News Clippings 7/22/13

7.22.13



Oil Spill





Judge delays 2nd phase of BP oil spill trial

The Associated Press

July 19, 2013 at 3:36 PM



A federal judge has ordered a two-week delay of the second phase of a trial

over BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier on Friday moved the start of the second

phase from Sept. 16 to Sept. 30 to give the parties in the litigation more

time to prepare.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/07/judge_delays_2nd_phase_of_bp_o.html





Federal judge denies BP bid to suspend payments on oil spill claims

Juliet Linderman

The Times-Picayune

July 19, 2013 at 6:40 PM



A federal judge Friday denied British oil giant BP's bid for a preliminary

injunction that would have allowed the company to temporarily suspend

payments related to claims from the 2010 oil spill until an investigation

into alleged fraud in the multibillion-dollar claims payment program is

complete.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/federal_judge_denies_bp_bid_fo.html





Blue crab stock declines are concern for Gulf Coast fishermen

Press Register

Fara Illich

July 21, 2013 at 9:42 AM



BILOXI, Mississippi -- In the cool early-morning air, Frank Parker jumps

into his skiff off the Kuhn Street Pier with an ice chest full of bait and

26 years of commercial shrimp and crab fishing experience under his belt.

He says there are ups and downs in this business, but lately he's just

trying to catch enough to pay the bills.

http://blog.al.com/live/2013/07/steep_decline_in_blue_crab_sto.html#incart_river






ADEM official gets praise from city

BY JOHN MULLEN

Saturday, July 20, 2013 4:30 am


GULF SHORES, Ala. – Roy Collins of the Alabama Department of Environmental

Management has been a superstar helping the city since the BP oil spill hit

the area in May, officials say.

http://www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com/area_news/article_c4773a7e-f095-11e2-ad7d-0019bb2963f4.html





State News





Public Works' approach isn't working
Clarion Ledger


Interviews with current and former city of Jackson employees, coupled with

a review of public documents, depict a Public Works Department in disarray.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130721/NEWS01/307210044/Public-Works-approach-isn-t-working







Environmentalists to demonstrate this week against oil pipeline through

Mobile County

Press Register

John Sharp

July 21, 2013 at 1:28 PM



MOBILE, Alabama -- Environmentalists and other concerned citizens are

planning a lively week of demonstrations and organizing as they prepare an

uphill fight in preventing an oil pipeline running 41 miles to Mississippi

and through a section of Mobile's drinking water supply.

http://blog.al.com/live/2013/07/the_fight_against_oil_environm.html#incart_river





Rice growers meet for updates
Bolivar Commercial
by Kevin Pearson
07.21.13 - 07:53 am

The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation met for its annual Rice Commodity
Advisory Committee Meeting Friday.

…The Delta Coordinator of the Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality Sam Mabry presented information from the Delta Sustainable Water
Task Force on the voluntary water meter program that could replace the
mandatory program.

"The key facts," Mabry said, is "that if five percent of the wells in each
county in the Delta have meters on them by June 30, 2014 and 10 percent by
December 31, 2015, the mandatory program will not go into effect at that
time."

To participate in the voluntary program, contact Yazoo Mississippi Delta
Joint Water Management or visit their website to receive a form to indicate
specifics about the flow-meters that will be installed.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/23177792/article-Rice-growers-meet-for-updates?instance=homesecondleft





PRC Utility Authority is ahead of budget

The Picayune Item


POPLARVILLE — Pearl River County Utility Authority Executive Director Jeff
McClain reported at Thursday afternoon board of director's meeting that
revenues for the year are running over $20,000-30,000 above projections,
causing the utility authority to be well within its budget for the year.

http://picayuneitem.com/local/x2088950156/PRC-Utility-Authority-is-ahead-of-budget





Beer bottles litter Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Sun Herald
By JOHN FITZHUGH — jcfitzhugh@sunherald.com


MOSS POINT -- Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is a delicate

collection of marshes, swamps, sloughs and pine savannas.





http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/20/4810018/beer-bottles-litter-grand-bay.html







DMR boats awarded to two highest bidders

WLOX




The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources announced Friday that they
have accepted the two highest bids for the Californian and the Topaz.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22886012/dmr-boats-awarded-to-two-highest-bidders





MEMA & Hancock County leaders talk buyout

WLOX




The Hancock County buy-out program was the hot topic of discussion at an
informational forum in Pearlington. Representatives from MEMA joined forces
with Hancock County leaders to answer questions from residents of the
community. Some folks used the forum to vent their frustrations.
http://www.wlox.com/story/22889164/mema-hancock-county-leaders-talk-buyout






Hosemann: State boards study is under way


By Bobby Harrison

Daily Journal Jackson Bureau


JACKSON – Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said his office has

identified 204 boards or commissions comprised of more than 1,600 members

who oversee various state agencies and quasi-state agencies.

http://djournal.com/news/hosemann-state-boards-study-is-under-way/





National News






New EPA chief has an ambitious to-do list

Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Updated: July 19, 2013



Now that Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy has
been confirmed, she faces a lengthy to-do list.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/07/19/new-epa-chief-has-an-ambitious-to-do-list/?print=1





EPA names interim air pollution chief to lead carbon crackdown
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 07/19/13 11:22 AM ET

The Environmental Protection Agency has named an interim chief for air
quality regulations who will help lead the administration's efforts to
limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Janet McCabe became the top air quality regulator on Friday, moving into
the role formerly held by new EPA chief Gina McCarthy.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/312249-new-pollution-chief-named-to-lead-epas-carbon-crackdown-




White House climate advisor tells House Dems what's coming
The Hill
By Zack Colman - 07/19/13 01:47 PM ET

President Obama's chief climate and energy adviser made the rounds Friday
to brief House Democrats on the administration's climate agenda.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/312293-white-house-official-house-dems-talk-climate-plan-in-series-of-meetings



The case against EPA political bias
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
July 21, 2013 10:30 PM EDT


Critics of the Obama administration have gotten a lot of mileage by
claiming ideological bias at the Environmental Protection Agency. But a
POLITICO analysis of the evidence shows holes in their case.
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=29D5A5E8-0825-4F9F-8688-25C3A36A0C4D





South Carolina sues EPA over Clean Air Act
By Nathaniel Cary — Greenville News


South Carolina has joined 11 other states in a joint lawsuit against the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, charging that the federal agency

isn't complying with freedom of information requests related to

implementation of a haze requirement in the Clean Air Act.

http://www.thestate.com/2013/07/18/2868305/south-carolina-sues-epa-over-clean.html








Wyoming joins lawsuit against EPA's 'sue and settle' practice



Star Tribune

CHEYENNE — Wyoming is one of 12 states that will sue the Environmental

Protection Agency Tuesday to force the release of EPA records related to

some lawsuits by environmental groups.

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming-joins-lawsuit-against-epa-s-sue-and-settle-practice/article_cdd66b78-ab0d-5dee-8ed1-cf6e5db3c5bb.html







Opinion





SUN HERALD | Editorial: Some things on the Coast aren't for sale


Suppose someone showed up on the Coast with a surefire way to create

thousands of jobs, attract tens of thousands of tourists and not cost

taxpayers one cent more than they are already paying. Imagine the stampede

to seal such a deal.

http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/20/4808612/sun-herald-editorial-some-things.html

News Clippings 7.19.13

7.19.2013



Oil Spill





State says Coast Guard won't make BP clean up oil from Grand Terre's Fort

Livingston

Mark Schleifstein

The Times-Picayune

July 17, 2013 at 10:37 PM



Frustrations with the dwindling response of BP and the U.S. Coast Guard to

environmental and safety complaints about the removal of oil and cleanup

equipment used during BP's Gulf oil spill in April 2010 bubbled to the

surface again at Wednesday's monthly meeting of the Coastal Protection and

Restoration Authority.

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/07/state_says_bp_wont_clean_oil_f.html







Delays on restoration work spark concern

Houma Today


By Nikki Buskey
Published: Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 10:10 p.m.



Local officials and environmental advocates stressed Thursday that early

restoration work planned for the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill is

urgently needed and can't keep suffering bureaucratic delays.


http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20130718/ARTICLES/130719558/1026/NEWS01?Title=Delays-on-restoration-work-spark-concern








Judge to weigh suspending BP settlement payments
The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge is set to hear BP's bid to temporarily block

all settlement payments to Gulf Coast businesses and residents who claim

they lost money after the company's 2010 oil spill.

http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/19/4806627/judge-to-weigh-suspending-bp-settlement.html




BP chief executive: Settlement deal 'hijacked' by claims administrator

Press Register

George Talbot

updated July 18, 2013 at 9:20 PM

(Embedded image moved to file: pic27432.jpg)


BP chief executive Bob Dudley said tonight that the company's 2012

agreement to pay private plaintiffs for losses from the Deepwater Horizon

catastrophe has been "hijacked" by claims administrator Patrick Juneau.

Dudley, in an appearance on CNBC's Mad Money, accused Juneau of approving

"absurd" payments to businesses that did not suffer legitimate losses from

the 2010 oil spill.

http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/bp_chief_executive_settlement.html#incart_river





Latest spill lawsuit seeks damages from Halliburton for 613 Gulf Coast

property owners

Press Register

Brendan Kirby

on July 18, 2013 at 6:53 PM



MOBILE, Alabama – A lawsuit on behalf of more than 600 property owners

along the Gulf Coast seeks to hold Halliburton Energy Services accountable

for its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

http://blog.al.com/live/2013/07/latest_spill_lawsuit_seeks_dam.html#incart_river





State News





Drainage issues prompt Pascagoula meeting with corps of Engineers
Sun Herald
By TAMMY LEYTHAM — tleytham@sunherald.com


PASCAGOULA -- Swamped by drainage woes, city officials plan to meet Monday

with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to discuss causes and solutions.

http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/18/4806452/drainage-issues-prompt-pascagoula.html




National News






Senate confirms Gina McCarthy as EPA administrator

Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Updated: July 18, 2013



After fielding an unprecedented number of questions and coming under sharp
attack from several Republicans, Environmental Protection Agency official
Gina McCarthy won Senate confirmation to head the agency in a 59 to 40
vote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/07/18/senate-confirms-gina-mccarthy-as-next-epa-administrator-in-59-to-40-vote/?print=1





Senate Confirms McCarthy as Head of EPA

Move Places Her in Charge of Agency Tackling Obama's Climate-Change Plan

Wall Street Journal


By TENNILLE TRACY

WASHINGTON—The Senate confirmed Gina McCarthy to head the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, voting 59-40 to place her in charge of

the agency pushing through key pieces of President Barack Obama's new

climate-change plan.



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323993804578614102567280028.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5





New EPA chief Gina McCarthy will take on sweeping climate agenda
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
July 18, 2013 04:21 PM EDT


The success or failure of President Barack Obama's climate agenda now rests
squarely on Gina McCarthy's shoulders.


http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/gina-mccarthy-epa-confirmation-94439.html?hp=l4




GOP senator: 'Tolerance' needed for different climate change views
The Hill


By Zack Colman - 07/18/13 11:15 AM ET


Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Thursday that people should be more open
minded to differing opinions on climate change.


http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311987-gop-senator-tolerance-needed-for-different-climate-change-views




White House steps up biofuel support amid escalating attacks
The Hill


By Zack Colman - 07/18/13 01:18 PM ET


The White House on Thursday doubled down on its support of a
biofuel-blending rule that's drawing intense attacks from the oil industry
and lawmakers on Capitol Hill.


http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/312035-white-house-steps-up-biofuel-support-in-face-of-capitol-hill-pressure





Study finds fracking chemicals didn't pollute water: AP
A landmark federal study on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, shows no

evidence that chemicals from the natural gas drilling process moved up to

contaminate drinking water aquifers at a western Pennsylvania drilling

site, the Department of Energy told The Associated Press.



http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57594498/study-finds-fracking-chemicals-didnt-pollute-water-ap/





Walmart, Amazon, most others fail at recycling, group says
Fox News
Published July 19, 2013
Laptopmag.com
advertisement
It's time to get rid of your ancient bulky televisions, printers and VCRs,
and get newer, more space-efficient gadgets. But what do you do with your
old gadgets?
Ideally, you would be able to bring them back to the store where you bought
them and drop them off to be recycled, but as a new report card shows,
there aren't very many retailers in the nation that make that possible or
convenient.
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/07/19/walmart-amazon-stores-fail-at-recycling/?intcmp=features





Opinion





Billions spent in Obama climate plan may be virtually useless, study
suggests
By George Russell
Published July 18, 2013
FoxNews.com

As President Obama last month launched a sweeping new national program to
combat "climate change," including tens of billions of dollars in likely
new subsidies for solar and wind power and bio-energy, a separate,
groundbreaking study by the National Research Council has warned that those
kinds of subsidies are virtually useless at quelling greenhouse gases .
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/18/billions-spent-in-obama-climate-plan-may-be-virtually-useless-study-suggests/?test=latestnews


BP agreed to Deepwater Horizon settlement terms: James Parkerson Roy and

Stephen J. Herman

The Times-Picayune



Contributing Op-Ed columnist



For eighth months, we worked with BP, a host of accountants and other

experts to develop a settlement agreement that would fairly and

transparently compensate families and businesses that might have been

directly or indirectly harmed by the spill.

http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/07/bp_agreed_to_deepwater_horizon.html






Press Releases






United States Reaches an Agreement with XTO Energy to Prevent Waste Spills
from Natural Gas Exploration and Production





WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Justice announced a settlement with XTO Energy Inc., a
subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, to resolve an alleged violation of
the Clean Water Act (CWA) related to the discharge of wastewater from XTO's
Penn Township, Lycoming County, Pa. facility used for the storage of
wastewater generated by natural gas exploration, commonly known as
fracking, and production.

The federal settlement requires that XTO pay a penalty of $100,000 to the
United States and spend a federal government-estimated $20 million on a
comprehensive plan to improve wastewater management practices to recycle,
properly dispose of, and prevent spills of wastewater generated from
natural gas exploration and production activities in Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. Among other things, XTO must install a continuous, remote
monitoring system for all of its permanent production located throughout
Pennsylvania and West Virginia with alarms that will be triggered to alert
operators immediately in the event of any future spills and implement a
program to actively monitor interconnected wastewater storage tanks located
throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The discharge was discovered by the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (PADEP) during an inspection of the Penn Township
facility, where a PADEP inspector observed wastewater spilling from an open
valve from a series of interconnected tanks. At the time, XTO stored
wastewater generated from energy extraction activities conducted throughout
Pennsylvania at its Penn Township facility and, at the time of the release,
stored produced fluid from its operations in the area.

Pollutants from the release were found in a tributary of the Susquehanna
River basin. EPA, in consultation with PADEP, conducted an investigation
and determined that wastewater stored in the tanks at the Penn Township
facility contained the same variety of pollutants, including chlorides,
barium, strontium, and total dissolved solids, that were observed in those
surface waters.

"Today's settlement holds XTO accountable for a previous violation of the
Clean Water Act and requires operational changes and improved management
practices to help ensure the safe and responsible handling of wastewater
produced during natural gas exploration and production activities," said
Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice
Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The Justice
Department is committed to ensuring that our natural resources are
developed in an environmentally responsible manner."

Under the settlement with the United States, the substantial improvements
to XTO's wastewater management are estimated by the federal government to
reduce discharges of total dissolved solids by 264 million pounds over the
course of the next three years. These reductions will occur in large part
because XTO will increase wastewater recycling and will properly dispose of
wastewaters generated by its natural gas activities across the mid-Atlantic
region. In addition XTO will implement a region-wide program of operational
best management practices which include: secondary containment for tanks
used to store wastewater, improved standard operating procedures designed
to reduce the risk of a spill, a prohibition on using pits or open-top
tanks to store wastewater which will prevent air emissions, remote
monitoring of tank volumes to prevent overfilling and spills, and proper
signage on all tanks with safety information and a manned, 24-hour
emergency phone number.

"The operational improvements required by today's settlement will help to
protect precious surface and drinking water resources in Pennsylvania and
West Virginia," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA's
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "EPA continues to push for
responsible development of domestic sources of energy and to insist that
companies play by the rules that protect public health."

"This consent decree establishes a program of best practices that should be
a model for the industry and, if followed, will give a level of assurance
to the people of the Commonwealth that their waters will be protected. This
settlement is in the long-term best interest of the taxpayers, the
industry, and our children," stated Peter J. Smith, U.S. Attorney for the
Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Untreated discharges of wastewaters from natural gas exploration and
production activities typically contain high levels of total dissolved
solids and other pollutants and can adversely impact fresh water aquatic
life and drinking water quality.

The consent decree, lodged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, is
subject to a 30-day public comment period and court approval. The consent
decree is available for review at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html


More information about the settlement:
http://www2.epa.gov/enforcement/xto-energy-inc-settlement

More information about EPA Region III's activities related to natural gas
extraction: http://www.epa.gov/region3/marcellus_shale/





EPA Debuts Upgraded Energy Star Portfolio Manager Benchmarking Tool



WASHINGTON –– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today
announced the release of an upgrade to its popular online energy management
and tracking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The upgraded tool can
help businesses achieve the President's call to make commercial buildings
at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020. The new Energy Star
Portfolio Manager delivers a more user-friendly interface, enhanced data
sharing capabilities, better reporting, and for the first time, the ability
to manage buildings across their lifecycle from design through occupancy.

Tens of thousands of organizations—including school districts, retail
chains, hospital systems, and local governments—currently use Energy Star
Portfolio Manager to measure the energy performance, water use, utility
costs, and greenhouse gas emissions of more than 40 percent of the nation's
commercial building space.

"You can't manage what you don't measure," said Janet McCabe, principal
deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. "The
new 'turbo-charged' Portfolio Manager makes it easier than ever for
building owners and managers to make strategic business decisions that are
good for the environment and good for the bottom line. Consistent with
President Obama's Climate Action Plan, this tool helps businesses cut
wasted energy, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and save money."

The tool will continue to deliver the nearly 150 energy, greenhouse gas
(GHG), and water performance metrics that owners and managers of commercial
buildings use to make strategic management decisions. One of these
metrics—the 1–100 Energy Star score, rates a building's energy efficiency
against similar buildings nationwide. A score of 50 represents median
energy performance, whereas a score of 75 signifies that a building
outperforms 75 percent of its peers. Buildings in the United States that
score a 75 or higher, and have their data verified by a Professional
Engineer or Registered Architect, are eligible to earn EPA's Energy Star
certification.

Energy Star certified buildings use, on average, 35 percent less energy and
generate 35 percent fewer GHG emissions than typical buildings. Studies
have shown that they have lower operating costs, increased asset value, and
higher occupancy rates. Additionally, there are benefits to simply
measuring and tracking a building's energy performance in Portfolio
Manager—a recent EPA study showed that buildings that benchmarked
consistently over a three-year period logged an average energy use
reduction of 2.4 percent each year. For commercial building portfolios with
annual energy bills in the millions of dollars and that emit tens of
thousands of metric tons of GHG emissions each year, these reductions can
be substantial.

Products, homes and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent
greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements
set by the U.S. EPA. In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy
Star, saved $24 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas
emissions equal to those of 50 million vehicles. From the first Energy Star
qualified computer in 1992, the Energy Star label can now be found on
products in more than 65 different categories, with more than 4.5 billion
sold over the past 20 years. Over 1.4 million new homes and 20,000
facilities, including offices, schools, hospitals, and industrial plants,
have earned the Energy Star.

More on Energy Star: http://www.energystar.gov

More on EPA's Energy Star commercial and industrial program:
http://www.energystar.gov/buildings

More on the benefits of benchmarking in Energy Star Portfolio Manager:
http://www.energystar.gov/datatrends

News Clippings 7/18/13

7/18/13



Oil Spill





Public weighs in on early restoration money from BP

WLOX




On Tuesday night 125 people attended the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ) meeting to hear about early restoration
projects and to provide input on early restoration following the BP Oil
spill in 2010.


http://www.wlox.com/story/22859277/gulf-restoration-meeting





Judge will hear BP's bid to halt claims payouts
ASSOCIATED PRESS


NEW ORLEANS -- A federal judge has scheduled a hearing Friday on BP's bid

to temporarily block settlement payments to Gulf Coast businesses and

residents who claim they lost money after the company's 2010 oil spill.

http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/17/4803422/judge-will-hear-bps-bid-to-halt.html





BP Requests Freeze on Spill Payments During Probe

Company Alleges Wrongdoing by Lawyers Handing Payments; Lawyers Dispute
This



Wall Street Journal



By TOM FOWLER

A federal judge in New Orleans will hear arguments Friday over BPPLC's

request to freeze all payments from its oil-spill settlement fund while

former FBI Director Louis Freeh investigates alleged wrongdoing by fund

lawyers.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324448104578611951513752568.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5






Restore Act Money





WEAR





NORTHWEST FLORIDA -- More than three years after the Deepwater Horizon

oil spill, there are still many questions left to be answered.

http://www.weartv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/restore-act-money-33966.shtml






Post-spill, Gulf oil profits lure $16 billion more rigs by 2015

By David Wethe, Bloomberg News


HOUSTON — The deep-water Gulf of Mexico, where operations were curtailed
after the record 2010 BP oil spill, has rebounded to become the fastest
growing offshore market in the world.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-gulf17-20130717,0,3303158.story




State News





MDEQ confirms chemical spill at Hattiesburg wood preservation plant
Hattiesburg American


According to Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Communications

Director Robbie Wilbur, a chemical spill occurred late last month at

Southern Wood Preserving, located at 627 Hood Rd. in the Palmer's Crossing

community.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20130717/NEWS01/130717035/MDEQ-confirms-chemical-spill-Hattiesburg-wood-preservation-plant





County given waste grant
Bolivar Commercial
by Rory Doyle
07.17.13 - 02:34 pm

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality recently awarded
Bolivar County a solid waste assistance grant of $17,286 that will be used
for cleaning up illegal dumps throughout the county.
http://www.bolivarcom.com/view/full_story/23151070/article-County-given-waste-grant?instance=homesecondleft



Hammack has many roles as emergency director


Madison County Journal





On June 1, when hurricane season officially began, emergency management
agencies throughout the South began formulating checklists and preparing
for the unexpected.
http://onlinemadison.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=26906






Tupelo recognized for public works, public safety


Daily Journal


TUPELO – The city was recognized with two excellence awards at the

Mississippi Municipal League conference Wednesday for the its devotion to

public safety and green infrastructure.

http://djournal.com/news/tupelo-recognized-for-public-works-public-safety/





National News





Federal officials move to protect loggerhead turtles' ocean habitats
By ERIKA BOLSTAD — McClatchyWashington Bureau


WASHINGTON -- The federal government moved Wednesday to protect the ocean

habitat of loggerhead turtles, listed since 1978 in some places as an

endangered species because of threats from pollution, injury caused by

fishing gear and loss of nesting beaches.

http://www.sunherald.com/2013/07/17/4803412/federal-officials-move-to-protect.html




Weeks Bay Foundation hopes to protect Alabama's underwater forest

Press Register

July 17, 2013 at 6:05 PM



The Weeks Bay Foundation has launched a campaign to permanently protect

Alabama's underwater forest by creating a marine protected zone around it.

http://blog.al.com/live/2013/07/weeks_bay_foundation_hopes_to.html#incart_river





Exxon secrecy over ruptured pipeline may mask national danger
Bloomberg




The 1940s-era construction process that ExxonMobil said caused an oil pipe
to rupture in Arkansas earlier this year is a common and well-documented
problem the pipeline industry has battled for decades—and one the industry
believes can be detected and controlled with appropriate vigilance.


http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/07/17/exxon-secrecy-over-ruptured-pipeline-may-mask-national-danger/





Interior chief defends 'fracking' rules amid GOP, industry attacks
The Hill


By Ben Geman - 07/17/13 11:41 AM ET


Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, facing fresh GOP criticism, on Wednesday
defended plans to impose new regulations on oil and gas "fracking" on
public lands.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/311651-interior-chief-defends-fracking-rules-as-gop-attacks





Energy panel votes to rein in EPA rules
The Hill


By Ben Goad - 07/17/13 12:54 PM ET


The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted Wednesday to impose tough new
restrictions on the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to enact
costly new regulations.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/311695-energy-panel-votes-to-rein-in-epas-regulating-power-




White House seeks carbon curbs through energy efficiency gains
The Hill


By Ben Geman - 07/18/13 05:24 AM ET


The Obama administration is taking several steps Thursday that officials
say will advance the energy efficiency portion of the White House climate
change plan unveiled in late June.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/311883-white-house-on-three-fronts-seeks-carbon-curbs-through-efficiency-gains




House GOP push repeal of government 'big thumb' biofuel program
The Hill


By Julian Hattem - 07/17/13 06:27 PM ET


A group of House Republicans are urging an end to the federal program that
calls for gasoline to be mixed with renewable biofuel like ethanol.
http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/311825-house-gop-push-repeal-of-government-big-thumb-biofuel-program






EPA headquarters named for Bill Clinton

LA Times



By Michael A. Memoli


July 17, 2013, 1:12 p.m.



WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency's Washington headquarters
now carries the name of former President Clinton, who acknowledged
Wednesday that the honor could have gone instead to his vice president, Al
Gore, who is perhaps best known for his work on climate change.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-epa-headquarters-bill-clinton-20130717,0,6235161.story




Green-Energy Mandates Find Improbable Allies
Wall Street Journal


Conservatives fighting against alternative-energy mandates—which they see

as unwarranted and costly market interference—are losing ground even in

some Republican-controlled states, where legislatures are standing behind

policies that force electric utilities to buy renewable energy.



Some of the most vocal support for the policies is coming from an unlikely

corner: farmers who see profit in rural renewable-energy projects.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324260204578584262604997312.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5




Iowa governor expresses concern over proposed EPA rules
Published July 17, 2013
Associated Press

DES MOINES – Environmental groups pushing the federal government to take
over enforcement of Clean Water Act regulations in Iowa said Tuesday that
Gov. Terry Branstad is lobbying on behalf of agriculture groups, ignoring
the environmental damage being done to rivers and streams by manure spills
and farm runoff.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/17/iowa-governor-expresses-concern-over-proposed-epa-rules/print#ixzz2ZP8VlVIo





Opinion





Chaotic times for Mississippi Power's Kemper County plant


Clarion Ledger


Jeff Ayres


If the old adage that the journey is just as interesting as the destination

is true, then the start of operations of Mississippi Power's lignite-coal

power plant in Kemper County could be downright anticlimactic.

http://blogs.clarionledger.com/theprofitmargin/2013/07/17/chaotic-times-for-mississippi-powers-kemper-county-plant/