Wednesday, July 14, 2021

News Clippings July 14, 2021

State

‘It’s a crying shame’: MDEQ investigates another illegal tire dump site in Jackson
WLBT

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - WLBT has learned about another illegal dump site for tires.

'Anything and everything is a possibility' for Lake Hico property
WAPT

JACKSON, Miss. — There has been a lot of activity around Lake Hico in Jackson.
“Anything and everything is a possibility at this particular point in time,” said Joe Albright, chief operations officer for Jackson Public Schools.

Elvis Presley Lake in Tupelo closed to public
WTVA

JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) - Elvis Presley Lake is now closed to the public for renovation work.

MDEQ Issues Five Beach Water Contact Advisories
WXXV

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued five beach water contact advisories Tuesday for Station 11 (Gulfport East Beach), Station 12A (Biloxi West Central Beach), Station 12B (Biloxi East Central Beach), Station 14 (Front Beach), and Station 15 (Shearwater Beach). 

MSU-led program at Gulf to receive $86 million for research, programs
Commercial Dispatch

The Northern Gulf Institute has continued to make immense strides in strategic research and development in the Gulf region of Mississippi.

Natchez national cemetery erosion deemed emergency
Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Veterans heard good news Monday during the monthly meeting of the Mayor’s Veterans Task Force.


State Government

HINDS COUNTY, DELTA LOSE POPULATION, DESOTO AND THE COAST MAKE BIG GAINS AS LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING PROCESS BEGINS
Northside Sun

The Mississippi Legislature is preparing for what could be a contentious redistricting process and preliminary data already shows that many of the state's 174 legislative districts will be redrawn.


Regional

At Least 600 Tons Of Dead Fish Have Washed Up Along Tampa Bay's Shore
NPR

For beachgoers in the Tampa Bay area, the last few weeks have been anything but normal. Discolored, soupy waters have been lapping the shore, and the beaches are laden with dead, rotting sea life.

Lawsuit says Alabama blocking solar power with unfair fees
AP

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The fees imposed by the Alabama Power company on customers who generate their own electricity with rooftop or on-site solar panels are now the subject of a federal lawsuit against the state’s regulators.


National

EPA: 11,000 facilities illegally discharged pollutants into nearby waters in 2018
The Hill

Nearly 11,000 U.S. facilities discharged pollutants into local waters beyond the levels allowed under the law, the Environmental Protection Agency told a nonpartisan congressional watchdog.

AP Interview: EPA Water Chief on Clean Water Protections
AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — To finally determine a lasting definition of waterways that qualify for federal protection under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency’s new water director says everyone with a stake in the issue will need to be engaged.

Biden administration taps EPA scientist Allison Crimmins to lead key climate report
CNN

The Biden administration has chosen longtime Environmental Protection Agency scientist Allison Crimmins to lead the next National Climate Assessment, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy told CNN on Tuesday.

DuPont, Chemours, Corteva to pay Delaware millions over damage from PFAS or 'forever chemicals'
Delaware News Journal

DuPont, Chemours and Corteva will pay millions of dollars to the state of Delaware, according to a settlement reached between the Delaware Department of Justice and the three companies – an agreement that holds the companies responsible for decades of damage done to Delaware’s environment through toxic chemicals known as PFAS.

Your Trash Is Emitting Methane In The Landfill. Here's Why It Matters For The Climate
NPR

A single flip-flop. An empty Chick-fil-A sandwich bag. A mattress. A sneaker, navy with a white sole. A little orange bouncy ball.

Idaho DEQ Attains Primacy Over State Pollutant Discharge Program
Big Country News

BOISE - On Thursday, July 1, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) completed a multi-year transfer of authority from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to DEQ after gaining approval over the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (IPDES) Program in 2018.

Miles of California beaches closed after 17M gallons of sewage spills
The Hill

About 4 miles of beaches in Los Angeles were closed Monday after more than 17 million gallons of sewage spilled into Santa Monica Bay over the weekend.

Oversize Goldfish Are Taking Over One Minnesota Lake, Causing Issues For Local Fish
NPR

Pesky, oversize goldfish are causing problems in Minnesota.

Green-Tech Startups Are Getting Fresh Wave of Cash
WSJ

A flood of investment into clean tech propelled onetime startups such as Tesla Inc. into the stratosphere. For most young companies in the sector, the past decade was a fight to raise the funds needed for takeoff.


Press Releases

USACE Vicksburg District announces closure to Arkabutla Intake Gates
July 12, 2021
 
VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District announces that they will close the intake gates at Arkabutla Dam for a brief time beginning July 23rd.