State
No decision in Lamar County on proposed spray fields
Hattiesburg American
PURVIS – The notion of spray fields in Lamar County to dispose of
treated wastewater got a rousing nose-hold from a number of those
gathered at Monday morning's board of supervisors' meeting.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/2015/08/04/decision-lamar-county-proposed-spray-fields/31124107/
Mississippi Primary Election Results
Clarion Ledger
http://www.clarionledger.com/longform/news/politics/2015/08/04/mississippi-primary-election-results/31137019/
Major upsets noted in DeSoto County
Clarion Ledger
Legislative races held some of the biggest upsets of the night,
especially for incumbent lawmakers hailing from DeSoto County.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2015/08/05/major-upsets-noted-desoto-county/31148081/
Election roundup: Boards of supervisors shaken up across South Mississippi
Sun Herald
It was a tough night for supervisors across the Coast with at least one
incumbent losing in Hancock County and at least two in Jackson County.
Harrison County had already lost two incumbents to scandal, so it will also
have two new faces on the board.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/04/6351678_boards-of-supervisors-shaken-up.html?rh=1
Regional
2015 Gulf 'dead zone' larger than Connecticut, Rhode Island combined
Mark Schleifstein
The Times-Picayune
August 04, 2015 at 5:29 PM
The 2015 "dead zone," an area of dangerously low-oxygen water in the Gulf
of Mexico along Louisiana's coast, is bigger than the states of Connecticut
and Rhode Island combined, and ranks as the 11th largest since mapping
began in 1985.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/08/2015_gulf_dead_zone_larger_tha.html#incart_river
Seawater bacteria death confirmed in Escambia
Pensacola News Journal
One person has died in Escambia County from the Vibrio vulnificus
infection, a bacteria typically found in warm, brackish seawater,
according to the Florida Department of Health.
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/escambia-county/2015/08/03/seawater-bacteria-death-confirmed-escambia/31069117/
National
Emails appear to show coordination between EPA, environmental groups on
power plant rules
Fox News
Numerous emails appear to show close coordination between the EPA and
environmental groups in drafting the controversial Clean Power Plan which
could mark the demise of coal-fired power plants in the United States.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/04/emails-appear-to-show-coordination-between-epa-environmental-groups-on-power/
How the clean energy boom let EPA toughen up its carbon rules
Washington Post
The Obama administration's new Clean Power Plan, released Monday, is being
heralded as a "game-changer." In fact, a better description is that it's
trying to cement changes already occurring in how we get electricity, and
in particular, the stunning recent boom in solar energy — as well as in
wind.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/08/04/how-the-clean-energy-boom-let-epa-toughen-up-its-carbon-rules/
Obama spurns natural gas in climate rule
The Hill
President Obama's love affair with natural gas is over.
The president once touted gas as an essential clean bridge fuel to wean the
United States off dirtier fossil fuels and onto renewable energy, and it
was seen as a key to his landmark climate change rule for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250268-obama-spurns-natural-gas-in-climate-rule
Republicans criticize 'sue-and-settle' arrangements
The Hill
Senate Republicans criticized the Obama administration and environmental
groups Tuesday for what they said is a pattern of lawsuits that are settled
to change and influence regulations.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250227-republicans-criticize-sue-and-settle-arrangements
Press Releases
2015 Gulf of Mexico dead zone 'above average'
Heavy June rains, high July nutrient runoff levels likely cause for
increased size
August 4, 2015
Scientists have found this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone — an area of low
to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is, at 6,474 square
miles, above average in size and larger than forecast by NOAA in June. The
larger than expected forecast was caused by heavy June rains throughout the
Mississippi River watershed.
The measured size this year — an area about the size of Connecticut and
Rhode Island combined — is larger than the 5,052 square miles measured last
year, indicating that nutrients from the Mississippi River watershed are
continuing to affect the nation's coastal resources and habitats in the
Gulf. The size is larger than the Gulf of Mexico / Mississippi River
Watershed Nutrient Task Force (Hypoxia Task Force) target of 1,900 square
miles.
"Dead zones," also called hypoxia areas, are caused by nutrient runoff from
agricultural and other human activities in the watershed and are highly
affected by river discharge and nitrogen loads. These nutrients stimulate
an overgrowth of algae that sinks, decomposes, and consumes the oxygen
needed to support life in the Gulf. Dead zones are a major water quality
issue with an estimated total of more than 550 occurring annually
worldwide. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is the second largest human-caused
hypoxic area in the world.
"An average area was expected because the Mississippi River discharge
levels and associated nutrient data from May indicated an average delivery
of nutrients during this critical month which stimulates the fuel for the
mid-summer dead zone," said Nancy Rabalais, Ph.D. executive director of the
Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON), who led the July 28 to
Aug 3 survey cruise. A suite of NOAA-sponsored models forecasted a range of
4,633 to 5,985 square miles based on May nitrogen loading data provided by
USGS. "Since the models are based largely on the May nitrogen loads from
the Mississippi River, the heavy rains that came in June with additional
nitrogen and even higher river discharges in July are the possible
explanations for the larger size," said Rabalais.
Funded by NOAA and the EPA, the annual measurement mapping of the dead zone
provides a critical scientific record of the trend of hypoxia in the Gulf,
as well as the primary measure of progress used by the Hypoxia Task Force
to determine whether efforts to reduce nutrient loading upstream in the
Mississippi River Basin are yielding results. This year marks the 30th
annual ship-based sampling that is the backbone of the mapping effort.
"The importance of having continued and sustained coastal observations are
foundational in helping us better understand the size and impacts of the
Gulf dead zone. This information ultimately informs the best strategies to
reduce the size and the impacts of the dead zone, which will help improve
the sustainability and productivity of our coastal economy," said Holly
Bamford, Ph.D., assistant NOAA administrator for the National Ocean Service
performing the duties of the assistant secretary of commerce for
conservation and management.
"The annual ship-based sampling is the backbone of the mapping effort,"
said Diane Altsman, chief of staff of the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program. "It
is important for us to partner with NOAA on supporting the cruise this year
to ensure that the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force has the critical
information needed to assess their progress in mitigating hypoxia, part of
our effort to restore the Gulf coastal ecosystem."
The largest previous Gulf of Mexico dead zone was in 2002, encompassing
8,497 square miles. The smallest recorded dead zone measured 15 square
miles in 1988. The average size of the dead zone over the past five years
has been about 5,500 square miles, nearly three times the 1,900 square mile
goal set by the Hypoxia Task Force in 2001 and reaffirmed in 2008.
The hypoxic zone off the coast of Louisiana and Texas forms each summer
threatening the ecosystem that supports valuable commercial and
recreational Gulf fisheries. NOAA-funded research in the past decade shows
hypoxia results in habitat loss, displacement of fish (including shrimp and
croaker) from their preferred areas, and a decline in reproductive ability
in some species.
Visit the Gulf Hypoxia web site for additional graphics and information
concerning this summer's LUMCON research cruise, and previous cruises.
NOAA's National Ocean Service has been funding monitoring and research for
the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico since 1985 and currently oversees the
NGOMEX program, the hypoxia research effort for the northern Gulf which is
authorized by the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act.
The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science is the coastal science
office for NOAA's National Ocean Service.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's
environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to
conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and our other social media channels.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/080415-gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-above-average.html
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
News Clippings 8/4/15
State
VT Halter breaks ground on $7.5M facility to help eliminate overspray
BY MARY PEREZ AND KAREN NELSON
Sun Herald
PASCAGOULA -- Gov. Phil Bryant spent the day before Election Day in South
Mississippi breaking ground on a $7.5 million blast and paint facility that
will bring another 40 jobs to the VT Halter Marine's Pascagoula shipyard.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/03/6349395/vt-halter-breaks-ground-on-new.html
City looking at $1,500 daily fines over wastewater
Hattiesburg American
Hattiesburg City Council received a classic dose of good news-bad
news Monday during an update on its quest to find a solution for its
wastewater disposal woes.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/hattiesburg/2015/08/03/city-council-talks-sewer-rates-fines/31086203/
Lamar officials not keen on possible spray fields
Hattiesburg American
PURVIS – Hattiesburg may be facing another issue when it comes to
choosing between a mechanical or land-application method for
disposing of the city's treated wastewater.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/lamar-county/2015/08/03/lamar-county-officials-spraying-waste/31084661/
MS Phosphates faces federal violation and violation of neighbors' trust
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -Mississippi Phosphates is facing federal charges of
violation of the Clean Water Act. A federal judge unsealed court papers
this week that claim the East Jackson County fertilizer plant illegally
discharged pollutants into Bayou Casotte.
http://www.wlox.com/story/29685046/ms-phosphates-faces-federal-violation-and-violation-of-neighbors-trust
DeSoto leaders seek unified approach for flood control
Commercial Appeal
DeSoto County supervisors want the Corps of Engineers district offices in
Memphis and Vicksburg to coordinate a unified flood-prevention effort.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/local-news/desoto/desoto-leaders-seek-unified-approach-for-flood-control_25487093
Oil Spill
Hurricanes Transport Pollutants to Coastal Beaches, Study Says
The Weather Channel
A recently published study from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science has revealed interesting information on
the possible effects of hurricanes on pollutants within the ocean.
http://www.weather.com/news/news/hurricane-pollution-study
National
Obama: 'Such a thing as being too late when it comes to climate change'
The Associated Press
August 03, 2015 at 1:56 PM
WASHINGTON -- Calling it a moral obligation, President Barack Obama
unveiled the final version of his plan to dramatically cut emissions from
U.S. power plants, as he warned anew that climate change will threaten
future generations if left unchecked.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/obama_cut_emissions_power_plan.html#incart_river
Obama Announces Rule to Cut Carbon Emissions From Power Plants
Final regulation calls for 32% cut in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels
WSJ
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's announcement Monday of an aggressive
plan to cut carbon emissions from U.S. power plants launched what will be a
monthslong push that the administration hopes culminates in a global
climate accord later this year.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-announces-rule-to-cut-carbon-emissions-from-power-plants-1438627158
New Expectations for Electricity Consumers
Households and businesses, largely passive for decades, will have to be
involved
WSJ
For most of the last century, Americans have been passive consumers of
electricity, paying whatever their utility charged for the juice to run
their lights and appliances.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-expectations-for-electricity-consumers-1438558455
Obama unveils major climate change proposal
CNN
Washington (CNN)The Obama administration unveiled a major climate change
plan on Sunday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from
the nation's coal-burning power plants. On Monday, President Barack Obama
started selling it to the public at a White House event.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/politics/obama-climate-change-plan/index.html
Obama announces power plant regulations, GOP lawmakers vow fight
Fox News
WASHINGTON – President Obama on Monday announced new regulations on
power-plant carbon emissions that will have a dramatic impact on how
Americans make, store and use energy.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/03/obama-announces-power-plant-regulations/?intcmp=hplnws
Clean-energy debate pitted ambition against legal worries
Washington Post
Four weeks before the official rollout, the news for President Obama's
signature regulation on climate change suddenly went from bad to abysmal.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/internal-debate-over-clean-energy-plan-pitted-ambition-against-legal-worries/2015/08/02/9e0c1c94-3966-11e5-9c2d-ed991d848c48_story.html
Move to Fight Obama's Climate Plan Started Early
NY Times
WASHINGTON — In the early months of 2014, a group of about
30 corporate lawyers, coal lobbyists and Republican
political strategists began meeting regularly in the
headquarters of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, often,
according to some of the participants, in a conference
room overlooking the White House. Their task was to start
devising a legal strategy for dismantling the climate
change regulations they feared were coming from President
Obama.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/us/obama-unveils-plan-to-sharply-limit-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Who are the winners under Obama's stricter power plant mandates?
The Associated Press
August 03, 2015 at 9:11 AM
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is mandating even steeper greenhouse
gas cuts from U.S. power plants than previously expected, while granting
states more time and broader options to comply.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/obama_power_plant_limit_winner.html#incart_river
States to sue Obama administration over climate rules
The Hill
A coalition of conservative states wasted little time Monday in promising
to sue the Obama administration to stop its climate rules for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250125-states-to-sue-obama-administration-over-climate-rules
Three lines of attack against Obama's climate rule
The Hill
Opponents of the Obama administration's sweeping new standards for power
plant emissions have identified three avenues of attack, as they formulate
a strategy to beat back the central pillar of the president's climate
change initiative.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250145-three-lines-of-attack-against-obamas-climate-rule
Accident waiting to happen: the Ohio village that's built on a crumbling
dam
MSN
Buckeye dam is not much to look at. It is not a towering monument to
engineering like the Hoover dam. It does not contain a mighty river or spin
electric turbines.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/accident-waiting-to-happen-the-ohio-village-thats-built-on-a-crumbling-dam/ar-BBlm1cG
Opinion
Climate-Change Putsch
States should refuse to comply with Obama's lawless power rule.
WSJ
Rarely do American Presidents display the raw willfulness that President
Obama did Monday in rolling out his plan to reorganize the economy in the
name of climate change. Without a vote in Congress or even much public
debate, Mr. Obama is using his last 18 months to dictate U.S. energy
choices for the next 20 or 30 years. This abuse of power is regulation
without representation.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-change-putsch-1438642218
Press Releases
Wicker: Obama's CO2 Plan Would Stall Economy, Cut Jobs
Miss. Senator Says 'Regulations Have Nothing To Do With Cutting Smog or
Achieving Cleaner Air'
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate
Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today called President
Obama's Clean Power Plan "an intrusive federal overreach that would stall
economic growth, leading to widespread job losses and skyrocketing energy
costs." The President's plan would impose strict carbon dioxide emission
standards on power plants.
"The Administration's overreach would force many Americans out of work,
leaving them with a multi-billion-dollar bill in the process," Wicker said.
"Low-income families, in particular, are likely to take the biggest hit
from higher energy costs and increased prices on consumer goods. Many
states, like Mississippi, are finding that the plan's standards are
prohibitively expensive and ultimately unattainable. It is important to
remember that these regulations have nothing to do with cutting smog or
achieving cleaner air.
"The White House has no business unilaterally picking winners and losers
when it comes to the nation's energy portfolio. I hope Congress will soon
take action to rein in the Administration's potentially unlawful plan. With
so much at stake – the economy, people's livelihoods, and the environment –
President Obama should pay less attention to his legacy and more time
working with Republicans on policies that would actually create jobs, help
the middle-class, and protect the environment."
Last month, Wicker was joined by Mississippi's entire congressional
delegation in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the White
House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) calling for an investigation
into whether carbon dioxide reduction goals associated with the Clean Power
Plan are achievable at a reasonable cost – specifically for Mississippi.
Wicker is a cosponsor of the "Affordable Reliable Electricity Now Act,"
S.1324, introduced by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. The bill, which is
scheduled to receive a vote in the EPW Committee on August 5, would prevent
implementation of new EPA rules regulating coal-fired power plants.
The legislation would also allow states to opt out of complying with the
new regulations while preventing the federal government from tying highway
funding to a state's implementation of the regulations. Finally, the
measure would allow state governors to refuse to implement the regulations
if they determine that the EPA regulations would slow economic growth,
decrease the reliability of the electrical system, or increase energy rates
– adding oversight and transparency to arcane EPA regulations.
VT Halter Marine Opens Dry Dock Expansion, Breaks Ground on New Blast and
Paint Facility in Pascagoula, Miss.
PASCAGOULA—Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from shipbuilder VT Halter Marine
gathered today to celebrate the completion of the company's dry dock
expansion and to break ground on its new blast and paint facility. The dry
dock expansion represents a corporate investment of more than $13 million
and the creation of 400 jobs, which were announced in 2012. The blast and
paint facility is a $7 million corporate investment and will create 40
jobs.
"I am grateful to the team at VT Halter Marine for again investing in its
Pascagoula operations and creating new jobs in our thriving shipbuilding
industry for the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The company's
investment will have a positive effect on the Gulf Coast economy," Gov.
Bryant said. "VT Halter Marine is a prime example of the longevity
companies enjoy in our state, and I wish the company many more years of
success in Jackson County."
"With the completion of the dry dock expansion, we have realized the core
segment of VT Halter Marine's five-year strategic plan to develop a full
service repair facility that complements our existing shipbuilding
operations. The construction of the blast and paint building will not only
greatly improve efficiencies and competitiveness, but it will continue our
commitment to provide jobs that benefit our economy," said Jack
Prendergast, VT Halter Marine chief executive officer. "We are grateful to
all of our local, state and federal partners that made these opportunities
possible."
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance for site
preparation and the construction of the dry dock, as well as assistance for
the construction of the blast and paint facility.
"MDA is glad to have assisted VT Halter Marine as it once again creates so
many great career opportunities for Mississippians along the Gulf Coast,
and we thank the company for being such a valuable member of the state's
business community," said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough.
"Successful economic development requires teamwork, and we thank our
partners at Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, the Port of
Pascagoula and the Jackson County Board of Supervisors for their hard work
in making these two projects a reality."
VT Halter Marine has three Gulf Coast facilities: Halter Marine Pascagoula,
its flagship facility; Halter Moss Point and Moss Point Marine. The company
is a modern and progressive subsidiary of VT Systems. VT Halter Marine
specializes in ship design, construction and repair and offers
comprehensive packages covering shipbuilding projects from blueprint to
blue water. For more information, visit www.vthaltermarine.com.
###
VT Halter breaks ground on $7.5M facility to help eliminate overspray
BY MARY PEREZ AND KAREN NELSON
Sun Herald
PASCAGOULA -- Gov. Phil Bryant spent the day before Election Day in South
Mississippi breaking ground on a $7.5 million blast and paint facility that
will bring another 40 jobs to the VT Halter Marine's Pascagoula shipyard.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/03/6349395/vt-halter-breaks-ground-on-new.html
City looking at $1,500 daily fines over wastewater
Hattiesburg American
Hattiesburg City Council received a classic dose of good news-bad
news Monday during an update on its quest to find a solution for its
wastewater disposal woes.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/hattiesburg/2015/08/03/city-council-talks-sewer-rates-fines/31086203/
Lamar officials not keen on possible spray fields
Hattiesburg American
PURVIS – Hattiesburg may be facing another issue when it comes to
choosing between a mechanical or land-application method for
disposing of the city's treated wastewater.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/lamar-county/2015/08/03/lamar-county-officials-spraying-waste/31084661/
MS Phosphates faces federal violation and violation of neighbors' trust
WLOX
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -Mississippi Phosphates is facing federal charges of
violation of the Clean Water Act. A federal judge unsealed court papers
this week that claim the East Jackson County fertilizer plant illegally
discharged pollutants into Bayou Casotte.
http://www.wlox.com/story/29685046/ms-phosphates-faces-federal-violation-and-violation-of-neighbors-trust
DeSoto leaders seek unified approach for flood control
Commercial Appeal
DeSoto County supervisors want the Corps of Engineers district offices in
Memphis and Vicksburg to coordinate a unified flood-prevention effort.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/local-news/desoto/desoto-leaders-seek-unified-approach-for-flood-control_25487093
Oil Spill
Hurricanes Transport Pollutants to Coastal Beaches, Study Says
The Weather Channel
A recently published study from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School
of Marine and Atmospheric Science has revealed interesting information on
the possible effects of hurricanes on pollutants within the ocean.
http://www.weather.com/news/news/hurricane-pollution-study
National
Obama: 'Such a thing as being too late when it comes to climate change'
The Associated Press
August 03, 2015 at 1:56 PM
WASHINGTON -- Calling it a moral obligation, President Barack Obama
unveiled the final version of his plan to dramatically cut emissions from
U.S. power plants, as he warned anew that climate change will threaten
future generations if left unchecked.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/obama_cut_emissions_power_plan.html#incart_river
Obama Announces Rule to Cut Carbon Emissions From Power Plants
Final regulation calls for 32% cut in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels
WSJ
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's announcement Monday of an aggressive
plan to cut carbon emissions from U.S. power plants launched what will be a
monthslong push that the administration hopes culminates in a global
climate accord later this year.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-announces-rule-to-cut-carbon-emissions-from-power-plants-1438627158
New Expectations for Electricity Consumers
Households and businesses, largely passive for decades, will have to be
involved
WSJ
For most of the last century, Americans have been passive consumers of
electricity, paying whatever their utility charged for the juice to run
their lights and appliances.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-expectations-for-electricity-consumers-1438558455
Obama unveils major climate change proposal
CNN
Washington (CNN)The Obama administration unveiled a major climate change
plan on Sunday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from
the nation's coal-burning power plants. On Monday, President Barack Obama
started selling it to the public at a White House event.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/politics/obama-climate-change-plan/index.html
Obama announces power plant regulations, GOP lawmakers vow fight
Fox News
WASHINGTON – President Obama on Monday announced new regulations on
power-plant carbon emissions that will have a dramatic impact on how
Americans make, store and use energy.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/03/obama-announces-power-plant-regulations/?intcmp=hplnws
Clean-energy debate pitted ambition against legal worries
Washington Post
Four weeks before the official rollout, the news for President Obama's
signature regulation on climate change suddenly went from bad to abysmal.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/internal-debate-over-clean-energy-plan-pitted-ambition-against-legal-worries/2015/08/02/9e0c1c94-3966-11e5-9c2d-ed991d848c48_story.html
Move to Fight Obama's Climate Plan Started Early
NY Times
WASHINGTON — In the early months of 2014, a group of about
30 corporate lawyers, coal lobbyists and Republican
political strategists began meeting regularly in the
headquarters of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, often,
according to some of the participants, in a conference
room overlooking the White House. Their task was to start
devising a legal strategy for dismantling the climate
change regulations they feared were coming from President
Obama.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/us/obama-unveils-plan-to-sharply-limit-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Who are the winners under Obama's stricter power plant mandates?
The Associated Press
August 03, 2015 at 9:11 AM
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is mandating even steeper greenhouse
gas cuts from U.S. power plants than previously expected, while granting
states more time and broader options to comply.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/obama_power_plant_limit_winner.html#incart_river
States to sue Obama administration over climate rules
The Hill
A coalition of conservative states wasted little time Monday in promising
to sue the Obama administration to stop its climate rules for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250125-states-to-sue-obama-administration-over-climate-rules
Three lines of attack against Obama's climate rule
The Hill
Opponents of the Obama administration's sweeping new standards for power
plant emissions have identified three avenues of attack, as they formulate
a strategy to beat back the central pillar of the president's climate
change initiative.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250145-three-lines-of-attack-against-obamas-climate-rule
Accident waiting to happen: the Ohio village that's built on a crumbling
dam
MSN
Buckeye dam is not much to look at. It is not a towering monument to
engineering like the Hoover dam. It does not contain a mighty river or spin
electric turbines.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/accident-waiting-to-happen-the-ohio-village-thats-built-on-a-crumbling-dam/ar-BBlm1cG
Opinion
Climate-Change Putsch
States should refuse to comply with Obama's lawless power rule.
WSJ
Rarely do American Presidents display the raw willfulness that President
Obama did Monday in rolling out his plan to reorganize the economy in the
name of climate change. Without a vote in Congress or even much public
debate, Mr. Obama is using his last 18 months to dictate U.S. energy
choices for the next 20 or 30 years. This abuse of power is regulation
without representation.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-change-putsch-1438642218
Press Releases
Wicker: Obama's CO2 Plan Would Stall Economy, Cut Jobs
Miss. Senator Says 'Regulations Have Nothing To Do With Cutting Smog or
Achieving Cleaner Air'
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate
Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today called President
Obama's Clean Power Plan "an intrusive federal overreach that would stall
economic growth, leading to widespread job losses and skyrocketing energy
costs." The President's plan would impose strict carbon dioxide emission
standards on power plants.
"The Administration's overreach would force many Americans out of work,
leaving them with a multi-billion-dollar bill in the process," Wicker said.
"Low-income families, in particular, are likely to take the biggest hit
from higher energy costs and increased prices on consumer goods. Many
states, like Mississippi, are finding that the plan's standards are
prohibitively expensive and ultimately unattainable. It is important to
remember that these regulations have nothing to do with cutting smog or
achieving cleaner air.
"The White House has no business unilaterally picking winners and losers
when it comes to the nation's energy portfolio. I hope Congress will soon
take action to rein in the Administration's potentially unlawful plan. With
so much at stake – the economy, people's livelihoods, and the environment –
President Obama should pay less attention to his legacy and more time
working with Republicans on policies that would actually create jobs, help
the middle-class, and protect the environment."
Last month, Wicker was joined by Mississippi's entire congressional
delegation in sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the White
House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) calling for an investigation
into whether carbon dioxide reduction goals associated with the Clean Power
Plan are achievable at a reasonable cost – specifically for Mississippi.
Wicker is a cosponsor of the "Affordable Reliable Electricity Now Act,"
S.1324, introduced by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. The bill, which is
scheduled to receive a vote in the EPW Committee on August 5, would prevent
implementation of new EPA rules regulating coal-fired power plants.
The legislation would also allow states to opt out of complying with the
new regulations while preventing the federal government from tying highway
funding to a state's implementation of the regulations. Finally, the
measure would allow state governors to refuse to implement the regulations
if they determine that the EPA regulations would slow economic growth,
decrease the reliability of the electrical system, or increase energy rates
– adding oversight and transparency to arcane EPA regulations.
VT Halter Marine Opens Dry Dock Expansion, Breaks Ground on New Blast and
Paint Facility in Pascagoula, Miss.
PASCAGOULA—Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from shipbuilder VT Halter Marine
gathered today to celebrate the completion of the company's dry dock
expansion and to break ground on its new blast and paint facility. The dry
dock expansion represents a corporate investment of more than $13 million
and the creation of 400 jobs, which were announced in 2012. The blast and
paint facility is a $7 million corporate investment and will create 40
jobs.
"I am grateful to the team at VT Halter Marine for again investing in its
Pascagoula operations and creating new jobs in our thriving shipbuilding
industry for the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The company's
investment will have a positive effect on the Gulf Coast economy," Gov.
Bryant said. "VT Halter Marine is a prime example of the longevity
companies enjoy in our state, and I wish the company many more years of
success in Jackson County."
"With the completion of the dry dock expansion, we have realized the core
segment of VT Halter Marine's five-year strategic plan to develop a full
service repair facility that complements our existing shipbuilding
operations. The construction of the blast and paint building will not only
greatly improve efficiencies and competitiveness, but it will continue our
commitment to provide jobs that benefit our economy," said Jack
Prendergast, VT Halter Marine chief executive officer. "We are grateful to
all of our local, state and federal partners that made these opportunities
possible."
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance for site
preparation and the construction of the dry dock, as well as assistance for
the construction of the blast and paint facility.
"MDA is glad to have assisted VT Halter Marine as it once again creates so
many great career opportunities for Mississippians along the Gulf Coast,
and we thank the company for being such a valuable member of the state's
business community," said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough.
"Successful economic development requires teamwork, and we thank our
partners at Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, the Port of
Pascagoula and the Jackson County Board of Supervisors for their hard work
in making these two projects a reality."
VT Halter Marine has three Gulf Coast facilities: Halter Marine Pascagoula,
its flagship facility; Halter Moss Point and Moss Point Marine. The company
is a modern and progressive subsidiary of VT Systems. VT Halter Marine
specializes in ship design, construction and repair and offers
comprehensive packages covering shipbuilding projects from blueprint to
blue water. For more information, visit www.vthaltermarine.com.
###
Monday, August 3, 2015
News Clippings 8/3/15
State
Mississippi Silicon lawsuit dismissed
Daily Journal
A lawsuit seeking to stop the Mississippi Silicon plant in Burnsville was
dismissed Thursday by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Mississippi.
http://djournal.com/news/mississippi-silicon-lawsuit-dismissed/
Suit to block silicon plant in northeast Miss. dismissed
MBJ
Jack Weatherly
Mississippi Silicon LLC has some breathing room as a suit seeking to stop
the construction of the plant at Burnsville in Tishomingo County was
dismissed.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/07/suit-to-block-silicon-plant-in-northeast-miss-dismissed/
Lt. Gov. Reeves sees water conservation efforts in the Delta
Aug 1, 2015Delta Farm Press
Water conservation in agriculture is becoming an increasingly important
topic to Mississippians, including those who work in the halls of the State
Capitol building in Jackson.
http://deltafarmpress.com/government/lt-gov-reeves-sees-water-conservation-efforts-delta
Corps of Engineers names civil works division chief
The Associated Press
VICKSBURG, MISS. — A new programs director and chief has been named for the
Civil Works Integration Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mississippi Valley Division and the Mississippi River Commission.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/03/6348898/corps-of-engineers-names-civil.html
New $30 million civil and environmental facility at MSU to recognize
alumnus Richard Rula
MBJ
The new $30-million Mississippi State University Civil and Environmental
Engineering Complex Building will be named in honor of alumnus Richard
Rula, a member of the MSU Foundation Board and of the Dean's Advisory
Council in the Bagley College of Engineering who has made a very generous
contribution to the project.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/07/new-30-million-civil-and-environmental-facility-at-msu-to-recognize-alumnus-richard-rula/
Oil Spill
Gulf states awarded $4.2 million in BP tourism grants; 28 Alabama agencies,
cities share $900,000
Al.com
Marc D. Anderson
July 31, 2015 at 1:26 PM
In the middle of BP rolling out large oil spill settlement offers across
the Gulf of Mexico this month, some smaller groups in Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Florida received some of their own monetary relief.
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/gulf_states_awarded_42_million.html
National
Obama's New Climate-Change Regulations to Alter, Challenge Industry
The first-ever federal limits on power-plant carbon emissions aim to change
the way Americans make and consume electricity and ease climate change
WSJ
WASHINGTON—A new rule mandating the first-ever federal limits on
power-plant carbon emissions aims to change the way Americans make and
consume electricity, accelerating a shift already under way toward cleaner
fuels, renewable energy and consumer-generated power.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-new-climate-change-regulations-to-alter-challenge-industry-1438560433
Obama to Unveil Tougher Environmental Plan With His Legacy in Mind
NY Times
WASHINGTON — In the strongest action ever taken in the
United States to combat climate change, President Obama
will unveil on Monday a set of environmental regulations
devised to sharply cut planet-warming greenhouse gas
emissions from the nation's power plants and ultimately
transform America's electricity industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/us/obama-to-unveil-tougher-climate-plan-with-his-legacy-in-mind.html?ref=earth
New EPA rule on greenhouse gases the latest blow to King Coal
Washington Post
When coal was king, it fueled more than half of the nation's electricity.
It fired up American industry and powered an ever-growing variety of
household appliances and electronics. And American presidential hopefuls
paid homage to coal, courting mine owners and miners whose unionized ranks
once numbered more than 400,000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/new-epa-rule-on-greenhouse-gases-the-latest-blow-to-king-coal/2015/08/01/c8bd3936-3791-11e5-9739-170df8af8eb9_story.html
What you need to know about Obama's biggest global warming move yet — the
Clean Power Plan
Washington Post
On Monday, the Post has learned, the Obama administration plans to release
the finalized "Clean Power Plan," the president's flagship policy to combat
global warming. The plan is aimed at the electricity sector, which
generates the largest single slice of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — 31
percent of them.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/08/01/what-you-need-to-know-about-obamas-biggest-global-warming-move-yet-the-clean-power-plan/
Bikers, Boaters and Big Oil Unite in Fight Against U.S. Biofuels
Bloomberg
Count bikers, boaters and, to hear some say, even God, among those who
oppose the U.S. law that forces refiners to use corn to make gasoline.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-31/bikers-boaters-and-big-oil-unite-in-fight-against-u-s-biofuel
Environmental Racism Persists, And the EPA is One Reason Why
NBC
The invasion of sewer flies moved residents of University Place subdivision
to turn to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for help. Darting from
a neighboring sewage plant, the flies descended upon the mostly
African-American neighborhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with such
regularity that one resident posted this warning sign: Beware of attack
fly.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/environmental-racism-persists-epa-one-reason-why-n402716
Mississippi Silicon lawsuit dismissed
Daily Journal
A lawsuit seeking to stop the Mississippi Silicon plant in Burnsville was
dismissed Thursday by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Mississippi.
http://djournal.com/news/mississippi-silicon-lawsuit-dismissed/
Suit to block silicon plant in northeast Miss. dismissed
MBJ
Jack Weatherly
Mississippi Silicon LLC has some breathing room as a suit seeking to stop
the construction of the plant at Burnsville in Tishomingo County was
dismissed.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/07/suit-to-block-silicon-plant-in-northeast-miss-dismissed/
Lt. Gov. Reeves sees water conservation efforts in the Delta
Aug 1, 2015Delta Farm Press
Water conservation in agriculture is becoming an increasingly important
topic to Mississippians, including those who work in the halls of the State
Capitol building in Jackson.
http://deltafarmpress.com/government/lt-gov-reeves-sees-water-conservation-efforts-delta
Corps of Engineers names civil works division chief
The Associated Press
VICKSBURG, MISS. — A new programs director and chief has been named for the
Civil Works Integration Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mississippi Valley Division and the Mississippi River Commission.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/03/6348898/corps-of-engineers-names-civil.html
New $30 million civil and environmental facility at MSU to recognize
alumnus Richard Rula
MBJ
The new $30-million Mississippi State University Civil and Environmental
Engineering Complex Building will be named in honor of alumnus Richard
Rula, a member of the MSU Foundation Board and of the Dean's Advisory
Council in the Bagley College of Engineering who has made a very generous
contribution to the project.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/07/new-30-million-civil-and-environmental-facility-at-msu-to-recognize-alumnus-richard-rula/
Oil Spill
Gulf states awarded $4.2 million in BP tourism grants; 28 Alabama agencies,
cities share $900,000
Al.com
Marc D. Anderson
July 31, 2015 at 1:26 PM
In the middle of BP rolling out large oil spill settlement offers across
the Gulf of Mexico this month, some smaller groups in Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Florida received some of their own monetary relief.
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/07/gulf_states_awarded_42_million.html
National
Obama's New Climate-Change Regulations to Alter, Challenge Industry
The first-ever federal limits on power-plant carbon emissions aim to change
the way Americans make and consume electricity and ease climate change
WSJ
WASHINGTON—A new rule mandating the first-ever federal limits on
power-plant carbon emissions aims to change the way Americans make and
consume electricity, accelerating a shift already under way toward cleaner
fuels, renewable energy and consumer-generated power.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-new-climate-change-regulations-to-alter-challenge-industry-1438560433
Obama to Unveil Tougher Environmental Plan With His Legacy in Mind
NY Times
WASHINGTON — In the strongest action ever taken in the
United States to combat climate change, President Obama
will unveil on Monday a set of environmental regulations
devised to sharply cut planet-warming greenhouse gas
emissions from the nation's power plants and ultimately
transform America's electricity industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/us/obama-to-unveil-tougher-climate-plan-with-his-legacy-in-mind.html?ref=earth
New EPA rule on greenhouse gases the latest blow to King Coal
Washington Post
When coal was king, it fueled more than half of the nation's electricity.
It fired up American industry and powered an ever-growing variety of
household appliances and electronics. And American presidential hopefuls
paid homage to coal, courting mine owners and miners whose unionized ranks
once numbered more than 400,000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/new-epa-rule-on-greenhouse-gases-the-latest-blow-to-king-coal/2015/08/01/c8bd3936-3791-11e5-9739-170df8af8eb9_story.html
What you need to know about Obama's biggest global warming move yet — the
Clean Power Plan
Washington Post
On Monday, the Post has learned, the Obama administration plans to release
the finalized "Clean Power Plan," the president's flagship policy to combat
global warming. The plan is aimed at the electricity sector, which
generates the largest single slice of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — 31
percent of them.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/08/01/what-you-need-to-know-about-obamas-biggest-global-warming-move-yet-the-clean-power-plan/
Bikers, Boaters and Big Oil Unite in Fight Against U.S. Biofuels
Bloomberg
Count bikers, boaters and, to hear some say, even God, among those who
oppose the U.S. law that forces refiners to use corn to make gasoline.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-31/bikers-boaters-and-big-oil-unite-in-fight-against-u-s-biofuel
Environmental Racism Persists, And the EPA is One Reason Why
NBC
The invasion of sewer flies moved residents of University Place subdivision
to turn to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for help. Darting from
a neighboring sewage plant, the flies descended upon the mostly
African-American neighborhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with such
regularity that one resident posted this warning sign: Beware of attack
fly.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/environmental-racism-persists-epa-one-reason-why-n402716
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