3.18.14
Oil Spill
BP asks full 5th Circuit to hear causation appeal
WWL
NEW ORLEANS -- BP asked Monday for the full 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to
hear its argument that businesses seeking compensation for oil spill losses
should have to prove those losses came from the effects of the spill, and
not from some other factor.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/BP-asks-full-5th-Circuit-to-hear-causation-appeal-250703841.html
Students crowd-source to raise money for oil spill dispersant experiments
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
March 17, 2014 at 2:01 PM
A chemical engineering professor at Columbia University is using an unusual
method – crowd-funding – to underwrite the cost of experiments aimed at
finding a more natural and safer way of dispersing oil from spills, like
the one caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/03/students_crowd-source_to_raise.html
State
EPA will hold public meeting on Superfund site in Gulfport
Sun Herald
BY LAUREN WALCK
GULFPORT -- Long-term cleanup of chemicals remaining in the soil of the old
Chemfax Inc. property is set to begin this month and the Environmental
Protection Agency is holding a meeting today to discuss it with the public.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/17/5423311/epa-will-hold-public-meeting-on.html?sp-tk=8EEF6B00164F2590B5EA53700FC1E24BB394589612177AA8F4C45A12380419E7519A05533AEC9979E379D79057F28980D4B63A3E27D5E307CB6D11B5ADE4259D5E4D141B3669EF3CFE00F2016435A6842B989826B89D0AC4F02274746838485E5AE09048E1662533DBAC82728B1C1B2999E1447F851E9687CFE0C9B2CD6A5C02A25A0BA238BC76CF5CD87DF04B69F9E84DCF83F0D04195B424DF01F17F1006B39309E64E
Surface Water Treatment Plant Groundbreaking Set for March 20th
WXXV
The new Surface Water Treatment Plant will serve residents in the eastern
Jackson County communities of Escatawpa, Helena, Big Point, and possibly
Wade and Hurley. The $9.2 million construction project will treat an
average of 1 million gallons of water from the Pascagoula River per day. As
demand increases, the plant can be upgraded in the future to treat an
average of 2 million gallons per day.
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Surface-Water-Treatment-Plant-Groundbreaking-Set/xpinl3jzaEutHKk732ahbA.cspx
Drainage projects in south Jackson County subdivisions pared down
Sun Herald
BY KAREN NELSON
JACKSON COUNTY -- The Natural Resource Conservation Service has given
Jackson County an extra two months to line up drainage projects that would
help with street and property flooding in the sprawling subdivision of Gulf
Park Estates south of U.S. 90 and east of Ocean Springs.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/17/5423296/drainage-projects-in-south-jackson.html
KiOR Puts Columbus Plant in Idle State
WCBI
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Kior says it has "substantial doubts" about its
ability to continue to operate.
Today's disclosure came in the company's end-of-the-year financial filings
with the Security's Exchange Commission.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/kior-puts-columbus-plant-in-idle-state
National
Spill Stirs Watchdog to Act
EPA Bid for Rules on Coal-Ash Waste Gains Steam After North Carolina
Accident
Wall Street Journal
By VALERIE BAUERLEIN
March 17, 2014 7:40 p.m. ET
EDEN, N.C.—Beneath the surface of the Dan River, which flows along the
foothills on the Virginia state line, lie the soggy remnants of a coal-ash
spill that is roiling the political landscape in the state and the
regulatory environment nationwide.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303287804579445270913926520?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5&mg=reno64-wsj
OMB Begins Review of Long-Delayed Revisions to Hazardous Waste Exemptions
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Bloomberg
March 17 --The White House Office of Management and Budget began its review
March 15 of a long-delayed proposal from the Environmental Protection
Agency that would revise a 2008 Bush-era rule exempting certain recycled
materials from hazardous waste regulation, according to OMB's website.
http://www.bna.com/omb-begins-review-n17179885754/
White House to host event on climate change resilience
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
Top Obama administration officials will gather Wednesday to discuss efforts
in government and the private sector to prepare for the effects of climate
change.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/201023-white-house-to-host-event-on-climate-change-resilience
More likely to say global warming exaggerated, Gallup polling suggests
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
Forty-two percent of Americans believe news reports exaggerate the
seriousness of global warming, while fewer people think the seriousness is
generally correct or underestimated, a Gallup Inc. poll found.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/201013-gallup-more-likely-to-say-global-warming-exaggerated
Opinion
LAYNE BRUCE: Advances in transparency
BY LAYNE BRUCE
A Sun Herald ForumMarch 17, 2014
Well, that's more like it.
The Legislature has passed two very important bills on to Gov. Phil Bryant
for his consideration.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/17/5422886/layne-bruce-advances-in-transparency.html
Public's right to know improves accountability, as Mississippi cases show
The Associated Press
March 17, 2014 at 3:34 PM
OXFORD, Mississippi -- "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a
people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the
power which knowledge gives."
James Madison
This statement by the author of the Bill of Rights reflects the core
rationale of the freedom of information movement to enact open meetings and
public records laws.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/03/publics_right_to_know_improves.html#incart_river
Press Releases
EPA Asks Americans to Join the Race to Stop Water Leaks
WaterSense celebrates Fix a Leak Week Beginning March 17
WASHINGTON – Easy-to-fix household leaks account for more than one trillion
gallons of water wasted each year across the United States, equal to the
annual household water use of more than 11 million homes. In the race
against water waste, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
urging people to fix household water leaks during the sixth annual Fix a
Leak Week, March 17 through 23, 2014.
Water leaking from dripping faucets, showerheads and worn toilet flappers
in one average American home can account for more than 10,000 gallons of
water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of
laundry. These types of leaks are often easily correctable, in many cases
requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in
water savings. Fixing household water leaks can save homeowners about 10
percent on their water bills.
"A household can waste thousands of gallons from leaky plumbing fixtures
and sprinkler systems, which is especially bad news if your community is
suffering from a drought," said Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant
Administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "Three simple steps—checking for
leaks, twisting and tightening pipe connections, and replacing fixtures
where needed can help people conserve water and save money on their utility
bills."
Finding and fixing leaks is simple to do in three easy steps:
Check for leaks: Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture
connections. Check toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food
coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet and wait 10 minutes before
flushing to see if color shows up in the bowl. If there is color, the
toilet flapper likely needs to be replaced, which is an easy repair to
make. Check irrigation systems and spigots too.
Twist and tighten pipe connections: If your showerhead is dripping, make
sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem.
It may just need a twist to tighten or some pipe tape to secure it.
Replace the fixture if necessary: If you're in the mood for an upgrade,
look for WaterSense-labeled models, which are independently certified to
use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard
models.
In keeping with this year's theme, "Chasing Leaks," partners of EPA's
WaterSense program are sponsoring running races, hands-on demonstrations,
student contests, and other community events to raise awareness about the
need to fix leaking plumbing and irrigation fixtures.
The following are just a few of the events WaterSense partners are holding
across the country to raise awareness during Fix a Leak Week:
New Jersey American Water is encouraging children to inspect their homes
for leaks through a "Pint-Sized Plumbers" photo contest, and the Milwaukee
Metropolitan Sewerage District is sponsoring a water conservation student
art and essay contest.
The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association is holding its third annual
"One for Water" four-mile race and family festival in Peoria, Arizona. The
association's mascot Leaky Loo McFlapper and Ewing Irrigation Products'
mascot Rowdy Rooter will serve as larger-than-life reminders that running
toilets and leaky sprinklers are only funny when they are costumes.
The Water Use Efficiency Team and Recreation & Parks Department in Santa
Rosa, California teamed up with the Sonoma-Marin Water Savings Partnership
to kick off Fix a Leak Week at the third annual St. Patrick's Day 5K race.
The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, is partnering with other local
agencies to host the Fix a Leak Family 5K featuring a running toilet, leak
detection kits, and hands-on demonstrations.
The Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District hosted a "Water Drop Dash"
5K race and water festival featuring water conservation education and
activities along the Chattahoochee River.
Visit the Fix a Leak Week 2014 Event Map on the WaterSense Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/EPAWatersense/app_137541772984354 to see if there is an
event in your community. To learn more about finding and fixing leaks,
visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Monday, March 17, 2014
News Clippings 3.17.14
3.17.14
Oil Spill
BP questioning oil spill payments to some Tampa Bay area businesses
Tampa Bay Times
Who deserves to be compensated for the catastrophic BP oil spill of 2010?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/bp-questioning-oil-spill-payments-to-some-tampa-bay-area-businesses/2170215
Walton County Receives $7 Million in Settlement Money from BP
WJHG
Nearly four years after the Deepwater Horizon Rig explosion and oil spill,
the effects are still fresh in the memories of Walton Countybusiness
leaders.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Walton-County-Receives-7-Million-in-Settlement-Money-from-BP-250594801.html
Jindal wants BP money in 'rainy day' fund
By MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press
Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration wants to use Gulf oil spill recovery
money to help refill the Louisiana's "rainy day" fund and settle a lawsuit
claiming the state needs to return roughly $300 million to the fund.
http://theadvocate.com/home/8632617-125/jindal-wants-to-steer-bp
State
Lee County and Tupelo Officials in Water Dispute
WCBI
LEE CO./TUPELO, Miss. (Miss.) – After months of discussions and citizen's
concerns, Tupelo officials are contemplating their next move involving the
North Lee County Water Association.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/lee-county-and-tupelo-officials-in-water-dispute
North Lee, Tupelo could land in court over water
By Robbie Ward
Daily Journal
TUPELO – Tupelo officials' optimism about convincing the North Lee County
Water Association to exchange current and future customers in newly annexed
areas for cash has turned to concern.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-tupelo-land-court-water/
Grant sought to collect hazardous waste
Paint, electronics common items
AP
CORINTH — Officials in Alcorn County are gearing up for a collection of
household hazardous waste which probably will take place in April or May.
The Daily Corinthian reported the county Board of Supervisors will apply
for grant funding from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
to support the collection.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140317/NEWS01/303170013/Grant-sought-collect-hazardous-waste
Bay High students turn trash into fashion to promote recycling
WLOX
BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) -Bay St. Louis is gearing up to host a fashion
show with a twist. It's the 4th annual No-Trash Bash Fashion Show. WLOX
News spoke with the organizers and some of the models preparing to walk the
runway.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24989578/bay-st-louis-helps-turn-trash-into-faishon-to-help-beautify-the-city
New rules on spotted seatrout along Miss. Gulf
BY LAUREN WALCK
The Sun Herald
March 17, 2014
BILOXI, MISS. — The most frequently caught fish in the Gulf of Mexico will
soon be off limits to part-time fishermen who sell their catches for extra
cash, but that's good news for full-timers.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/17/5421328/new-rules-on-spotted-seatrout.html
Public records access may improve
Bills deal with enforcement, cost
AP
Mississippians seeking government records soon could have a stronger appeal
route while avoiding court, and they might be charged less for the records.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140316/NEWS010504/303160057/Public-records-access-may-improve
Rulings limit investigations exemption for records
BY ANITA LEE
The Sun Herald
March 16, 2014
BILOXI, MISS. — State and federal court rulings in Mississippi have put
public officials on notice that they can't keep public records private by
seizing them for investigations.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/16/5413000/rulings-limit-investigations-exemption.html
Public records laws need improvement
Editorial - Clarion Ledger
Lawmakers have at least two opportunities to improve Mississippi's
admittedly weak open records laws and allow more transparency in the way
public money is spent.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014302160077
WILL BARDWELL: Legislation would improve transparency in Mississippi
BY WILL BARDWELL
Mississippi Centerfor Freedom of InformationMarch 16, 2014
If you're a champion of open government, then for the past several years
you've lived in an exciting but bewildering time.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/16/5416840/will-bardwell-legislation-would.html
State agencies face budget deficits
Corrections, Medicaid need most money
Clarion Ledger
About $85 million is being earmarked by Mississippi senators to cover
deficits this year in state agencies' budgets, including $50 million in the
Division of Medicaid and $15 million in the Department of Corrections.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140317/NEWS010504/303170005/State-agencies-face-budget-deficits
Miss.'s ability to borrow adequate, report says
AP
Mississippi could borrow $1.8 billion to use for new buildings, highways
and economic development incentives over the next five years and rising
state revenue probably could support that amount of borrowing, a report by
Treasurer Lynn Fitch suggests.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140317/NEWS01/303170011/Miss-s-ability-borrow-adequate-report-says
Regional
Oil Mars Ala. Swamp Months After Crude Train Crash
By JAY REEVES
Associated Press
Environmental regulators promised an aggressive cleanup after a tanker
train hauling 2.9 million gallons of crude oil derailed and burned in a
west Alabama swamp in early November amid a string of North American oil
train crashes.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/oil-mars-ala-swamp-months-crude-train-crash-22923636?singlePage=true
National
Senators Meeting Regularly on TSCA Reform But Have No Time Frame for Moving
Bill
Monday, March 17, 2014
Bloomberg
March 14 --The lead Senate proponents of reforming the Toxic Substances
Control Act have been meeting regularly but do not yet have a time frame
for attempting to move legislation, Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) told Bloomberg
BNA March 13.
http://www.bna.com/senators-meeting-regularly-n17179885657/
Railway crude oil shipments up 83 percent
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
The number of railcars carrying crude oil surged 83 percent last year over
2012 levels.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/200814-railway-crude-oil-shipments-up-83-percent
EPA trashes 140 tons of government publications
AJC
By Jamie Dupree
The Environmental Protection Agency last year threw out more than 140 tons
of printed materials that had been kept at one federal storage facility,
but only after internal investigators at the EPA started asking why
millions of agency publications were sitting around unused, raising new
questions about the waste of taxpayer dollars at federal government
warehouses.
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2014/mar/16/epa-trashes-140-tons-government-publications/
Wyoming welder faces $75,000 a day in EPA fines for building pond on his
property
Fox News
All Andy Johnson wanted to do was build a stock pond on his sprawling
eight-acre Wyoming farm. He and his wife Katie spent hours constructing it,
filling it with crystal-clear water, and bringing in brook and brown trout,
ducks and geese. It was a place where his horses could drink and graze, and
a private playground for his three children.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/14/wyoming-welder-faces-fine-for-building-pond-on-his-own-property/
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: DMR needs more, not less, oversight
March 15, 2014
State Rep. David Baria has, we believe, identified a significant flaw in
the Marine Resources Accountability and Reorganization Act now under
consideration by the Legislature.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/15/5416845/sun-herald-editorial-dmr-needs.html
Oil Spill
BP questioning oil spill payments to some Tampa Bay area businesses
Tampa Bay Times
Who deserves to be compensated for the catastrophic BP oil spill of 2010?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/bp-questioning-oil-spill-payments-to-some-tampa-bay-area-businesses/2170215
Walton County Receives $7 Million in Settlement Money from BP
WJHG
Nearly four years after the Deepwater Horizon Rig explosion and oil spill,
the effects are still fresh in the memories of Walton Countybusiness
leaders.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Walton-County-Receives-7-Million-in-Settlement-Money-from-BP-250594801.html
Jindal wants BP money in 'rainy day' fund
By MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press
Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration wants to use Gulf oil spill recovery
money to help refill the Louisiana's "rainy day" fund and settle a lawsuit
claiming the state needs to return roughly $300 million to the fund.
http://theadvocate.com/home/8632617-125/jindal-wants-to-steer-bp
State
Lee County and Tupelo Officials in Water Dispute
WCBI
LEE CO./TUPELO, Miss. (Miss.) – After months of discussions and citizen's
concerns, Tupelo officials are contemplating their next move involving the
North Lee County Water Association.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/lee-county-and-tupelo-officials-in-water-dispute
North Lee, Tupelo could land in court over water
By Robbie Ward
Daily Journal
TUPELO – Tupelo officials' optimism about convincing the North Lee County
Water Association to exchange current and future customers in newly annexed
areas for cash has turned to concern.
http://djournal.com/news/north-lee-tupelo-land-court-water/
Grant sought to collect hazardous waste
Paint, electronics common items
AP
CORINTH — Officials in Alcorn County are gearing up for a collection of
household hazardous waste which probably will take place in April or May.
The Daily Corinthian reported the county Board of Supervisors will apply
for grant funding from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
to support the collection.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140317/NEWS01/303170013/Grant-sought-collect-hazardous-waste
Bay High students turn trash into fashion to promote recycling
WLOX
BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) -Bay St. Louis is gearing up to host a fashion
show with a twist. It's the 4th annual No-Trash Bash Fashion Show. WLOX
News spoke with the organizers and some of the models preparing to walk the
runway.
http://www.wlox.com/story/24989578/bay-st-louis-helps-turn-trash-into-faishon-to-help-beautify-the-city
New rules on spotted seatrout along Miss. Gulf
BY LAUREN WALCK
The Sun Herald
March 17, 2014
BILOXI, MISS. — The most frequently caught fish in the Gulf of Mexico will
soon be off limits to part-time fishermen who sell their catches for extra
cash, but that's good news for full-timers.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/17/5421328/new-rules-on-spotted-seatrout.html
Public records access may improve
Bills deal with enforcement, cost
AP
Mississippians seeking government records soon could have a stronger appeal
route while avoiding court, and they might be charged less for the records.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140316/NEWS010504/303160057/Public-records-access-may-improve
Rulings limit investigations exemption for records
BY ANITA LEE
The Sun Herald
March 16, 2014
BILOXI, MISS. — State and federal court rulings in Mississippi have put
public officials on notice that they can't keep public records private by
seizing them for investigations.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/16/5413000/rulings-limit-investigations-exemption.html
Public records laws need improvement
Editorial - Clarion Ledger
Lawmakers have at least two opportunities to improve Mississippi's
admittedly weak open records laws and allow more transparency in the way
public money is spent.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014302160077
WILL BARDWELL: Legislation would improve transparency in Mississippi
BY WILL BARDWELL
Mississippi Centerfor Freedom of InformationMarch 16, 2014
If you're a champion of open government, then for the past several years
you've lived in an exciting but bewildering time.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/16/5416840/will-bardwell-legislation-would.html
State agencies face budget deficits
Corrections, Medicaid need most money
Clarion Ledger
About $85 million is being earmarked by Mississippi senators to cover
deficits this year in state agencies' budgets, including $50 million in the
Division of Medicaid and $15 million in the Department of Corrections.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140317/NEWS010504/303170005/State-agencies-face-budget-deficits
Miss.'s ability to borrow adequate, report says
AP
Mississippi could borrow $1.8 billion to use for new buildings, highways
and economic development incentives over the next five years and rising
state revenue probably could support that amount of borrowing, a report by
Treasurer Lynn Fitch suggests.
http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20140317/NEWS01/303170011/Miss-s-ability-borrow-adequate-report-says
Regional
Oil Mars Ala. Swamp Months After Crude Train Crash
By JAY REEVES
Associated Press
Environmental regulators promised an aggressive cleanup after a tanker
train hauling 2.9 million gallons of crude oil derailed and burned in a
west Alabama swamp in early November amid a string of North American oil
train crashes.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/oil-mars-ala-swamp-months-crude-train-crash-22923636?singlePage=true
National
Senators Meeting Regularly on TSCA Reform But Have No Time Frame for Moving
Bill
Monday, March 17, 2014
Bloomberg
March 14 --The lead Senate proponents of reforming the Toxic Substances
Control Act have been meeting regularly but do not yet have a time frame
for attempting to move legislation, Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) told Bloomberg
BNA March 13.
http://www.bna.com/senators-meeting-regularly-n17179885657/
Railway crude oil shipments up 83 percent
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
The number of railcars carrying crude oil surged 83 percent last year over
2012 levels.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/200814-railway-crude-oil-shipments-up-83-percent
EPA trashes 140 tons of government publications
AJC
By Jamie Dupree
The Environmental Protection Agency last year threw out more than 140 tons
of printed materials that had been kept at one federal storage facility,
but only after internal investigators at the EPA started asking why
millions of agency publications were sitting around unused, raising new
questions about the waste of taxpayer dollars at federal government
warehouses.
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2014/mar/16/epa-trashes-140-tons-government-publications/
Wyoming welder faces $75,000 a day in EPA fines for building pond on his
property
Fox News
All Andy Johnson wanted to do was build a stock pond on his sprawling
eight-acre Wyoming farm. He and his wife Katie spent hours constructing it,
filling it with crystal-clear water, and bringing in brook and brown trout,
ducks and geese. It was a place where his horses could drink and graze, and
a private playground for his three children.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/14/wyoming-welder-faces-fine-for-building-pond-on-his-own-property/
Opinion
SUN HERALD | Editorial: DMR needs more, not less, oversight
March 15, 2014
State Rep. David Baria has, we believe, identified a significant flaw in
the Marine Resources Accountability and Reorganization Act now under
consideration by the Legislature.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/15/5416845/sun-herald-editorial-dmr-needs.html
Friday, March 14, 2014
News Clippings 3.14.14
3.14.14
Oil Spill
EPA lifts ban barring BP from federal government contracts
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
March 13, 2014 at 8:26 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency agreed Thursday (March 13) to lift its
ban barring BP from doing business with the federal government, ending a
months-long suspension imposed on the company in the wake of the 2010 Gulf
of Mexico oil spill. The move comes just days before the March 19 federal
oil and gas lease sale in New Orleans, which will open millions of acres in
Gulf for exploration.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/epa_lifts_ban_barring_bp_from.html
BP Reaches Agreement With U.S.
Pact Will Allow Energy Company To Do Business Again With Federal Government
Wall Street Journal
By TOM FOWLER
March 13, 2014 6:42 p.m. ET
BP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have reached an agreement
that will allow the oil and gas company to start doing business again with
the federal government.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303546204579437613468445986?KEYWORDS=tom
+fowler
BP deal opens door for new U.S. drilling
Politico
By: Darren Goode
March 13, 2014 05:05 PM EDT
BP will be allowed to sign new leases to drill for oil and gas in the Gulf
of Mexico under a deal announced Thursday with the U.S. government that
resolves outstanding issues tied to the British giant's role in the 2010
Deepwater Horizon disaster.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/bp-deal-opens-door-for-new-us-drilling-104649.html
BP Can Again Bid for U.S. Leases, Contracts After Spill
Bloomberg
By Mark Drajem, Jim Snyder and Jef Feeley - Mar 14, 2014
BP Plc (BP/) won the right to again compete for U.S. contracts and new
leases in the Gulf of Mexico, where its massive 2010 oil spill prompted
regulators to bar it from new government business.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13/u-s-lifts-bp-s-ban-on-contracting-imposed-after-spill.html
Researchers to use Alvin sub to study mile-deep seafloor near BP well
blowout
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
March 13, 2014 at 7:44 PM
A team of scientists led by University of Georgia marine biologist Samantha
Joye will spend most of April using the deepsea submarine Alvin to study
the mile-deep seafloor near the site of BP's ill-fated Macondo well for the
lingering effects of the 87-day flow of oil and gas following the blowout
that sank the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April 2010.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/03/researchers_to_use_alvin_sub_t.html
Margaret Brown wins top honor at SXSW with Deepwater Horizon documentary
'The Great Invisible'
Press-Register
Lawrence Specker
March 12, 2014 at 3:01 PM
Mobile native Margaret Brown has won a top award at the prestigious SXSW
Film Festival with her documentary on the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/margaret_brown_wins_top_honor.html
State
MSU joins Mexican groups to study Gulf ecosystem
The Associated Press
March 14, 2014
STARKVILLE, MISS. — A research consortium led by Mississippi State
University is partnering with a group of institutions in Mexico to advance
further study of the Gulf of Mexico's ecosystem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/14/5415098/msu-joins-mexican-groups-to-study.html
European company begins production of torrefied biomass
MBJ
by Wally Northway
Published: March 13,2014
QUITMAN — The Belgium company Solvay has launched the production of
torrefied biomass on an industrial scale in the United States.
The business will be run by the recently created Solvay Biomass Energy
joint venture between Solvay and U.S.-based New Biomass Energy (NBE).
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/european-company-begins-production-torrefied-biomass/
MEMA taps True North to develop hazard mitigation plan
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 13,2014
JACKSON — The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has selected
True North Emergency Management, LLC, to develop a regional Hazard
Mitigation Plan for MEMA's District 3.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/mema-taps-true-north-develop-hazard-mitigation-plan/
HPD, DEA to offer safe drug disposal
Hattiesburg American
Hattiesburg Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
are teaming up in April for the DEA National Drug Take Back Initiative.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20140313/NEWS01/140313009/HPD-DEA-offer-safe-drug-disposal
Landowner swaps land with Fish and Wildlife Service
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 13,2014
CHARLESTON — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has reached an
agreement with landowner James Kennedy to exchange a 306-acre parcel of its
land in Tallahatchie County for a tract of York Woods, Kennedy's
conservation-easement property.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/landowner-swaps-land-fish-wildlife-service/
National
Private water rights bill clears House
The Hill
By Pete Kasperowicz
A fight over access to water for ski resorts on public land spilled into
the House today, and prompted passage of a bill to protect all private
water rights from being taken by the federal government.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/votes/200773-private-water-rights-bill-clears-house
Press Releases
Cleanup Activities Have Begun at the Chemfax, Inc. Site in Gulfport, MS
EPA to Hold a Public Availability Session on March 18, 2014
Release date: 3/13/2014
Contact Information: James Pinkney, (404) 562-9183 (Direct), (404) 562-8400
(Main) pinkney.james@epa.gov
(ATLANTA –March 13, 2014) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
will hold a Public Availability Session on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 in
Gulfport, MS. Representatives from EPA and the State of Mississippi will be
available to provide information and answer questions about cleanup
activities at the Chemfax, Inc. Site.
The Public Availability Session will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at
the Cross Roads Elementary School Library, 10453 Klein Road, Gulfport, MS
39503.
The Chemfax Inc. Superfund Site, located in Gulfport, Harrison County,
Mississippi is an 11-acre property bordered by Three Rivers Road to the
east, Creosote Road to the south, and adjacent to the intersections of
Highways 10 and 49. Residential, commercial, and industrial areas presently
surround the Site. The Site is situated on Sixteenth Section land. Title
to Sixteenth Section land is vested in the State of Mississippi, to be held
in trust for the support of public education.
Chemfax, Inc. manufactured resins and waxes from petroleum products for
industrial use from 1955 to 1995. The primary operation was a paraffin
blending process in which different grades of paraffin wax were heated
together to a liquid state, blended, and then cooled with water.
Community members interested in obtaining additional information are
encouraged to contact Sherryl A. Lane, EPA Community Involvement
Coordinator, at (877) 718-3752 or 404-562-8611.
For more information about the Site, please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/region4/superfund/sites/npl/mississippi/chemfaxms.html
A media availability session will be held at Cross Roads Elementary School
Library, 10453 Klein Road, Gulfport, MS from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
March 18, 2014. Site representatives will be available to answer media
questions concerning cleanup activities at the Site.
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @EPASoutheast
###
EPA to Lift Suspension and Debarment of BP From Federal Government
Contracts
Agreement contains strong provisions to continue safety and ethics
improvements in order to comply
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency and BP today
executed an agreement resolving all suspension and debarment actions
against BP that barred the company from doing business with the federal
government following the company's guilty plea in the Deepwater Horizon
disaster of April 2010. The administrative agreement will be in place for
five years.
"This is a fair agreement that requires BP to improve its practices in
order to meet the terms we've outlined together," said EPA Assistant
Administrator of Administration and Resources Craig Hooks. "Many months of
discussions and assessments have led up to this point, and I'm confident
we've secured strong provisions to protect the integrity of federal
procurement programs."
Under the agreement, BP is required to retain an independent auditor
approved by EPA who will conduct an annual review and report on BP's
compliance with the agreement. There are also specific provisions
addressing ethics compliance, corporate governance, and process safety. The
agreement additionally provides EPA the authority to take appropriate
corrective action in the event the agreement is breached. EPA coordinated
this matter with the Department of Interior, Defense Logistics Agency and
U.S. Coast Guard.
Since November 2012, EPA has suspended 25 BP entities and disqualified BP
Exploration and Production, Inc. from performing federal contract work at
its corporate facility in Houston, Texas, stemming from its criminal
conviction in the U.S. Government's Deepwater Horizon case. Suspensions are
issued where there is an immediate need to protect the public interest
supported by adequate evidence. The suspension did not affect existing
agreements BP had with the government.
The agreement announced today takes effect immediately.
Oil Spill
EPA lifts ban barring BP from federal government contracts
Jennifer Larino
The Times-Picayune
March 13, 2014 at 8:26 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency agreed Thursday (March 13) to lift its
ban barring BP from doing business with the federal government, ending a
months-long suspension imposed on the company in the wake of the 2010 Gulf
of Mexico oil spill. The move comes just days before the March 19 federal
oil and gas lease sale in New Orleans, which will open millions of acres in
Gulf for exploration.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/epa_lifts_ban_barring_bp_from.html
BP Reaches Agreement With U.S.
Pact Will Allow Energy Company To Do Business Again With Federal Government
Wall Street Journal
By TOM FOWLER
March 13, 2014 6:42 p.m. ET
BP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have reached an agreement
that will allow the oil and gas company to start doing business again with
the federal government.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303546204579437613468445986?KEYWORDS=tom
+fowler
BP deal opens door for new U.S. drilling
Politico
By: Darren Goode
March 13, 2014 05:05 PM EDT
BP will be allowed to sign new leases to drill for oil and gas in the Gulf
of Mexico under a deal announced Thursday with the U.S. government that
resolves outstanding issues tied to the British giant's role in the 2010
Deepwater Horizon disaster.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/bp-deal-opens-door-for-new-us-drilling-104649.html
BP Can Again Bid for U.S. Leases, Contracts After Spill
Bloomberg
By Mark Drajem, Jim Snyder and Jef Feeley - Mar 14, 2014
BP Plc (BP/) won the right to again compete for U.S. contracts and new
leases in the Gulf of Mexico, where its massive 2010 oil spill prompted
regulators to bar it from new government business.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13/u-s-lifts-bp-s-ban-on-contracting-imposed-after-spill.html
Researchers to use Alvin sub to study mile-deep seafloor near BP well
blowout
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
March 13, 2014 at 7:44 PM
A team of scientists led by University of Georgia marine biologist Samantha
Joye will spend most of April using the deepsea submarine Alvin to study
the mile-deep seafloor near the site of BP's ill-fated Macondo well for the
lingering effects of the 87-day flow of oil and gas following the blowout
that sank the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April 2010.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/03/researchers_to_use_alvin_sub_t.html
Margaret Brown wins top honor at SXSW with Deepwater Horizon documentary
'The Great Invisible'
Press-Register
Lawrence Specker
March 12, 2014 at 3:01 PM
Mobile native Margaret Brown has won a top award at the prestigious SXSW
Film Festival with her documentary on the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/margaret_brown_wins_top_honor.html
State
MSU joins Mexican groups to study Gulf ecosystem
The Associated Press
March 14, 2014
STARKVILLE, MISS. — A research consortium led by Mississippi State
University is partnering with a group of institutions in Mexico to advance
further study of the Gulf of Mexico's ecosystem.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/03/14/5415098/msu-joins-mexican-groups-to-study.html
European company begins production of torrefied biomass
MBJ
by Wally Northway
Published: March 13,2014
QUITMAN — The Belgium company Solvay has launched the production of
torrefied biomass on an industrial scale in the United States.
The business will be run by the recently created Solvay Biomass Energy
joint venture between Solvay and U.S.-based New Biomass Energy (NBE).
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/european-company-begins-production-torrefied-biomass/
MEMA taps True North to develop hazard mitigation plan
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 13,2014
JACKSON — The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has selected
True North Emergency Management, LLC, to develop a regional Hazard
Mitigation Plan for MEMA's District 3.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/mema-taps-true-north-develop-hazard-mitigation-plan/
HPD, DEA to offer safe drug disposal
Hattiesburg American
Hattiesburg Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
are teaming up in April for the DEA National Drug Take Back Initiative.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20140313/NEWS01/140313009/HPD-DEA-offer-safe-drug-disposal
Landowner swaps land with Fish and Wildlife Service
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 13,2014
CHARLESTON — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has reached an
agreement with landowner James Kennedy to exchange a 306-acre parcel of its
land in Tallahatchie County for a tract of York Woods, Kennedy's
conservation-easement property.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2014/03/13/landowner-swaps-land-fish-wildlife-service/
National
Private water rights bill clears House
The Hill
By Pete Kasperowicz
A fight over access to water for ski resorts on public land spilled into
the House today, and prompted passage of a bill to protect all private
water rights from being taken by the federal government.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/votes/200773-private-water-rights-bill-clears-house
Press Releases
Cleanup Activities Have Begun at the Chemfax, Inc. Site in Gulfport, MS
EPA to Hold a Public Availability Session on March 18, 2014
Release date: 3/13/2014
Contact Information: James Pinkney, (404) 562-9183 (Direct), (404) 562-8400
(Main) pinkney.james@epa.gov
(ATLANTA –March 13, 2014) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
will hold a Public Availability Session on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 in
Gulfport, MS. Representatives from EPA and the State of Mississippi will be
available to provide information and answer questions about cleanup
activities at the Chemfax, Inc. Site.
The Public Availability Session will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at
the Cross Roads Elementary School Library, 10453 Klein Road, Gulfport, MS
39503.
The Chemfax Inc. Superfund Site, located in Gulfport, Harrison County,
Mississippi is an 11-acre property bordered by Three Rivers Road to the
east, Creosote Road to the south, and adjacent to the intersections of
Highways 10 and 49. Residential, commercial, and industrial areas presently
surround the Site. The Site is situated on Sixteenth Section land. Title
to Sixteenth Section land is vested in the State of Mississippi, to be held
in trust for the support of public education.
Chemfax, Inc. manufactured resins and waxes from petroleum products for
industrial use from 1955 to 1995. The primary operation was a paraffin
blending process in which different grades of paraffin wax were heated
together to a liquid state, blended, and then cooled with water.
Community members interested in obtaining additional information are
encouraged to contact Sherryl A. Lane, EPA Community Involvement
Coordinator, at (877) 718-3752 or 404-562-8611.
For more information about the Site, please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/region4/superfund/sites/npl/mississippi/chemfaxms.html
A media availability session will be held at Cross Roads Elementary School
Library, 10453 Klein Road, Gulfport, MS from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
March 18, 2014. Site representatives will be available to answer media
questions concerning cleanup activities at the Site.
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @EPASoutheast
###
EPA to Lift Suspension and Debarment of BP From Federal Government
Contracts
Agreement contains strong provisions to continue safety and ethics
improvements in order to comply
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency and BP today
executed an agreement resolving all suspension and debarment actions
against BP that barred the company from doing business with the federal
government following the company's guilty plea in the Deepwater Horizon
disaster of April 2010. The administrative agreement will be in place for
five years.
"This is a fair agreement that requires BP to improve its practices in
order to meet the terms we've outlined together," said EPA Assistant
Administrator of Administration and Resources Craig Hooks. "Many months of
discussions and assessments have led up to this point, and I'm confident
we've secured strong provisions to protect the integrity of federal
procurement programs."
Under the agreement, BP is required to retain an independent auditor
approved by EPA who will conduct an annual review and report on BP's
compliance with the agreement. There are also specific provisions
addressing ethics compliance, corporate governance, and process safety. The
agreement additionally provides EPA the authority to take appropriate
corrective action in the event the agreement is breached. EPA coordinated
this matter with the Department of Interior, Defense Logistics Agency and
U.S. Coast Guard.
Since November 2012, EPA has suspended 25 BP entities and disqualified BP
Exploration and Production, Inc. from performing federal contract work at
its corporate facility in Houston, Texas, stemming from its criminal
conviction in the U.S. Government's Deepwater Horizon case. Suspensions are
issued where there is an immediate need to protect the public interest
supported by adequate evidence. The suspension did not affect existing
agreements BP had with the government.
The agreement announced today takes effect immediately.
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