State
Oil leak yards away from a national forest in Franklin County
WJTV
Before Thursday, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality officials
say they weren't aware of an oil leak that's been saturating the ground for
decades.
http://wjtv.com/2015/08/08/oil-leak-yards-away-from-a-national-forest-in-franklin-county/
EMA director stresses earthquake plan
By Ray van Dusen
Monroe Journal
Although earthquakes are rare in Northeast Mississippi, recent tremors in
Madison and western Alabama earlier this summer helped shake up more
discussion about their potential.
http://djournal.com/news/ema-director-stresses-earthquake-plan/
NEW STATE RETIREES WAITING FOR CHECKS WANT ANSWERS
MPB
Brenda Scott with the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees says they are
getting a lot of calls from new retirees who haven't received their checks.
http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2015/08/10/new-ms-state-retirees-wants-answers-about-check-delays/
Oil Spill
Louisiana fishing on the verge of full recovery
WWL
It appears the Louisiana fishing industry has just about passed the
setbacks caused by the BP oil disaster of 5 years ago.
http://www.wwl.com/Louisiana-fishing-on-the-verge-of-full-recovery/21835044
Attorney General's office has paid more than $38 million to law firms
working on BP settlement
New Orleans Advocate
Jefferson Parish public school teachers may be getting cash bonuses. New
Orleans — if one councilwoman has her way — will be paving more of its
famously pockmarked streets. Coastal restoration efforts of various kinds
will get a shot in the arm.
http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/12938582-172/lawyers-to-take-a-bite
Mud Wrestling: As BP money flows, a bitter fight over Louisiana coast will
escalate
WVUE
PLAQUEMINES PARISH, LA (WVUE) -The power of the Mississippi River is on
display on the east bank of Plaquemines Parish, where the river plowed
through its banks.
http://www.fox8live.com/story/29745904/mud-wrestling-as-bp-money-flows-a-bitter-fight-over-louisiana-coast-will-escalate
Regional
How to Save a Sinking Coast? Katrina Created a Laboratory
In the 10 years since Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana's losses have
overshadowed the restorative steps it has taken.
NY Times
NEW ORLEANS — Ten years ago, the neighborhood hard by the
17th Street canal in this city was water-blasted. The
surges from Hurricane Katrina swept into the canal, broke
through its flood walls and forced homes off their
foundations. Much of New Orleans remained steeped in
brackish filth for weeks until the sodden city could be
drained.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/science/louisiana-10-years-after-hurricane-katrina.html?_r=0
National
Industry, States Set to Fight EPA Greenhouse Gas Rules
Lawsuits would challenge rules requiring significant cuts in power-plant
carbon emissions
WSJ
WASHINGTON—Industry representatives and a group of state attorneys general
are preparing to file lawsuits soon to challenge Obama administration rules
requiring significant cuts in power-plant carbon emissions.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/industry-states-set-to-fight-epa-greenhouse-gas-rules-1439164067
Climate fight shifts to courts
The Hill
States, energy companies and business groups are preparing to sue the Obama
administration over its new climate rule, viewing it as their bet shot at
stopping the regulations while President Obama is still in office.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250628-obama-climate-fight-shifts-to-courts
Colorado Spill Impact Widens
Officials estimate about three million gallons of wastewater spilled into
the Animas River
WSJ
Authorities scrambled to assess the impact of a toxic surge of wastewater
from an abandoned gold mine in southwestern Colorado during a botched
cleanup by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/colorado-spill-impact-widens-1439163937
What the EPA was doing when it sent yellow sludge spilling into a Colorado
creek
Washington Post
The whole point of the project was to make Colorado's water safer.
Instead, while working to clean a mine in the San Juan mountains last
Wednesday, workers with the Environmental Protection Agency unintentionally
made the problem worse.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/10/what-the-epa-was-doing-when-it-sent-yellow-sludge-spilling-into-a-colorado-creek/
Thousands of mines with toxic water lie under the West
AP
DENVER – Beneath the western United States lie thousands of old mining
tunnels filled with the same toxic stew that spilled into a Colorado river
last week, turning it into a nauseating yellow concoction and stoking alarm
about contamination of drinking water.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/10/thousands-mines-with-toxic-water-lie-under-west/?intcmp=hplnws
13 Years and Counting: Anatomy Of An EPA Civil Rights Investigation
NBC
SANTA FE, New Mexico — On June 26, 2014, Deborah Reade got a certified
letter from the Environmental Protection Agency that was nearly a decade in
the making.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/thirteen-years-counting-anatomy-epa-civil-rights-investigation-n405201
Opinion
BILL CRAWFORD: Bryant, state move toward contract reform
August 8, 2015
Gov. Phil Bryant continues to take seriously the reform of public
contracting in Mississippi.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/08/6357634/bill-crawford-bryant-state-move.html
What Is Nature Worth to You?
NY Times
THE United States government recently announced an $18.7
billion settlement of claims against the oil giant BP in
connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in
April 2010, which dumped millions of barrels of oil into
the Gulf of Mexico. Though some of the settlement funds
are to compensate the region for economic harm, most will
go to environmental restoration in affected states.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/opinion/sunday/what-is-nature-worth-to-you.html
Press Releases
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|USDA Invests $63 Million to Support 264 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects|
| Nationwide |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Funding supports solar and other renewable energy projects to create jobs and promote |
| energy independence |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|Resending REAP new release. Technical issue with the link to the project announcement |
|list has been resolved. |
| |
| |
|WASHINGTON, August 7, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $63 |
|million in loans and grants for 264 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects |
|nationwide that USDA is supporting through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).|
| |
| |
|"This funding will have far-reaching economic and environmental impacts nationwide, |
|particularly in rural communities," Vilsack said. "Investing in renewable energy and |
|energy efficiency projects supports home-grown energy sources, creates jobs, reduces |
|greenhouse gas pollution and helps usher in a more secure energy future for the |
|nation." |
| |
| |
|These REAP projects are expected to generate and/or save 207.8 million kilowatt hours |
|(KWh) of energy – enough to power more than 13,600 homes for a year. |
| |
| |
|For example, Bradley Phillips, owner of A.B. Phillips & Sons Fruit Farm, is receiving |
|an $18,000 grant to install a photovoltaic solar system on his farm in the village of |
|Berlin Heights, Ohio. The system will generate nearly 13,000 kilowatt hours of |
|electricity annually. Phillips grows apples, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, |
|cherries and grapes on a farm that has been in his family for more than a century. |
| |
| |
|Blue Sky Poultry, Inc., of Bainbridge, Ga., has been selected for a $16,094 grant to |
|install a solar array on the roof of the poultry houses. The array is expected to |
|generate 36,300 kWh of electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Stokes Farms, LLP, of Chatfield, Minn., is receiving a $19,750 grant to install a 10 kW|
|wind turbine. When operational, the project is expected to generate 30,000 kWh of |
|electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Lakeview Biodiesel, LLC will use a $3.3 million loan guarantee to help acquire a |
|Missouri biodiesel plant and make improvements to bring it online to produce enough |
|biodiesel to run approximately 16,500 vehicles annually. |
| |
| |
|In North Carolina, South Winston Farm, LLC is receiving a $4 million loan guarantee to |
|finance a 7 megawatt solar array system that is expected to generate enough energy to |
|power 994 households per year. |
| |
| |
|Funding for the projects announced today is contingent upon the recipients meeting the |
|terms of the grant or loan agreement. |
| |
| |
|Here are two examples of how REAP has helped rural businesses: |
| |
| |
| · In 2014, Mt. Abram, a ski area in western Maine, finished installing an 803-panel|
| solar photovoltaic system that was financed with a $235,000 REAP grant. Mt. Abram|
| is the first solar-powered ski area in the state and the second-largest |
| solar-powered ski area in the country. The solar array will generate 280,000 kWh |
| in energy each year and meet about 70 percent of the resort's power needs. |
| |
| |
| · Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Progress Solar in North Carolina in |
| September 2014 to highlight a $3.4 million REAP loan guarantee the company |
| received to install a solar array. Today, the 46-acre farm produces enough solar |
| energy to power 540 average-sized homes each year. |
| |
| |
|Eligible agricultural producers and rural small businesses may use REAP funds to make |
|energy efficiency improvements or install renewable energy systems, including solar, |
|wind, renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters), small hydroelectric, ocean |
|energy, hydrogen, and geothermal. |
| |
| |
|The next application deadline for REAP grants is November 2, 2015. USDA will issue a |
|notice of available funding with more details on how to apply in the coming weeks. REAP|
|was created by the 2008 Farm Bill and was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. |
| |
| |
|Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has supported more than 9,600 |
|renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide through REAP. During this |
|period, the Department has provided more than $291 million in grants and $327 million |
|in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. |
| |
| |
|President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and |
|resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these |
|investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have |
|empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, |
|small towns and rural communities. |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Monday, August 10, 2015
Friday, August 7, 2015
News Clippings 8/7/15
State
PSC to vote next week on Miss. Power rates, approves refunds
AP
JACKSON, MISS. — State utility regulators plan to decide Mississippi Power
Co.'s request for an 18 percent rate increase on Aug. 13.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/06/6354371/psc-to-vote-next-week-on-miss.html
Gov. Bryant orders contracting reform
Clarion Ledger
Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday issued two executive orders on
contracting reform, based on recommendations from a task force he
created last year in the wake of the state prisons bribery-kickback
scandal.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/08/06/bryant-contract-reform/31220033/
Oil Spill
Keeping BP Money on the Coast
WXXV
$150 million in BP money will be making its way to the state Legislature in
January, but how can we be sure that money gets to the Coast where many
feel it should land?
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Keeping-BP-Money-on-the-Coast/pVA3EWmF6EKS5DII2As0GQ.cspx
Biloxi Council votes to move forward with negotiations on BP legal fees
BY MARY PEREZ
Sun Herald
BILOXI — The city of Biloxi hasn't yet received its $5.9 million settlement
from BP from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill but city officials are trying
to get attorneys to reduce the 20 percent contingency fee.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/06/6354838_biloxi-council-votes-to-continue.html?rh=1
Louisiana fisheries had an awesome 2014. What does that say about their
future?
Times Picayune
Louisiana oyster, shrimp and crab catch in 2014 was valued at $371 million,
higher than almost any other time in the fisheries' history, bringing large
returns at the dock, according to recently-released state numbers.
http://www.nola.com/futureofneworleans/2015/08/louisiana_oyster_shrimp_crab_p.html#incart_most_shared-environment
Regional
Even less hurricane activity predicted for remainder of 2015, NOAA says
The Times-Picayune
August 06, 2015 at 11:35 AM
NOAA forecasters said Thursday (Aug. 6) that the chance of a below-normal
hurricane season for 2015 has jumped to 90 percent, the result of a
well-entrenched El Nino pattern of warm surface water conditions in the
eastern Pacific Ocean and high wind shear and sinking air over much of the
Atlantic where tropical systems form.
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2015/08/even_less_hurricane_activity_p.html#incart_river
National
Bright Orange Mine Waste Spills Into Animas River Near Durango
KUNC
A huge spill of hazardous mine waste has contaminated the Animas River,
which runs through Durango.
http://www.kunc.org/post/bright-orange-mine-waste-spills-animas-river-near-durango
Efficiency rules target soda vending machines
The Hill
The Obama administration is moving to impose new energy efficiency
regulations on vending machines.
http://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/250451-efficiency-rules-target-soda-vending-machines
Opinion
GLENN McCULLOUGH — Teamwork: A winning strategy
MBJ
Economic opportunity can change lives. Promoting Mississippi's advantages
to attract new career opportunities while supporting the expansion of our
existing businesses is our primary mission at the Mississippi Development
Authority.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/08/glenn-mccullough-teamwork-a-winning-strategy/
Press Releases
Governor Bryant Announces Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary
First Responders' Event
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant and First Lady Deborah Bryant, along with Katrina
Remembrance Commission chairpersons Haley and Marsha Barbour, today
announced a 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina remembrance event for
first responders. It will be held on Friday, August 28 from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. in Gulfport, Miss., at Barksdale Pavilion in Jones Park.
"This will be a time when we can honor and thank all first responders from
across the state who gave so much during the weeks and months following
Hurricane Katrina. Many of them were already executing plans and procedures
before it ever came on shore, and even more displayed bravery during and
after the storm made landfall," Gov. Bryant said. "It is my hope that we
can remember the 238 Mississippians who were lost, while also reflecting on
the achievements of the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina swept through
Mississippi ten years ago."
The event will feature music from the Bluz Boys Band from Jackson, Miss.,
and special entertainment from native Mississippian and five-time Grammy
winning artist Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives.
First responders who are planning to attend are asked to RSVP to
katrina10@gulfport-ms.gov by August 14. Attendees will be asked to present
a badge or first responder credential for entrance.
###
Governor Bryant Orders State Contracting Reforms
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant has issued two executive orders to reform the
public contracting process in Mississippi. The actions are based on
recommendations from the Task Force on Contracting and Procurement that
Gov. Bryant established in November 2014.
Executive Order 1361 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections to
become a Certified Purchasing Office as determined by the Mississippi
Department of Finance and Administration.
Achieving the certification requires at least 50 percent of the purchasing
agents at MDOC to earn a national purchasing certification from the
Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council or other nationally
recognized purchasing organization. All MDOC purchasing agents must also
hold a certification from Mississippi's Basic or Advanced Purchasing
Certification Program.
"This training will benefit MDOC employees by equipping them with
additional skills and will protect taxpayers by ensuring that the people
who oversee public contracts are certified to high standards," Gov. Bryant
said.
Building on the Mississippi Transparency Act of 2008 and on contracting
reforms passed in the 2015 legislative session, Executive Order 1362
requires agencies posting contracts online to also post an analysis
describing why a personal or professional services contract was awarded,
renewed, or amended.
The order also requires agencies to provide all employees with information
about the fraud and abuse hotline maintained by the Office of the State
Auditor.
"This order brings additional transparency to the contracting process and
provides hardworking taxpayers with additional information about how their
dollars are spent," Gov. Bryant said. "We will continue to reform and
improve Mississippi's contracting processes.
Additional recommendations from the Task Force on Contracting and
Procurement will be considered for legislative action.
###
Final Report from the Task Force on Contracting and Procurement
http://www.governorbryant.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Final-MDOC-Task-Force-Recommendations.pdf
Arch Coal Subsidiaries to Make System-Wide Upgrades to Reduce Pollution
Entering U.S. Waters
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S.
Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that Arch Coal Inc., one of the
nation's largest coal companies, and 14 of its subsidiaries under the
International Coal Group Inc. (ICG) have agreed to conduct comprehensive
upgrades to their operations to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act.
The settlement resolves hundreds of Clean Water Act violations related to
illegal discharges of pollutants at the companies' coal mines in Kentucky,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The states of West
Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania are co-plaintiffs in today's
settlement. The companies will also pay a $2 million civil penalty.
"Businesses have an obligation to ensure that their operations don't
threaten the communities they serve, especially those that are overburdened
by or more vulnerable to pollution," said Assistant Administrator Cynthia
Giles for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "This
settlement will prevent future environmental and public health risks by
making sure these companies comply with federal and state clean water
laws."
"This joint enforcement effort, with three states, has resulted in a
settlement that will require changes that will benefit the health and
environment of Appalachian communities for many years to come," said
Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural
Resources Division. "Under the terms of the agreement, Arch Coal and its
subsidiaries will pay a significant penalty, improve their pollution
control systems and provide for independent monitoring and data tracking
that will make it a better company and a better neighbor to these
communities."
In addition to paying the penalty, under the proposed consent decree the
companies must implement measures to ensure compliance and prevent future
Clean Water Act violations, which will help protect communities
overburdened by pollution, including:
* Developing and implementing a compliance management system.
* Periodic internal and third-party environmental compliance audits.
* Maintaining a data management system to track violations, water sampling
data and compliance efforts.
* Providing training for environmental managers and others responsible for
the consent decree.
* Paying escalating stipulated penalties if violations continue to occur.
The government complaint filed concurrently with the settlement alleged
that in the last six years, ICG operations have violated discharge limits
for aluminum, manganese, iron and total suspended solids in their
state-issued National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits on
more than 1,200 occasions, resulting in over 8,900 days of violations. Of
those violations, 700 have been previously resolved by state enforcement
actions in Kentucky and West Virginia.
EPA discovered the violations through inspections of ICG facilities and
projects, reviewing various information provided by the companies and
coordinating with the affected state governments.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment
period and approval by the federal court.
For more information on this settlement and to read the consent decree, go
to:
www2.epa.gov/enforcement/arch-coal-inc-and-international-coal-group-subsidiaries-settlement
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|USDA Invests $63 Million to Support 264 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects|
| Nationwide |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Funding supports solar and other renewable energy projects to create jobs and promote |
| energy independence |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, August 7, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $63 |
|million in loans and grants for 264 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects |
|nationwide that USDA is supporting through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).|
| |
| |
|"This funding will have far-reaching economic and environmental impacts nationwide, |
|particularly in rural communities," Vilsack said. "Investing in renewable energy and |
|energy efficiency projects supports home-grown energy sources, creates jobs, reduces |
|greenhouse gas pollution and helps usher in a more secure energy future for the |
|nation." |
| |
| |
|These REAP projects are expected to generate and/or save 207.8 million kilowatt hours |
|(KWh) of energy – enough to power more than 13,600 homes for a year. |
| |
| |
|For example, Bradley Phillips, owner of A.B. Phillips & Sons Fruit Farm, is receiving |
|an $18,000 grant to install a photovoltaic solar system on his farm in the village of |
|Berlin Heights, Ohio. The system will generate nearly 13,000 kilowatt hours of |
|electricity annually. Phillips grows apples, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, |
|cherries and grapes on a farm that has been in his family for more than a century. |
| |
| |
|Blue Sky Poultry, Inc., of Bainbridge, Ga., has been selected for a $16,094 grant to |
|install a solar array on the roof of the poultry houses. The array is expected to |
|generate 36,300 kWh of electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Stokes Farms, LLP, of Chatfield, Minn., is receiving a $19,750 grant to install a 10 kW|
|wind turbine. When operational, the project is expected to generate 30,000 kWh of |
|electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Lakeview Biodiesel, LLC will use a $3.3 million loan guarantee to help acquire a |
|Missouri biodiesel plant and make improvements to bring it online to produce enough |
|biodiesel to run approximately 16,500 vehicles annually. |
| |
| |
|In North Carolina, South Winston Farm, LLC is receiving a $4 million loan guarantee to |
|finance a 7 megawatt solar array system that is expected to generate enough energy to |
|power 994 households per year. |
| |
| |
|Funding for the projects announced today is contingent upon the recipients meeting the |
|terms of the grant or loan agreement. |
| |
| |
|Here are two examples of how REAP has helped rural businesses: |
| |
| |
| · In 2014, Mt. Abram, a ski area in western Maine, finished installing an 803-panel|
| solar photovoltaic system that was financed with a $235,000 REAP grant. Mt. Abram|
| is the first solar-powered ski area in the state and the second-largest |
| solar-powered ski area in the country. The solar array will generate 280,000 kWh |
| in energy each year and meet about 70 percent of the resort's power needs. |
| |
| |
| · Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Progress Solar in North Carolina in |
| September 2014 to highlight a $3.4 million REAP loan guarantee the company |
| received to install a solar array. Today, the 46-acre farm produces enough solar |
| energy to power 540 average-sized homes each year. |
| |
| |
|Eligible agricultural producers and rural small businesses may use REAP funds to make |
|energy efficiency improvements or install renewable energy systems, including solar, |
|wind, renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters), small hydroelectric, ocean |
|energy, hydrogen, and geothermal. |
| |
| |
|The next application deadline for REAP grants is November 2, 2015. USDA will issue a |
|notice of available funding with more details on how to apply in the coming weeks. REAP|
|was created by the 2008 Farm Bill and was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. |
| |
| |
|Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has supported more than 9,600 |
|renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide through REAP. During this |
|period, the Department has provided more than $291 million in grants and $327 million |
|in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. |
| |
| |
|President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and |
|resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these |
|investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have |
|empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, |
|small towns and rural communities. |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
PSC to vote next week on Miss. Power rates, approves refunds
AP
JACKSON, MISS. — State utility regulators plan to decide Mississippi Power
Co.'s request for an 18 percent rate increase on Aug. 13.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/06/6354371/psc-to-vote-next-week-on-miss.html
Gov. Bryant orders contracting reform
Clarion Ledger
Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday issued two executive orders on
contracting reform, based on recommendations from a task force he
created last year in the wake of the state prisons bribery-kickback
scandal.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/08/06/bryant-contract-reform/31220033/
Oil Spill
Keeping BP Money on the Coast
WXXV
$150 million in BP money will be making its way to the state Legislature in
January, but how can we be sure that money gets to the Coast where many
feel it should land?
http://www.wxxv25.com/news/local/story/Keeping-BP-Money-on-the-Coast/pVA3EWmF6EKS5DII2As0GQ.cspx
Biloxi Council votes to move forward with negotiations on BP legal fees
BY MARY PEREZ
Sun Herald
BILOXI — The city of Biloxi hasn't yet received its $5.9 million settlement
from BP from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill but city officials are trying
to get attorneys to reduce the 20 percent contingency fee.
http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/06/6354838_biloxi-council-votes-to-continue.html?rh=1
Louisiana fisheries had an awesome 2014. What does that say about their
future?
Times Picayune
Louisiana oyster, shrimp and crab catch in 2014 was valued at $371 million,
higher than almost any other time in the fisheries' history, bringing large
returns at the dock, according to recently-released state numbers.
http://www.nola.com/futureofneworleans/2015/08/louisiana_oyster_shrimp_crab_p.html#incart_most_shared-environment
Regional
Even less hurricane activity predicted for remainder of 2015, NOAA says
The Times-Picayune
August 06, 2015 at 11:35 AM
NOAA forecasters said Thursday (Aug. 6) that the chance of a below-normal
hurricane season for 2015 has jumped to 90 percent, the result of a
well-entrenched El Nino pattern of warm surface water conditions in the
eastern Pacific Ocean and high wind shear and sinking air over much of the
Atlantic where tropical systems form.
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2015/08/even_less_hurricane_activity_p.html#incart_river
National
Bright Orange Mine Waste Spills Into Animas River Near Durango
KUNC
A huge spill of hazardous mine waste has contaminated the Animas River,
which runs through Durango.
http://www.kunc.org/post/bright-orange-mine-waste-spills-animas-river-near-durango
Efficiency rules target soda vending machines
The Hill
The Obama administration is moving to impose new energy efficiency
regulations on vending machines.
http://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/250451-efficiency-rules-target-soda-vending-machines
Opinion
GLENN McCULLOUGH — Teamwork: A winning strategy
MBJ
Economic opportunity can change lives. Promoting Mississippi's advantages
to attract new career opportunities while supporting the expansion of our
existing businesses is our primary mission at the Mississippi Development
Authority.
http://msbusiness.com/2015/08/glenn-mccullough-teamwork-a-winning-strategy/
Press Releases
Governor Bryant Announces Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary
First Responders' Event
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant and First Lady Deborah Bryant, along with Katrina
Remembrance Commission chairpersons Haley and Marsha Barbour, today
announced a 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina remembrance event for
first responders. It will be held on Friday, August 28 from 11 a.m. to 2
p.m. in Gulfport, Miss., at Barksdale Pavilion in Jones Park.
"This will be a time when we can honor and thank all first responders from
across the state who gave so much during the weeks and months following
Hurricane Katrina. Many of them were already executing plans and procedures
before it ever came on shore, and even more displayed bravery during and
after the storm made landfall," Gov. Bryant said. "It is my hope that we
can remember the 238 Mississippians who were lost, while also reflecting on
the achievements of the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina swept through
Mississippi ten years ago."
The event will feature music from the Bluz Boys Band from Jackson, Miss.,
and special entertainment from native Mississippian and five-time Grammy
winning artist Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives.
First responders who are planning to attend are asked to RSVP to
katrina10@gulfport-ms.gov by August 14. Attendees will be asked to present
a badge or first responder credential for entrance.
###
Governor Bryant Orders State Contracting Reforms
JACKSON—Gov. Phil Bryant has issued two executive orders to reform the
public contracting process in Mississippi. The actions are based on
recommendations from the Task Force on Contracting and Procurement that
Gov. Bryant established in November 2014.
Executive Order 1361 requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections to
become a Certified Purchasing Office as determined by the Mississippi
Department of Finance and Administration.
Achieving the certification requires at least 50 percent of the purchasing
agents at MDOC to earn a national purchasing certification from the
Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council or other nationally
recognized purchasing organization. All MDOC purchasing agents must also
hold a certification from Mississippi's Basic or Advanced Purchasing
Certification Program.
"This training will benefit MDOC employees by equipping them with
additional skills and will protect taxpayers by ensuring that the people
who oversee public contracts are certified to high standards," Gov. Bryant
said.
Building on the Mississippi Transparency Act of 2008 and on contracting
reforms passed in the 2015 legislative session, Executive Order 1362
requires agencies posting contracts online to also post an analysis
describing why a personal or professional services contract was awarded,
renewed, or amended.
The order also requires agencies to provide all employees with information
about the fraud and abuse hotline maintained by the Office of the State
Auditor.
"This order brings additional transparency to the contracting process and
provides hardworking taxpayers with additional information about how their
dollars are spent," Gov. Bryant said. "We will continue to reform and
improve Mississippi's contracting processes.
Additional recommendations from the Task Force on Contracting and
Procurement will be considered for legislative action.
###
Final Report from the Task Force on Contracting and Procurement
http://www.governorbryant.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Final-MDOC-Task-Force-Recommendations.pdf
Arch Coal Subsidiaries to Make System-Wide Upgrades to Reduce Pollution
Entering U.S. Waters
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S.
Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that Arch Coal Inc., one of the
nation's largest coal companies, and 14 of its subsidiaries under the
International Coal Group Inc. (ICG) have agreed to conduct comprehensive
upgrades to their operations to ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act.
The settlement resolves hundreds of Clean Water Act violations related to
illegal discharges of pollutants at the companies' coal mines in Kentucky,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The states of West
Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania are co-plaintiffs in today's
settlement. The companies will also pay a $2 million civil penalty.
"Businesses have an obligation to ensure that their operations don't
threaten the communities they serve, especially those that are overburdened
by or more vulnerable to pollution," said Assistant Administrator Cynthia
Giles for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "This
settlement will prevent future environmental and public health risks by
making sure these companies comply with federal and state clean water
laws."
"This joint enforcement effort, with three states, has resulted in a
settlement that will require changes that will benefit the health and
environment of Appalachian communities for many years to come," said
Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Environment and Natural
Resources Division. "Under the terms of the agreement, Arch Coal and its
subsidiaries will pay a significant penalty, improve their pollution
control systems and provide for independent monitoring and data tracking
that will make it a better company and a better neighbor to these
communities."
In addition to paying the penalty, under the proposed consent decree the
companies must implement measures to ensure compliance and prevent future
Clean Water Act violations, which will help protect communities
overburdened by pollution, including:
* Developing and implementing a compliance management system.
* Periodic internal and third-party environmental compliance audits.
* Maintaining a data management system to track violations, water sampling
data and compliance efforts.
* Providing training for environmental managers and others responsible for
the consent decree.
* Paying escalating stipulated penalties if violations continue to occur.
The government complaint filed concurrently with the settlement alleged
that in the last six years, ICG operations have violated discharge limits
for aluminum, manganese, iron and total suspended solids in their
state-issued National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits on
more than 1,200 occasions, resulting in over 8,900 days of violations. Of
those violations, 700 have been previously resolved by state enforcement
actions in Kentucky and West Virginia.
EPA discovered the violations through inspections of ICG facilities and
projects, reviewing various information provided by the companies and
coordinating with the affected state governments.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of West Virginia, is subject to a 30-day public comment
period and approval by the federal court.
For more information on this settlement and to read the consent decree, go
to:
www2.epa.gov/enforcement/arch-coal-inc-and-international-coal-group-subsidiaries-settlement
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|USDA Invests $63 Million to Support 264 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects|
| Nationwide |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Funding supports solar and other renewable energy projects to create jobs and promote |
| energy independence |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
|WASHINGTON, August 7, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $63 |
|million in loans and grants for 264 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects |
|nationwide that USDA is supporting through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).|
| |
| |
|"This funding will have far-reaching economic and environmental impacts nationwide, |
|particularly in rural communities," Vilsack said. "Investing in renewable energy and |
|energy efficiency projects supports home-grown energy sources, creates jobs, reduces |
|greenhouse gas pollution and helps usher in a more secure energy future for the |
|nation." |
| |
| |
|These REAP projects are expected to generate and/or save 207.8 million kilowatt hours |
|(KWh) of energy – enough to power more than 13,600 homes for a year. |
| |
| |
|For example, Bradley Phillips, owner of A.B. Phillips & Sons Fruit Farm, is receiving |
|an $18,000 grant to install a photovoltaic solar system on his farm in the village of |
|Berlin Heights, Ohio. The system will generate nearly 13,000 kilowatt hours of |
|electricity annually. Phillips grows apples, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, |
|cherries and grapes on a farm that has been in his family for more than a century. |
| |
| |
|Blue Sky Poultry, Inc., of Bainbridge, Ga., has been selected for a $16,094 grant to |
|install a solar array on the roof of the poultry houses. The array is expected to |
|generate 36,300 kWh of electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Stokes Farms, LLP, of Chatfield, Minn., is receiving a $19,750 grant to install a 10 kW|
|wind turbine. When operational, the project is expected to generate 30,000 kWh of |
|electricity per year. |
| |
| |
|Lakeview Biodiesel, LLC will use a $3.3 million loan guarantee to help acquire a |
|Missouri biodiesel plant and make improvements to bring it online to produce enough |
|biodiesel to run approximately 16,500 vehicles annually. |
| |
| |
|In North Carolina, South Winston Farm, LLC is receiving a $4 million loan guarantee to |
|finance a 7 megawatt solar array system that is expected to generate enough energy to |
|power 994 households per year. |
| |
| |
|Funding for the projects announced today is contingent upon the recipients meeting the |
|terms of the grant or loan agreement. |
| |
| |
|Here are two examples of how REAP has helped rural businesses: |
| |
| |
| · In 2014, Mt. Abram, a ski area in western Maine, finished installing an 803-panel|
| solar photovoltaic system that was financed with a $235,000 REAP grant. Mt. Abram|
| is the first solar-powered ski area in the state and the second-largest |
| solar-powered ski area in the country. The solar array will generate 280,000 kWh |
| in energy each year and meet about 70 percent of the resort's power needs. |
| |
| |
| · Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Progress Solar in North Carolina in |
| September 2014 to highlight a $3.4 million REAP loan guarantee the company |
| received to install a solar array. Today, the 46-acre farm produces enough solar |
| energy to power 540 average-sized homes each year. |
| |
| |
|Eligible agricultural producers and rural small businesses may use REAP funds to make |
|energy efficiency improvements or install renewable energy systems, including solar, |
|wind, renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters), small hydroelectric, ocean |
|energy, hydrogen, and geothermal. |
| |
| |
|The next application deadline for REAP grants is November 2, 2015. USDA will issue a |
|notice of available funding with more details on how to apply in the coming weeks. REAP|
|was created by the 2008 Farm Bill and was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. |
| |
| |
|Since the start of the Obama Administration, USDA has supported more than 9,600 |
|renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide through REAP. During this |
|period, the Department has provided more than $291 million in grants and $327 million |
|in loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small business owners. |
| |
| |
|President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and |
|resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these |
|investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have |
|empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, |
|small towns and rural communities. |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Thursday, August 6, 2015
News Clippings 8/6/15
State
Decision to raze abandoned hospital delayed until September
Vicksburg Post
Though a vote on whether to demolish a portion of the abandoned Kuhn
Memorial Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has been delayed
until September, support for bringing down the entire complex is growing.
The city's original proposal offered up by Community Development Director
Victor Gray-Lewis was to knock down the front building at Kuhn. That
structure is decaying and infested with black mold. The roof is caving in
and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has said they will
not make the city go though the asbestos abatement process.
http://www.vicksburgpost.com/2015/08/05/decision-to-raze-abandoned-hospital-delayed-until-september/
Gas tank rupture causes delays on Hwy 98
WDAM
FORREST COUNTY, MS (WDAM) -An 18-wheeler's gas tank ruptured Wednesday
afternoon near the Forrest-Perry county line and spilled nearly 100 gallons
of fuel on Highway 98, according to Forrest County Emergency Management
Director Glen Moore.
http://www.wdam.com/story/29718574/gas-tank-rupture-causes-delays-on-hwy-98
Mississippi farmers, beekeepers work together to protect bees
Jul 29, 2015Kerri Collins Lewis, Mississippi State University | Delta Farm
Press
Pitting farmers against beekeepers does little to solve the problems facing
pollinators. "In some cases, anti-pesticide groups are using the challenges
facing bee health as an opportunity to set up a very black-and-white, good
guy versus bad guy scenario when it comes to agricultural production," said
Angus Catchot, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University
Extension Service.
http://deltafarmpress.com/cotton/mississippi-farmers-beekeepers-work-together-protect-bees
Oil Spill
Gilich will ask for permission to renegotiate BP legal fees
WLOX
Biloxi Mayor FoFo Gilich believes 20 percent of the city's and school
district's $5.9 million BP claim is too much to pay to the law firm Page,
Mannino, Peresich & McDermott. That's why he has called for a special
meeting with city council members Thursday to ask for permission to
renegotiate the legal fees.
http://www.wlox.com/story/29720606/gilich-will-ask-for-permission-to-renegotiate-bp-legal-fees
Regional
EPA investigation of Uniontown landfill the focus of NBC News piece
Al.com
Dennis Pillion
August 05, 2015 at 11:52 AM
NBC News, in cooperation with the Centers for Public Integrity published a
detailed feature story on Wednesday examining civil rights complaints
surrounding the Arrowhead Landfill in Uniontown, Ala, about 30 miles west
of Selma in the Black Belt region.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/08/epa_investigation_of_uniontown.html
National
Lawmakers take aim at EPA 'sue-and-settle' collusion
Fox News
Faced with President Obama's vastly expensive Clean Power Plan to remake
the U.S. electrical system and other looming regulatory decisions that
dramatically affect energy supplies, Republican lawmakers have renewed
their offensive against alleged under-the-table legal collusion between the
administration and environmental lobbyists in the cascading anti-carbon
agenda.
…Rounds' argument was backed by testimony from Dallas Baker, a senior
official in Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality, who said
that sue-and-settle "does not afford my state any input into the agreement,
yet subjects us to the burden of satisfying the requirements of the
agreement."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/05/lawmakers-take-aim-at-epa-sue-and-settle-collusion/
Senate panel probes 'sue-and-settle' tactics' impacts on policymaking
WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 5
08/05/2015
By Nick Snow
Oil and Gas Journal
Environmental litigation settlements, which proponents say help the public
make certain federal agencies are diligently implementing congressionally
mandated regulations, actually sabotage sound policymaking, several
witnesses told a US Environment and Public Works Committee subcommittee.
Witnesses said environmental litigation settlements often shut out
significant stakeholders. "The 'sue-and-settle' method by definition does
not afford my state any input into the agreement, yet subjects us to the
burden of satisfying the requirements of the agreement," said Dallas Baker,
Air Director at Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality.
"Adding to the frustration, the details and methodology used to arrive at
the technical elements related to the settlement is often sealed by the
courts," he said in his written testimony.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/2015/08/senate-panel-probes-sue-and-settle-tactics-impacts-on-policymaking.html
16 states ask Obama admin to put power plant rules on hold
AP
WASHINGTON – The campaign to stop President Barack Obama's sweeping
emissions limits on power plants began taking shape Wednesday, as 16 states
asked the government to put the rules on hold while a Senate panel moved to
block them.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/06/16-states-ask-obama-admin-to-put-power-plant-rules-on-hold/?intcmp=hpbt1
States seek delay of EPA climate change rule
The Hill
Sixteen states have formally asked the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to delay its new climate rule for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250360-states-seek-delay-of-climate-rule
Senate panel votes to block Obama's climate rule
The Hill
A Senate committee voted Wednesday to block implementation of the
administration's climate rule for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250347-senate-panel-votes-to-block-obama-climate-rule
Opinion
Robertson: New PERS software system working on backlog
Clarion Ledger
The Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) is
behind on processing retirement applications and this letter is to
explain why, where we are in the process, and what expectations
should be for our members.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/2015/08/05/robertson-new-pers-software-system-working-backlog/31157649/
Press Releases
EPA Proposes Stronger Standards for People Applying the Pesticides with the
Greatest Risk
Improved training and minimum age requirements for certified applicators
will help protect people and the environment.
Washington- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
proposing stronger standards for pesticide applicators who apply
"restricted-use" pesticides. These pesticides are not available for
purchase by the general public, require special handling, and may only be
applied by a certified applicator or someone working under his or her
direct supervision.
"We are committed to keeping our communities safe, protecting our
environment and protecting workers and their families, said Jim Jones, EPA
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention. "By improving training and certification, those who apply these
restricted use pesticides will have better knowledge and ability to use
these pesticides safely."
The goal of today's action is to reduce the likelihood of harm from the
misapplication of toxic pesticides and ensure a consistent level of
protection among states. Pesticide use would be safer with increased
supervision and oversight.
EPA is proposing stricter standards for people certified to use restricted
use pesticides and to require all people who apply restricted use
pesticides to be at least 18 years old. Certifications would have to be
renewed every 3 years.
EPA is proposing additional specialized licensing for certain methods of
application that can pose greater risks if not conducted properly, such as
fumigation and aerial application. For further protection, those working
under the supervision of certified applicators would now need training on
using pesticides safely and protecting their families from take-home
pesticide exposure.
State agencies issue licenses to pesticide applicators who need to
demonstrate under an EPA-approved program their ability to use these
products safely. The proposed revisions would reduce the burden on
applicators and pest control companies that work across state lines. The
proposal promotes consistency across state programs by encouraging
inter-state recognition of licenses.
The proposal also updates the requirements for States, Tribes, and Federal
agencies that administer their own certification programs to incorporate
the strengthened standards. Many states already have in place some or many
of EPA's proposed changes. The proposed changes would raise the bar
nationally to a level that most states have already achieved. The
estimated benefits of $80.5 million would be due to fewer acute pesticide
incidents to people.
EPA encourages public comment on the proposed improvements. The 90 day
public comment period will begin when the proposal is published in the
Federal Register.
A copy of the proposal and more information about certification for
pesticide applicators:
http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-people-applying-riskiest-pesticides
To comment on the proposed changes, visit http://www.regulations.gov and
search for docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0183 after publication in the
federal register.
Decision to raze abandoned hospital delayed until September
Vicksburg Post
Though a vote on whether to demolish a portion of the abandoned Kuhn
Memorial Hospital on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has been delayed
until September, support for bringing down the entire complex is growing.
The city's original proposal offered up by Community Development Director
Victor Gray-Lewis was to knock down the front building at Kuhn. That
structure is decaying and infested with black mold. The roof is caving in
and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has said they will
not make the city go though the asbestos abatement process.
http://www.vicksburgpost.com/2015/08/05/decision-to-raze-abandoned-hospital-delayed-until-september/
Gas tank rupture causes delays on Hwy 98
WDAM
FORREST COUNTY, MS (WDAM) -An 18-wheeler's gas tank ruptured Wednesday
afternoon near the Forrest-Perry county line and spilled nearly 100 gallons
of fuel on Highway 98, according to Forrest County Emergency Management
Director Glen Moore.
http://www.wdam.com/story/29718574/gas-tank-rupture-causes-delays-on-hwy-98
Mississippi farmers, beekeepers work together to protect bees
Jul 29, 2015Kerri Collins Lewis, Mississippi State University | Delta Farm
Press
Pitting farmers against beekeepers does little to solve the problems facing
pollinators. "In some cases, anti-pesticide groups are using the challenges
facing bee health as an opportunity to set up a very black-and-white, good
guy versus bad guy scenario when it comes to agricultural production," said
Angus Catchot, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University
Extension Service.
http://deltafarmpress.com/cotton/mississippi-farmers-beekeepers-work-together-protect-bees
Oil Spill
Gilich will ask for permission to renegotiate BP legal fees
WLOX
Biloxi Mayor FoFo Gilich believes 20 percent of the city's and school
district's $5.9 million BP claim is too much to pay to the law firm Page,
Mannino, Peresich & McDermott. That's why he has called for a special
meeting with city council members Thursday to ask for permission to
renegotiate the legal fees.
http://www.wlox.com/story/29720606/gilich-will-ask-for-permission-to-renegotiate-bp-legal-fees
Regional
EPA investigation of Uniontown landfill the focus of NBC News piece
Al.com
Dennis Pillion
August 05, 2015 at 11:52 AM
NBC News, in cooperation with the Centers for Public Integrity published a
detailed feature story on Wednesday examining civil rights complaints
surrounding the Arrowhead Landfill in Uniontown, Ala, about 30 miles west
of Selma in the Black Belt region.
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/08/epa_investigation_of_uniontown.html
National
Lawmakers take aim at EPA 'sue-and-settle' collusion
Fox News
Faced with President Obama's vastly expensive Clean Power Plan to remake
the U.S. electrical system and other looming regulatory decisions that
dramatically affect energy supplies, Republican lawmakers have renewed
their offensive against alleged under-the-table legal collusion between the
administration and environmental lobbyists in the cascading anti-carbon
agenda.
…Rounds' argument was backed by testimony from Dallas Baker, a senior
official in Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality, who said
that sue-and-settle "does not afford my state any input into the agreement,
yet subjects us to the burden of satisfying the requirements of the
agreement."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/05/lawmakers-take-aim-at-epa-sue-and-settle-collusion/
Senate panel probes 'sue-and-settle' tactics' impacts on policymaking
WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 5
08/05/2015
By Nick Snow
Oil and Gas Journal
Environmental litigation settlements, which proponents say help the public
make certain federal agencies are diligently implementing congressionally
mandated regulations, actually sabotage sound policymaking, several
witnesses told a US Environment and Public Works Committee subcommittee.
Witnesses said environmental litigation settlements often shut out
significant stakeholders. "The 'sue-and-settle' method by definition does
not afford my state any input into the agreement, yet subjects us to the
burden of satisfying the requirements of the agreement," said Dallas Baker,
Air Director at Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality.
"Adding to the frustration, the details and methodology used to arrive at
the technical elements related to the settlement is often sealed by the
courts," he said in his written testimony.
http://www.ogj.com/articles/2015/08/senate-panel-probes-sue-and-settle-tactics-impacts-on-policymaking.html
16 states ask Obama admin to put power plant rules on hold
AP
WASHINGTON – The campaign to stop President Barack Obama's sweeping
emissions limits on power plants began taking shape Wednesday, as 16 states
asked the government to put the rules on hold while a Senate panel moved to
block them.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/06/16-states-ask-obama-admin-to-put-power-plant-rules-on-hold/?intcmp=hpbt1
States seek delay of EPA climate change rule
The Hill
Sixteen states have formally asked the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to delay its new climate rule for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250360-states-seek-delay-of-climate-rule
Senate panel votes to block Obama's climate rule
The Hill
A Senate committee voted Wednesday to block implementation of the
administration's climate rule for power plants.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/250347-senate-panel-votes-to-block-obama-climate-rule
Opinion
Robertson: New PERS software system working on backlog
Clarion Ledger
The Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) is
behind on processing retirement applications and this letter is to
explain why, where we are in the process, and what expectations
should be for our members.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/2015/08/05/robertson-new-pers-software-system-working-backlog/31157649/
Press Releases
EPA Proposes Stronger Standards for People Applying the Pesticides with the
Greatest Risk
Improved training and minimum age requirements for certified applicators
will help protect people and the environment.
Washington- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
proposing stronger standards for pesticide applicators who apply
"restricted-use" pesticides. These pesticides are not available for
purchase by the general public, require special handling, and may only be
applied by a certified applicator or someone working under his or her
direct supervision.
"We are committed to keeping our communities safe, protecting our
environment and protecting workers and their families, said Jim Jones, EPA
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention. "By improving training and certification, those who apply these
restricted use pesticides will have better knowledge and ability to use
these pesticides safely."
The goal of today's action is to reduce the likelihood of harm from the
misapplication of toxic pesticides and ensure a consistent level of
protection among states. Pesticide use would be safer with increased
supervision and oversight.
EPA is proposing stricter standards for people certified to use restricted
use pesticides and to require all people who apply restricted use
pesticides to be at least 18 years old. Certifications would have to be
renewed every 3 years.
EPA is proposing additional specialized licensing for certain methods of
application that can pose greater risks if not conducted properly, such as
fumigation and aerial application. For further protection, those working
under the supervision of certified applicators would now need training on
using pesticides safely and protecting their families from take-home
pesticide exposure.
State agencies issue licenses to pesticide applicators who need to
demonstrate under an EPA-approved program their ability to use these
products safely. The proposed revisions would reduce the burden on
applicators and pest control companies that work across state lines. The
proposal promotes consistency across state programs by encouraging
inter-state recognition of licenses.
The proposal also updates the requirements for States, Tribes, and Federal
agencies that administer their own certification programs to incorporate
the strengthened standards. Many states already have in place some or many
of EPA's proposed changes. The proposed changes would raise the bar
nationally to a level that most states have already achieved. The
estimated benefits of $80.5 million would be due to fewer acute pesticide
incidents to people.
EPA encourages public comment on the proposed improvements. The 90 day
public comment period will begin when the proposal is published in the
Federal Register.
A copy of the proposal and more information about certification for
pesticide applicators:
http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-people-applying-riskiest-pesticides
To comment on the proposed changes, visit http://www.regulations.gov and
search for docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0183 after publication in the
federal register.
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