State
MDEQ board approves permit for Renaissance expansion
MBJ
The Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board on Thursday unanimously approved a water permit to allow the contested expansion of the Renaissance at Colony Park to proceed.
http://msbusiness.com/2016/06/mdeq-board-approves-permit-for-renaissance-expansion/
Trip to Waveland beach cost him a limb, but officials aren’t testing the water
Sun Herald
Officials will not be testing water in the Mississippi Sound after a Baton Rouge man lost part of a limb to bacterial infection after visiting a Waveland beach.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/health/article87017822.html
USM marine microbiologist weighs in on vibrio vulnificus
WLOX
OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (WLOX) -Over the years, the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Lab has learned a lot about the bacteria that causes both food borne and wound related illnesses.
http://www.wlox.com/story/32351426/usm-marine-microbiologist-weighs-in-on-vibrio-vulnificus
Reported case of flesh-eating bacteria in Hancock County
Sea Coast Echo
A Baton Rouge man is in critical condition at Hancock Medical Center after reportedly contracting a flesh-eating bacteria while on vacation in Waveland over the weekend.
http://www.seacoastecho.com/article_9943.shtml#.V3ZjmPmU2Uk
Catfish shockers guilty in Louisiana, but not in Mississippi
Sun Herald
Three men admitted they illegally shocked fish on the Pearl River in Louisiana, but when they were prosecuted for doing the same thing on the same day in Mississippi, a Justice Court judge in Pearl River County dismissed the charges.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/crime/article87042127.html
Solar-panel maker Stion lone survivor of Barbour alt-energy projects
MBJ
The Stion Corp. is the only one of three alternative-energy projects begun during former Gov. Haley Barbour’s administration to create lasting jobs.
However, it is a far cry from the original commitment of 1,000 employees at its Hattiesburg plant within six years after it began operation in 2012.
http://msbusiness.com/2016/07/solar-panel-maker-stion-lone-survivor-of-barbour-alt-energy-projects/
Budget officials are recommending that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant withdraw $63.1 million from state savings to cover the 2016 deficit
AP
JACKSON, Mississippi — Budget officials are recommending that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant withdraw $63.1 million from state savings to cover the 2016 deficit.
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/93055bf908c34bd7ae9d83a8852a495b/MS--Mississippi-Budget
Oil Spill
Mississippi set to get first $150M from oil spill settlement
AP
Mississippi is about to receive the first $150 million for economic damages from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/06/30/mississippi-set-get-first-150m-oil-spill-settlement/86558602/
Mississippi to get BP's first $150M payment on Friday
WLOX
BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -Friday, Mississippi will receive its first payment for economic damages resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. And Attorney General Jim Hood is already cautioning lawmakers about spending it.
http://www.wlox.com/story/32345845/mississippi-to-get-bps-first-150m-payment-on-friday
Political thrills and oil spills: How Geoff Morrell is helping BP take back its story
PR Week
It’s April 20, 2010, and the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig explodes, hemorrhaging millions of barrels of oil, and much of BP’s brand reputation, into the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.prweek.com/article/1400786/political-thrills-oil-spills-geoff-morrell-helping-bp-back-its-story
Regional
Appeals court upholds critical La. habitat for endangered frog
AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has rejected a Louisiana landowner's attempt to keep the federal government from listing some of his timberland as essential for the future of an endangered frog.
http://www.nola.com/pets/index.ssf/2016/06/appeals_court_upholds_critical.html#incart_river_index
Florida governor declares state of emergency over 'guacamole-thick' algae
Fox News
Florida Gov. Rick Scott added two more counties on Thursday to the state of emergency declared over a "guacamole-thick" algae bloom affecting a stretch of beaches promoted as the state's "Treasure Coast."
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/30/florida-governor-declares-state-emergency-over-guacamole-thick-algae.html?intcmp=hplnws
National
Ozone Hole Shows Signs of Shrinking, Scientists Say
NY Times
Nearly three decades after the world banned chemicals that were destroying the atmosphere’s protective ozone layer, scientists said Thursday that there were signs the atmosphere was on the mend.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/science/ozone-hole-shrinking-montreal-protocol.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fearth&action=click&contentCollection=earth®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0
EPA Issues First-Year Plan to Implement New Chemicals Law
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency issued its first-year plan June 29 to implement the newly amended U.S. chemicals law.
http://www.bna.com/epa-issues-firstyear-n57982076329/
Oklahoma Quakes Decline Amid Curbs on Energy Industry’s Disposal Wells
Drop attributed to restrictions on oil and gas companies’ pumping of wastewater from underground operations
WSJ
The number of earthquakes in Oklahoma has fallen 25% in 2016 compared with a year earlier, a decline attributed in part to actions by state regulators to police the oil and gas industry’s practice of pumping wastewater from its operations deep underground.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/oklahoma-quakes-decline-amid-curbs-on-energy-industrys-disposal-wells-1467323816
Severe Water Pollution Clouds the Olympic Games in Rio
CBS
RIO DE JANIERO -- Five weeks before the start of the Olympics in Rio, police say a mutilated body washed up on Copacabana Beach, where the beach volleyball competition will be held.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rio-olympics-2016-severe-water-pollution-clouds-games/
Press Releases
June 30, 2016
The state of Mississippi is expected to receive $150 million from BP on Friday, representing the oil company’s first payment for economic damages resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, Attorney General Jim Hood announced today.
The payment comes three months after five Gulf Coast states, the federal government and BP finalized a nearly $20 billion settlement in federal court. The agreement is the largest environmental settlement in history. In all, Mississippi will receive approximately $2.2 billion in compensation from BP.
Attorney General Hood commended his staff and state agency employees for their years-long efforts to ensure Mississippi held BP accountable for its actions and that the state received appropriate compensation for economic recovery and coastal restoration.
Attorney General Hood said he remained committed to making sure that coastal counties and cities receive fair treatment from the settlement. As part of that commitment, Attorney General Hood reminded the Legislature that, despite a significant budget deficit, the $150 million in recoveries from BP should be directed for projects on the Coast. This initial payment – expected Friday and required to be delivered by BP no later than Sunday – is part of a total of $750 million for economic damages that Mississippi will receive over the next 17 years.
“After years of litigation and work to identify the economic damage caused by this catastrophe, we reached an agreement that would help to make our coastal communities whole again,” Attorney General Hood said. “However, I am deeply concerned that the state’s legislative leaders may use this payment to try to cover up their self-created budget hole.”
Attorney General Hood noted that the Legislature has already earmarked approximately $46 million from the $150 million disbursement. Legislative leaders would do a disservice to their coastal constituents if they use that money to fund anything other than areas impacted by the spill, he said.
“Those who created this budget emergency by providing self-serving tax cuts to big business should not use this money to cover up their mess at the expense of our neighbors on the Coast,” Attorney General Hood said.
June 28, 2016
Attorney General Jim Hood announced today that Mississippi and 42 other states and jurisdictions have agreed to a $570 million settlement with Volkswagen over the automobile manufacturer’s sale of vehicles equipped with software designed to circumvent federal and state emissions standards.
Mississippi will receive $2.5 million. The agreement is among a series of state and federal settlements that provide cash payments to affected consumers and require Volkswagen to buy back or modify certain VW and Audi 2.0-liter diesel vehicles. More than 1,000 vehicles in Mississippi are covered in the settlement.
“Volkswagen lied to its customers and to the American people about the emissions levels in its diesel vehicles,” Attorney General Hood said. “The company’s actions harmed our environment, all in an attempt to skirt pollution standards and generate more profits. This settlement requires the company to pay consumers harmed by its scheme and institute environmental programs to offset the damage caused by its misrepresentations. I’m glad to have worked with a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general to reach this agreement.”
A multistate investigation confirmed that Volkswagen sold more than 570,000 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesel vehicles in the United States equipped with “defeat device” software intended to circumvent applicable emissions standards for certain air pollutants. Volkswagen actively concealed the existence of the defeat device from regulators and the public. Volkswagen made false statements to consumers in their marketing and advertising, misrepresenting the cars as environmentally friendly or “green,” and stating that the cars were compliant with federal and state emissions standards, when, in fact, Volkswagen knew the vehicles emitted harmful oxides of nitrogen (NOx) at rates many times higher than the law permitted.
Under today’s settlement, Volkswagen must institute a restitution and recall program for more than 475,000 owners and lessees of 2.0-liter diesel vehicles from model years 2009-2015. This includes 1,025 vehicles in Mississippi. Affected car owners will receive at least $5,100 in restitution from the company and a choice of a buyback of the vehicle or a modification to the vehicle that, if approved by regulators, would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
Lessees and sellers who sold their affected vehicles after Sept. 18, 2015, will also be eligible for benefits and restitution.
In addition, Volkswagen must pay $2.7 billion to support environmental programs intended to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and mitigate the total excess emissions from the flawed VW vehicles. Volkswagen must also commit to invest $2 billion over the next decade to the development of nonpolluting cars known as Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs).
Today’s action resolves consumer protection claims raised by attorneys general against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Porsche AG and Porsche Cars, North America, Inc. – collectively referred to as Volkswagen. They also resolve actions against Volkswagen brought by the federal government, California and car owners in private class action suits.
For full details, visit VWCourtSettlement.com, ftc.gov/VWSettlement or the Attorney General’s web site,www.AGJimHood.com. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline is: (800) 281-4418.
