State
Hattiesburg council votes for mechanical application
Hattiesburg American
The land application process of treatingHattiesburg's wastewater is no longer a viable option for the city, so council members voted Tuesday to shift the focus to mechanical application.
Council abandons land application, moves to mechanical wastewater system
WDAM
HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -After years of discussion and working with attorneys, Hattiesburg is scrapping plans for a land application wastewater treatment system.
Two more sections of the Mississippi Sound not safe for swimming
WLOX
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) -Two more sections of the Mississippi sound aren't safe for swimming or any kind of water contact. That's according to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
http://www.wdam.com/story/32601823/two-more-sections-of-the-mississippi-sound-not-safe-for-swimming
ALL ABOARD THE POINT SUR
WXXV
Senator Wicker took full advantage of his visit to the Coast by stopping in Gulfport to tour one of the University of Southern Mississippi’s research vessels for the very first time..
http://www.wxxv25.com/2016/08/02/aboard-point-sur/
Oil Spill
USF researchers prep for unprecedented Gulf trip
WTSP
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WTSP) – A team of about 20 researchers and students from the University of South Florida will be heading off Wednesday to explore the Gulf of Mexico for a 40-day expedition to study the effects of the two largest submarine blowouts in history: the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Spill and the 1979 Ixtoc spill.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/usf-researchers-prep-for-unprecedented-gulf-trip/286102408
Regional
As much as 4,200 gallons of crude oil spill into mouth of Mississippi River
Times-Picayune
As much as 4,200 gallons of crude oil discharged from a well into the mouth of the Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. The Coast Guard and other agencies were responding Tuesday (Aug. 2) to the spill in the Main Pass.
New case of brain-eating amoeba reported in South Carolina
Charlotte Observer
A South Carolina resident has contracted an infection from the brain-eating amoeba, naegleria fowleri, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
http://www.sunherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article93436007.html
National
Thirteen states sue over EPA methane rule
The Hill
More than a dozen states have sued the Obama administration over a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to limit methane emissions at oil and natural gas sites.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/290159-thirteen-states-sue-over-epa-methane-rule
EPA Advances Exception to Policy on Air Act Consistency
Bloomberg
The Environmental Protection Agency is moving ahead with a new exception to its policy that regional EPA offices “uniformly apply” all policies, procedures and criteria under the Clean Air Act, a decision that is likely to trigger industry lawsuits.
http://www.bna.com/epa-advances-exception-n73014445754/
In twist, environmentalists fight proposed carbon tax – because it doesn't grow gov't
Fox News
On paper, it looks like a big win for environmentalists: a ballot initiative in Washington state to make it the first in the nation to impose a tax on all carbon emissions.
Terminix offers $87 million settlement to Delaware family sickened by pesticide
Philadelphia Inquirer
The corporate parent of Terminix has reached a tentative agreement to pay $87 million to a Wilmington family sickened by dangerous pesticides at a vacation condominium in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
EPA Warns Automakers of Even Steeper U.S. Fuel-Economy Goals
Bloomberg
The auto industry will need to step up introduction of fuel-saving technology to help the U.S. meet aggressive goals to combat climate change despite manufacturers’ requests for relief from existing rules, the Environmental Protection Agency’s top transportation official said.
Press releases
EPA Report Tracks our Changing Climate
Highlights Impacts on Americans’ Health and Environment
CONTACT: Enesta Jones, jones.enesta@epa.gov, 202-564-7873 (direct), 202-564-4355
ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a report that shows compelling and clear evidence of long-term changes to our climate, and highlights impacts on human health and the environment in the United States and around the world. The report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, features observed trend data on 37 climate indicators, including U.S and global temperatures, ocean acidity, sea level, river flooding, droughts and wildfires.
“With each new year of data, the signs of climate change are stronger and more compelling,” said Janet McCabe, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “This report reiterates that climate change is a present threat and underscores the need to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and prepare for the changes underway, to protect Americans’ health and safeguard our children’s future.”
The report shows:
- Carbon Dioxide Levels – Average annual carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has exceeded 400 parts per million for the first time in at least 800,000 years;
- Temperatures – Average surface air temperatures have risen across the U.S. since 1901. Eight of the top 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 1998, and 2012 and 2015 were the two warmest years on record;
- Sea level – Sea level (relative to the land) rose along much of the U.S. coastline between 1960 and 2015, particularly the Mid-Atlantic coast and parts of the Gulf coast;
- Coastal Flooding – Nearly every city with a long-term measurement site has experienced an increase in tidal flooding since the 1950s;
- Arctic Sea Ice – March sea ice reached the lowest extent on record in 2015-2016;
- Marine Species Distribution – As ocean waters have warmed, marine fish and invertebrate species along U.S. coasts, such as lobster, black sea bass, and red hake are shifting northward and moving deeper in the ocean; and
- Ragweed Pollen Season – Warmer temperatures and later fall frosts are increasing the length of ragweed pollen season, which has increased at 10 out of 11 locations studied in the central United States and Canada since 1995.
This fourth edition of the report, which was last published in 2014, provides additional years of data for previously-published indicators and adds seven new indicators: heat-related illnesses; West Nile Virus; river flooding; coastal flooding; Antarctic sea ice; stream temperature; and marine species distribution. The report also features a special section that highlights the many connections between climate change and human health.
EPA partners with more than 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to develop the climate change indicators. Each indicator and the report in its entirety were peer-reviewed by independent experts.
Information about the Climate Change Indicators report: www.epa.gov/climate-indicators
Information about climate change: www.epa.gov/climatechange
Based on results from EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2016 (AEO2016) Reference case and International Energy Outlook 2016, EIA projects that the North American share of energy generation from renewable and nuclear energy sources will grow from 38% in 2015 to 45% in 2025. This projection assumes the Clean Power Plan (CPP) is upheld and takes effect in the United States. A recent agreement among Canada, Mexico, and the United States established a goal of 50% of electricity generation from clean energy sources by 2025.
The trilateral agreement goal includes nuclear, renewables, and energy efficiency as eligible sources of clean energy, but it does not specify a baseline for assessing energy efficiency, which has been improving over time. The EIA projections discussed here focus solely on electricity generation from nuclear and renewable sources as a share of total generation. Substantial increases in demand-side energy efficiency are included in EIA's projection for overall electricity demand, but explicit accounting of energy efficiency contributions are not projected. Moreover, these values reflect the Reference case projections; other assumptions for fuel prices, technology costs, and policies could affect the electricity generation mix.
Electricity generation in the United States currently represents more than 80% of total generation in North America. EIA's AEO2016 Reference case assumes that implentation of the CPP will begin in 2022. The extension of certain tax credits, significant cost reductions, and recognition of future CPP requirements result in a large increase in renewable generation between 2015 and 2025. U.S. coal-fired generation is expected to decline by 13% between 2015 and 2025 in the AEO Reference case, while natural gas-fired generation increases by 4%.
Canada's power generation was already met by 80% clean energy in 2015, mainly because of Canada's extensive hydroelectric capacity. Canada plans to further increase its hydroelectric capability by 2025, in addition to increasing wind and solar capacity by 2025. EIA's International Energy Outlook 2016 (IEO2016) projects reduced coal use in Canada between 2015 and 2025, consistent with Canadian government plans to gradually phase out the use of existing coal plants. However, the combined share of renewables and nuclear in Canada's total generation is expected to fall to 75% by 2025 because of increases in natural gas use and projected retirements of existing nuclear capacity. Overall, Canada's generation currently represents about 13% of the North American total generation.
Mexico accounted for about 6% of total North American electricity generation in 2015. The country has announced national energy goals and is undergoing electricity market reform to help encourage the development of new, low-carbon capacity expansion. Mexico is projected to increase generation from hydroelectric, wind, and other renewables and to reduce generation from fossil fuels. By 2025, Mexico's combined nuclear and renewables share of total electricity generation is expected to be 29%.
http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=27332&src=email#
