes that Earth’s warming had on parts of the United States during Trump’s presidency.
Revamped EPA website shows increased climate change risks
AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — After a gap of more than four years, the Environmental Protection Agency is relaunching a website highlighting evidence of climate change in the United States, including rising temperatures, increased ocean acidity, sea level rise, river flooding, droughts, heat waves and wildfires.
EPA water nominee commits to 'enduring solutions' in confirmation hearing
The Hill
Radhika Fox, President Biden’s nominee to be the Environmental Protection Agency’s assistant administrator for water, on Wednesday pledged to “listen to all sides in order to find enduring solutions” in a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
EPA rescinds Trump rule allowing public to weigh in on agency guidance
The Hill
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that is rescinding a Trump-era rule that would have enabled public input on agency guidance.
Pandemic-Hit Oyster Farmers Turn to Conservation to Survive
AP
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — When the pandemic struck last year, oyster farmer Chris Bertis soon realized the restaurants that bought his oysters had mostly closed. Without a new market, his Ferda Farms faced potential economic ruin.
Press Releases
EPA Selects Three Projects in Mississippi to Receive $1 Million for Brownfields Cleanup and Assessment
The grant awards help underserved communities across the country Build Back Better and address Environmental Justice concerns
05/12/2021
ATLANTA (May 12, 2021) – This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of three projects in Mississippi for Brownfields grants totaling $1,042,000.
EPA Announces $256,000 Grant for Beach Water Quality in Mississippi
Nationally, $9.6 million in grant funding will help communities monitor beach water quality
05/13/2021
JACKSON, Miss. (May 13, 2021) — This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $256,000 in grant funding to carry out beach water quality monitoring and public notification programs in Mississippi.
USGS Scientists Add Another Piece to Puzzle of How Hurricanes Can Gain Strength
USGS
Unique observations collected by U.S. Geological Survey scientists during Hurricane María in 2017, revealed previously unknown ocean processes that may aid in more accurate hurricane forecasting and impact predictions.
