News Clippings 2.22.17

State

 

PES implements composting to reduce cafeteria waste

WTOK

Philadelphia Elementary students are learning how to compost.

http://www.wtok.com/content/news/PES-implements-composting-to-reduce-cafeteria-waste-414376593.html

 

Landfill company fields questions about County Line Road proposal

WLBT

JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -A Canton based company is making another attempt at putting a landfill on County Line Road in Ridgeland.

http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/34563995/landfill-company-fields-questions-about-county-line-road-proposal

 

2 meetings held about proposed landfill in Ridgeland

WJTV

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) — A proposal for a new landfill is on the table in Ridgeland.

http://wjtv.com/2017/02/21/2-meetings-held-about-proposed-landfill-in-ridgeland/

 

Keep DeSoto County Beautiful wins national award

DeSoto Times-Tribune

A national award recently bestowed upon DeSoto County gives new meaning to the phrase that "one person's trash is another's treasure."

http://www.desototimes.com/news/keep-desoto-county-beautiful-wins-national-award/article_d4e71ef8-f84b-11e6-8c49-63075d6b7279.html

 

'One Lake' bill moves forward; fed money, approval pending

Clarion Ledger

A bill to help move the "One Lake" project forward passed the House overwhelmingly on Tuesday, but the flood control reservoir idea discussed and planned for decades still needs more federal approval and money.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/21/one-lake-bill/98214952/

 

CHRISTY NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF YMD

Leland Progress

Don Christy has been named the new Executive Director of the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Joint Water Management District (YMD). Christy, a Jackson native, has over 25 years experience working with water use policy, water quality, and water availability and supply. He holds an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi; a Masters degree in Conservation Ecology from the University of Georgia; and a Doctorate in Ecology from the University of Georgia.  Both his master’s and doctoral research focused on water resources policy.

In his new role, Christy will pull from his experience as the Chief of Staff at the regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Atlanta, and his work assisting the Mississippi Legislature and Georgia General Assembly on environmental protection and water resource management policy issues.

“I believe water use is going to remain a most significant challenge for years to come,” said Christy. “There are opportunities to make an impact and address some challenges through conservation and irrigation efficiency and other means. I want to be part of that equation, and work with partners like DEQ, USGS, ARS, MSU, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Delta Council, Delta F.A.R.M., and Farm Bureau to come up with options for dealing with these challenges.”

The 17 counties that make up the YMD are Humphreys, Holmes, Tate,  Carroll, Desoto, Panola, Issaquena, Yazoo, Sharkey, Tunica, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Coahoma, Leflore, Washington, Sunflower and Bolivar. 

 

CMR debates restoration of oyster industry

WLOX

MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) -Mississippi's oyster industry is in a re-building phase. The Commission on Marine Resources agrees on that. But there is much debate on choosing the best strategy to restore the resource.

http://www.wlox.com/story/34562772/cmr-debates-restoration-of-oyster-industry

 

Jackson water outage upcoming; emergency declared

Clarion Ledger

Some Jackson residents are facing an upcoming water outage, putting the city's infrastructure woes under a spotlight.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/02/21/jackson-water-outage-upcoming-emergency-declared/97998104/

 

Chemical reaction causes Biloxi library to be evacuated

Sun Herald

BILOXI 

The Margaret Sherry Library on Popp’s Ferry Road was evacuated briefly as a precaution after waste in a garbage truck created a chemical reaction during a stop Tuesday.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/harrison-county/article134056359.html

 

Bryant forced to make more emergency budget cuts

Clarion Ledger

Gov. Phil Bryant announced Tuesday he's again forced to make emergency mid-year cuts to the state budget and dip into the state's rainy day fund, the fifth such cut for most state agencies in less than two years, with more cuts on the horizon from the Legislature for the coming year.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/21/bryant-forced-cut-budget-again/98199496/

 

STATE AGENCIES ABSORB ANOTHER ROUND OF BUDGET CUTS

MPB

State agencies in Mississippi are trying to figure out how to absorb another round of budget cuts. Legislators aren't surprised by the shortfall.

http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2017/02/22/state-agencies-absorb-another-round-of-budget-cuts/

 

Oil Spill

 

Shrimp association to received Deepwater Horizon fund money

Houston Chronicle

The Texas Shrimp Association is in line to receive $300,000 from a fund set aside to restore the Texas coast following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, officials with the organization said in a release.

http://www.chron.com/local/article/Shrimp-association-to-received-Deepwater-Horizon-10949397.php

 

Regional

 

From restaurants to reefs: recycling discarded oyster shells

AP

ON LAKE ATHANASIO, LA. 

If you slurp oysters from the half-shell in New Orleans, you may be doing more than satisfying a culinary craving: You could be helping to construct reefs that environmental groups hope will save a bit of Louisiana’s coastline.

http://www.sunherald.com/latest-news/article134029644.html

 

Red Tide Hurting Local Fishing Industry

WWSB

SARAOTA, Fla. (WWSB)--Red tide continues to linger in Suncoast waters and it's doing more than ruining a day at the beach. Local fishermen, both commercial and recreational, say the algae is hurting profits and creating an image problem for fresh-caught seafood.

http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/red-tide-hurting-local-fishing-industry/article_8a6d28a4-f891-11e6-924e-4f1dd042b813.html

 

Boone Dam Update: TVA stepping up underground monitoring, some employees furloughed

WJHL

Boone Lake (WJHL)  —   The Tennessee Valley Authority is ramping up its efforts to understand what’s going on underground at Boone Dam.

http://wjhl.com/2017/02/21/boone-dam-update-tva-stepping-up-underground-monitoring-some-employees-furloughed/

 

Investigation continues into TVA accident

Leaf-Chronicle

CUMBERLAND CITY, Tenn. — TVA officials continue to investigate why a coal storage silo collapsed last Friday at the Cumberland Fossil Plant, spilling tons of coal into the surrounding area.

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/news/local/stewart-houston/news/2017/02/21/investigation-continues-into-tva-accident/98207170/

 

National

 

Scott Pruitt Signals Dramatic Shift in EPA Priorities

In speech before employees, the new chief emphasized giving business certainty about rules

WSJ

WASHINGTON—In his first speech as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt stressed a dramatic change of priorities at the agency, stating the importance of the agency’s communication and relationship with businesses but giving few details about policy changes.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/scott-pruitt-signals-dramatic-shift-in-epa-priorities-1487708036?mod=wsj_streaming_stream

 

Pruitt to EPA employees: ‘We don’t have to choose’ between jobs and the environment

Washington Post

In his first full work day as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt made clear Tuesday that he intends to step back from what he sees as the agency’s regulatory overreach during the Obama administration.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/21/pruitt-to-epa-employees-we-dont-have-to-choose-between-jobs-and-the-environment/?utm_term=.ad48ef480151

 

EPA's Pruitt urges officials to avoid regulatory 'abuses' in first speech to staff

Fox News

The new head of the EPA set a decidedly more pro-business tone for the agency Tuesday during his first remarks to rank-and-file employees, promoting a balance between protecting the environment and the economy -- and warning officials to "avoid" regulatory "abuses."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/21/epas-pruitt-urges-officials-to-avoid-regulatory-abuses-in-first-speech-to-staff.html

 

EPA head's emails with energy companies to be released

AP

The Oklahoma attorney general's office said Tuesday it is complying with a judge's order to surrender documents related to new Environmental Protection Agency leader Scott Pruitt's communications with energy companies while he served as the state's attorney general.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/epa-heads-emails-energy-companies-released-45643494

Trump to roll back Obama’s climate, water rules through executive action

Washington Post

President Trump is preparing executive orders aimed at curtailing Obama-era policies on climate and water pollution, according to individuals briefed on the measures.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/20/trump-to-roll-back-obamas-climate-water-rules-through-executive-action/?utm_term=.f62ff9724e19

 

Trump seeks to quell ethanol industry worry as Pruitt enters EPA

Reuters

President Donald Trump on Tuesday assured ethanol industry advocates of their importance in U.S. energy strategy in an apparent bid to quell concerns over potential changes to policies that mandate the use of such renewable fuels.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-ethanol-idUSKBN1602T8

 

Auto Makers Ask EPA’s Pruitt to Reverse Fuel-Economy, Emissions Decision

Companies seek to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s pledge to roll back regulations

WSJ

Auto makers asked the Environmental Protection Agency to undo the Obama administration’s decision to lock in future stringent fuel-economy and emissions standards, as the companies seek to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s pledge to roll back regulations.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/auto-makers-ask-epas-pruitt-to-reverse-fuel-economy-emissions-decision-1487738674

 

New regs for Wednesday: Nutrition, beds, air pollution

The Hill

Air pollution: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying new air pollution rules.

The EPA proposed air pollution emissions standards for publicly owned treatment works in December, but is now extending the comment period to give the public more time to consider the changes. The delay does not seem to be related to President Trump’s regulatory moratorium.

The public now has until March 29 to comment.

http://thehill.com/regulation/320415-new-regs-for-wednesday-nutrition-beds-air-pollution

 

News Clippings 2/21/17

State

Firecrews battle blaze at Vicksburg's Tyson Chicken Plant

WLBT

WARREN COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -Fire crews are on the scene of a blaze at a Warren County plant.

http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/34535977/firecrews-battle-blaze-at-vicksburgs-tyson-chicken-plant

 

The sputtering energy economy: Can it be revved up?

Mississippi Today

Not that long ago, energy was forecast as a cornerstone of Mississippi’s economy.

In his first state-of-the-state speech, newly elected Gov. Phil Bryant called the state “a leader in the energy economy.”

http://mississippitoday.org/2017/02/20/the-sputtering-energy-economy-can-it-be-revved-up/

 

KEMPER PLANT STILL AT A STANDSTILL

WCBI

KEMPER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- There’s no new details with Kemper County Power Plant.

http://www.wcbi.com/video-kemper-plant-still-standstill/

 

PUTTING A HALT TO ILLEGAL DUMPING

WCBI

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-People have been throwing trash away in places they’re not supposed to.

http://www.wcbi.com/video-putting-halt-illegal-dumping-2/

 

COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY

WCBI

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI)- One northeast Mississippi community is getting serious about the age-old slogan “Keep America Beautiful.”

http://www.wcbi.com/video-community-clean-day/

 

Adams County curbside recyling to end on April 1

Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Adams County Supervisors plan to discontinue curbside recycling effective April 1, but hope to offer residents recycling bins at the two convenience stations.

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2017/02/19/adams-county-curbside-recyling-to-end-on-april-1/

 

Wildwood lagoon now complete

Picayune Item

Residents of the Wildwood Subdivision got a chance to see what their monthly bill is contributing to Thursday afternoon.

http://www.picayuneitem.com/2017/02/wildwood-lagoon-now-complete/

 

Public works dept. to stay public

Mayor drops privatization of department

Enterprise-Journal

McComb Mayor Whitney Rawlings said this morning that he had decided not to pursue the privatization of the city’s public works department.

http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_9cde6008-f534-11e6-b072-732fed4251e5.html

 

County may hire consultant for possible courthouse project

Meridian Star

With the possibility of the Lauderdale County Courthouse being moved to the old Village Fair Mall site on 22nd Avenue, county supervisors are looking at hiring a consultant to help with the possible relocation. 

The board of supervisors discussed contracting with Jere "Trey" Hess, the director of Brownfield and Economic Development with PPM Consultants, during Thursday's work session.

http://www.meridianstar.com/news/local_news/county-may-hire-consultant-for-possible-courthouse-project/article_1a459ac6-e42e-5806-9117-113d743a1dac.html

 

Here’s why big bird nests are popping up in Pascagoula

Sun Herald

PASCAGOULA 

Osprey like to nest on top of tall poles or in the tops of dead trees along the coastline and up the rivers.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/jackson-county/article133939889.html

 

Three acres will be a world of change for wildlife rescue center

Sun Herald

HURLEY 

Right now it’s wide open spaces, but when Alison Sharpe walks the property, she sees an education center and huge, federally approved flight cages for birds of prey, especially eagles.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/jackson-county/article133615649.html

 

Should the tagging of deer and turkey be required?

NewsMS

A bill that would require all white-tailed deer and wild turkey to be tagged has passed the state House and is on its way to the Senate.

http://newsms.fm/should-the-tagging-of-deer-and-turkey-be-required/

 

Oil Spill

 

Judge OKs $1.24 billion Halliburton, Transocean settlement from Gulf oil spill; lawyers get 10%

Times-Picayune

A federal judge this week approved two settlements involving punitive damages for private claimants in the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Halliburton and Transocean came to terms in June 2016 with a $1.24 billion payout, and U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier made the arrangement official Wednesday (Feb. 15).

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2017/02/judge_oks_124_billion_hallibur.html#incart_river_index

 

Regional

 

Permit for Louisiana's first sediment diversion to take at least two-plus years, but that’s fast

The Advocate

When the news broke that Louisiana would have to wait at least 2½ years to get federal permits for a critical sediment diversion, many people in the coastal restoration community were shocked.

http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/environment/article_7ab8cd1c-f49c-11e6-9325-8317f0b04233.html

 

Alabama has the biggest dam problem in the U.S.

Montgomery Advertiser

Ursula Powers walked by her kitchen window when she saw "a wall of water" surge through the trees.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/community/2017/02/17/alabama-has-biggest-dam-problem-us/97945728/

 

Alabama releases red snapper statistics

AP

Alabama wildlife officials say the federal government is still overestimating the amount of red snapper caught in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article133701989.html

 

National

 

Scott Pruitt Confirmed as EPA Chief by the Senate

Move could lead to a rollback of Obama-era climate and environmental regulations

WSJ

WASHINGTON—The Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt on Friday to be President Donald Trump’s administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, a move that kicks off in earnest Mr. Trump’s push to roll back Obama-era climate and environmental regulations.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-set-to-confirm-scott-pruitt-as-epa-chief-1487348089

 

Scott Pruitt, longtime adversary of EPA, confirmed to lead the agency

Washington Post

Scott Pruitt woke up Friday morning as Oklahoma’s attorney general, a post he had used for six years to repeatedly sue the Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to regulate mercury, smog and other forms of pollution. By day’s end, he had been sworn in as the agency’s new leader, setting off a struggle over what the EPA will become in the Trump era.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/17/scott-pruitt-long-time-adversary-of-epa-confirmed-to-lead-the-agency/?utm_term=.6972a7275b6c

 

Pruitt confirmation sets stage for Trump EPA assault

The Hill

With his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in place, the stage is set for President Trump to begin his long-promised overhaul of the agency. 

 

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/320176-pruitt-confirmation-sets-stage-for-trump-epa-assault

 

How The EPA Became A Victim Of Its Own Success

NPR

The Environmental Protection Agency has a pretty simple mission in principle: to protect human health and the environment. It's a popular purpose too. Nearly three out of four U.S. adults believe the country "should do whatever it takes to protect the environment," according to a 2016 survey by the Pew Research Center.

Political support for the EPA, though, is less effusive.

http://www.npr.org/2017/02/17/515748401/how-the-epa-became-a-victim-of-its-own-success

 

New U.S. environmental agency chief to address staff amid fears of cuts

Reuters

The new head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, will address workers at the government body for the first time on Tuesday amid widespread expectations he intends to cut staff, budgets and climate change programs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-epa-idUSKBN1601Q3

 

Mich. DEQ chief: ‘Vapor intrusion’ poses health threat

Detroit News

Lansing — A “significant public health threat” is brewing in Michigan because of chemical vapors that percolate up from the ground of former industrial or commercial sites and can leak into nearby homes, Department of Environmental Quality Director Heidi Grether said.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/02/16/mich-deq-chief-vapor-intrusion-poses-health-threat/98020512/

 

Thousands of spills at US oil and gas fracking sites

BBC

Up to 16% of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells spill liquids every year, according to new research from US scientists.

They found that there had been 6,600 releases from these fracked wells over a ten-year period in four states.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39032748

 

Pa. links natural gas fracking with series of tiny quakes

AP

Pennsylvania environmental regulators have found a likely correlation between a natural gas company's fracking operation and a series of tiny earthquakes in western Pennsylvania last year.

http://www.fox29.com/news/236723982-story

 

Scientists, environmental activists protest in Boston against threat to science

AP

BOSTON –  Hundreds of scientists, environmental advocates and their supporters held a rally in Boston on Sunday to protest what they see as increasing threats to science and research in the U.S.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/02/20/scientists-environmental-activists-protest-in-boston-against-threat-to-science.html

 

Wet winter has improved Colorado River basin's water forecast, but the drought endures

LA Times

California is not the only place in the West confronting startling amounts of rain and snow.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-colorado-river-20170217-story.html

 

Food industry leaders: 'Sell by' date labels contributing to food waste

KSFY

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KSFY) -- How much stock do you put into that ‘sell-by’ label or ‘best by’ date at the grocery store?

http://www.wtok.com/content/news?article=414204633

 

Opinion

 

Scott Pruitt’s Back-to-Basics Agenda for the EPA

The new administrator plans to follow his statutory mandate—clean air and water—and to respect states’ rights.

WSJ

By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL

Republican presidents tend to nominate one of two types of administrator to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The first is the centrist—think Christie Todd Whitman (2001-03)—who might be equally at home in a Democratic administration. The other is the fierce conservative—think Anne Gorsuch (1981-83)—who views the agency in a hostile light.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/scott-pruitts-back-to-basics-agenda-for-the-epa-1487375872

 

The rebellion at the EPA is far from over

NY Post

Despite an unprecedented revolt by the agency’s employees, Scott Pruitt was confirmed Friday to head the Environmental Protection Agency. But that’ll hardly be the end of the rebellion.

http://nypost.com/2017/02/17/the-rebellion-at-the-epa-is-far-from-over/

 

Nashville's 'quiet revolution' to fight climate change

The Tennessean

Something historic is underfoot in Metro Nashville, and it would be a shame if it got lost in the news stampede coming out of Washington. To people who care about climate change, or to people who simply live on planet Earth, a small committee of environmentally conscious people may have just sparked a quiet revolution.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2017/02/19/nashvilles-quiet-revolution-fight-climate-change/98126500/

 

BILL CRAWFORD: Of shortfalls, cuts, contrasting oversight, reverse repealers

Daily Journal

Our Legislature faces deteriorating finances as they move to fund state government for next fiscal year.

http://djournal.com/opinion/bill-crawford-shortfalls-cuts-contrasting-oversight-reverse-repealers/

 

Press Releases

Scott Pruitt Confirmed and Sworn in as EPA Administrator

WASHINGTON--Today, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt was confirmed and sworn in as the 14th administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Administrator Pruitt believes promoting and protecting a strong and healthy environment is one of the lifeblood priorities of the government, and EPA is a vital part of that mission.

Pruitt became a national leader through a career of advocating to keep power in the hands of hardworking Americans. He has a proven record of working with industry, farmers, ranchers, landowners, small business owners and others to protect our natural resources.

As a dedicated civil servant, Pruitt created policies that serve the people. He strongly believes environmental law, policy, and progress are all based on cooperation among the states, cooperation between the states and EPA, and cooperation between regulators and the public.

As Administrator, Mr. Pruitt will lead EPA in a way that our future generations inherit a better and healthier environment while advancing America’s economic interests. He is committed to working with the thousands of dedicated public servants at EPA who have devoted their careers to helping realize this shared vision, while faithfully administering environmental laws.

Most recently, Administrator Pruitt served as the Attorney General for Oklahoma. He worked with his Democratic counterpart in Arkansas to reach agreement to study the water quality of the Illinois River that crosses between the two states and has been enjoyed by generations of Oklahomans and Arkansans. The Statement of Joint Principles provided for a best science study using EPA-approved methods, with both states agreeing, for the first time, to be bound by the outcome.

During his tenure as Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Mr. Pruitt led an historic water rights settlement between the State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations that preserved the ecosystems of scenic lakes and rivers on native lands. The agreement, which required Congressional approval, was signed into law on December 2016.

The Law provides a framework that fosters intergovernmental collaboration on significant water resource concerns while protecting existing water rights and affirming the State’s role in water rights permitting and administration. Water settlement cases can be lengthy, costly, divisive and disruptive, however under Pruitt’s forward thinking leadership the process was hailed by all parties as one of commitment, hard work, perseverance and cooperation.

As Attorney General for Oklahoma, he also led the State’s legal challenges against property rights intrusion while protecting Oklahoma’s natural resources and environment.

Administrator Pruitt is recognized as a national leader in the cause to restore the proper balance between the states and federal government, and established common sense regulations that are fair and provide relief where needed. Before being elected attorney general, he served eight years in the Oklahoma State Senate where he was a leading voice for fiscal responsibility.

After earning his Bachelor’s Degree from Georgetown College and graduating from the University of Tulsa law school, Pruitt went into private legal practice, specializing in Constitutional Law.

In addition to his life as a civil servant, Administrator Pruitt is a successful entrepreneur. As a co-owner and managing general partner of Oklahoma City’s Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, Mr. Pruitt took over the team’s marketing operations and helped the team become one of the league’s leaders in attendance and merchandise sales.

Scott Pruitt is, first and foremost, a family man. Scott and Marlyn, his wife of 27 years, proudly raised their daughter, McKenna, and son, Cade, in Tulsa. Scott has made it a priority to pass on to his children the same principled, family values with which he was raised.

To see Administrator Pruitt’s biography, visit:  https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epas-administrator

 

News Clippings 2/17/17

State

 

DEQ finds violations at man camp site

Enterprise-Journal

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has notified the owner of an unoccupied workforce housing site of alleged violations of erosion control regulations.

http://www.enterprise-journal.com/news/article_df55416e-f46b-11e6-b885-770c7721bc24.html

 

Miss. Recycling Coalition announces school grant award recipients

WTVA

JACKSON, Miss. (WTV)-- The Mississippi Recycling Coalition, or MRC, announced the award of five Mississippi School Recycling Grants for the 2016-2017 School Year to schools in Batesville, Guntown, New Albany, Philadelphia, and Lauderdale County, Mississippi. 

http://www.wtva.com/story/34525779/miss-recycling-coalition-announces-school-grant-award-recipients

 

USDA/NRCS Soil Health Initiative in Mississippi

WTVA

JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA)--The United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Science, NRCS, has established a statewide Soil Health Initiative that focuses on building soil health and productivity. 

http://www.wtva.com/story/34527474/usdanrcs-soil-health-initiative-in-mississippi

 

Sustainable farmers urge lawmakers to rethink 'burdensome' rules

Mississippi Today

Beth Simmons, who co-owns Nature's Gourmet Farm in Petal with her husband, said she believes agriculture regulations in Mississippi tend to favor industrial farms over smaller, sustainable farms like hers.

http://mississippitoday.org/2017/02/16/sustainable-farmers-urge-lawmakers-to-rethink-burdensome-rules/

 

Gov. Bryant named as Honorary Chairman by Mossy Oak

NewsMS

Mossy Oak has launched an initiative that has named Governor Phil Bryant as the State of Mississippi's Honorary Chairman of Sportsmen Organized for Law Enforcement (S.O.L.E.). 

http://newsms.fm/gov-bryant-named-as-honorary-chairman-by-mossy-oak/

 

Oxford's Richard Howorth elected TVA chair

Oxford Eagle

Former Oxford mayor and Square Books owner Richard Howorth has been elected chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/02/16/oxfords-richard-howorth-elected-tva-chair/

 

Turkey season forecast mixed

Clarion Ledger

Strong turkey hatches in parts of the state should offer hunters improved opportunities and if the warm weather continues, expect a lot of gobbling early in the season.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2017/02/17/turkey-season-forecast-mixed/97985988/

 

RESERVOIR IMPROVEMENTS

Northside Sun

 

Reservoir officials are looking into improving the Madison Landing site.

During the parks policy committee meeting on February 13, officials accepted a $60,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

http://northsidesun.com/news/reservoir-improvements#sthash.pshwjf7N.dpbs

 

 

Continental hires Miss. companies for 30 percent of work

Clarion Ledger

A Jackson engineering firm will receive a portion of the engineering design and program management contract for the new Continental Tire plant in Hinds County.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/02/16/continental-hires-miss-companies-30-percent-work/97992616/

 

Toyota donates $750K to Mississippi museums

Clarion Ledger

Toyota officials announced a donation $750,000 Thursday to the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, both under construction in downtown Jackson.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2017/02/16/toyota-donates-to-mississippi-museums/97992330/

 

LEGISLATORS JUGGLING STATE NEEDS AND SHORTFALLS

MPB

Mississippi's budget woes continue to keep legislators juggling the needs of the state with shortfalls in tax revenues. There's some growth but not enough.

http://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/2017/02/17/budget-woes-keeps-legislators-juggling-state-needs-and-shortfalls/

 

13 things you need to know about the state economy

Clarion Ledger

Mississippi lawmakers, as they get down to brass tacks on a roughly $6 billion state budget, on Thursday received their "Legislative Economic Briefing" from State Economist Darrin Webb and Deputy Treasurer Jesse Graham.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/16/state-economic-briefing/97993092/

 

Bishop James L. Black leads with conviction

WLOX

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -Bishop James L. Black of Biloxi was active in the Boy Scouts, and served in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine.

http://www.wlox.com/story/34526194/bishop-james-l-black-leads-with-conviction

 

Oil Spill

Coast senators will be closely watching this BP bill

Sun Herald

Coast senators said they will be closely watching a Senate bill that deals with BP money as it heads to the House.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article133216914.html

 

It is rocket science and it's here at Stennis and Infinity

Sun Herald

HANCOCK COUNTY 

NASA's Stennis Space Center is already on a mission to Mars and Infinity Science Center lets visitors build a hurricane — and the directors at both centers want to do more.

http://www.sunherald.com/news/business/technology/article133069544.html

 

Regional

Toxic sites in Louisiana: 15 of the state's most polluted places

Times-Picayune

 troubling history with humans

Louisiana has a history of man-made environmental disasters, from the worsening "dead sea" off the Gulf of Mexico to the high-profile BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. But many incidents of damage fly under the radar. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, however, keeps a priority list of toxic sites as part of its "Superfund" program.

 

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2017/02/pollution_louisiana_27_epa_sup.html#incart_river_index

 

Late night earthquakes shake parts of Alabama

WTVA

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WTVA) -- Two late night earthquake have shaken parts of Tuscaloosa County in Alabama.

http://www.wtva.com/story/34529817/early-morning-earthquakes-shake-parts-of-alabama

 

National

 

Senate on track to confirm Scott Pruitt as EPA administrator

AP

WASHINGTON 

Senate Republicans are poised to use their majority to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite calls from Democrats for a delay.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article133303384.html

 

Judge: EPA nominee Pruitt must provide records of meetings

AP

OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma judge Thursday ordered state Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, to turn over documents related to Pruitt's communications with coal, oil and natural gas corporations that an advocacy group has sought for more than two years.

http://www.startribune.com/judge-oklahoma-ag-must-provide-records-sought-for-2-years/414007003/

 

E.P.A. Workers Try to Block Pruitt in Show of Defiance

NY Times

WASHINGTON — Employees of the Environmental Protection Agency have been calling their senators to urge them to vote on Friday against the confirmation of Scott Pruitt, President Trump's contentious nominee to run the agency, a remarkable display of activism and defiance that presages turbulent times ahead for the E.P.A.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-agency.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fearth&action=click&contentCollection=earth&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

 

The EPA's social-media accounts have been silent since the inauguration

Washington Post

Nearly a month after the presidential inauguration — and after being subject to temporary media blackout shortly thereafter — the Environmental Protection Agency has remained silent on social media, even while other federal agencies have gone on communicating as usual. In fact, the agency has posted nothing on its official Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts since Jan. 19, the day before President Trump was sworn into office.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/16/the-epas-social-media-accounts-have-been-silent-since-the-inauguration/?utm_term=.c290b0ec37e5

 

Trump signs bill undoing Obama coal mining rule

The Hill

President Trump on Thursday signed legislation ending a key Obama administration coal mining rule. 

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/319938-trump-signs-bill-undoing-obama-coal-mining-rule

 

Scientists have just detected a major change to the Earth's oceans linked to a warming climate

Washington Post

A large research synthesis, published in one of the world's most influential scientific journals, has detected a decline in the amount of dissolved oxygen in oceans around the world — a long-predicted result of climate change that could have severe consequences for marine organisms if it continues.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/15/its-official-the-oceans-are-losing-oxygen-posing-growing-threats-to-marine-life/

 

Arizona Plant Poses First Test of Donald Trump's Support for Coal Sector

Navajo Nation president appeals to White House to save facility from shutdown

WSJ

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump's promise to help the coal industry could be facing its first big test: the decision earlier this week to close a large Arizona coal-burning power plant, and a demand that Mr. Trump prevent that shutdown.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/arizona-plant-poses-first-test-of-donald-trumps-support-for-coal-sector-1487287788

 

Energy Companies Face Crude Reality: Better to Leave It in the Ground

High costs, low prices and tough new environmental rules forcing companies to cancel plans to produce oil

WSJ

A new era of low crude prices and stricter regulations on climate change is pushing energy companies and resource-rich governments to confront the possibility that some fossil-fuel resources are likely to be left in the ground.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/energy-companies-face-crude-reality-better-to-leave-it-in-the-ground-1487327406

 

North Dakota, feds address garbage left at pipeline protest camp

AP

BISMARCK, N.D. – Federal and state officials announced plans Wednesday to accelerate cleanup at a camp in southern North Dakota that has housed hundreds and sometimes thousands of Dakota Access pipeline opponents.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/feb/15/north-dakota-feds-address-garbage-left-at-pipeline/

 

Pennsylvania to release probe results on quakes, fracking

AP

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania environmental regulators are set to release the findings of their investigation into a series of minor earthquakes that took place near fracking operations by an oil and gas company.

http://abc27.com/2017/02/17/pennsylvania-to-release-probe-results-on-quakes-fracking/

 

Opinion

 

Don't Wimp Out on Climate

If Trump doesn't dump the Paris accord, his economic agenda is in jeopardy.

WSJ

By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL

President Trump will soon turn his attention to another major campaign promise—rolling back the Obama climate agenda—and according to one quoted administration source his executive orders on that topic will "suck the air out of the room." That's good, but only if Team Trump finishes the job by casting into that vacuum the Paris climate accord.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/dont-wimp-out-on-climate-1487290672

 

Press Releases

USDA/NRCS Soil Health Initiative in Mississippi

 

Jackson, Miss. – The United States Department of Agriculture / Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS), has established a statewide Soil Health Initiative that

focuses on building soil health and productivity. Mississippi cropland and pastureland

are eligible for this initiative. Applications received by March 17, 2017 will be

considered in the first ranking period.

 

This Soil Health Initiative will assist to improve the visibility, accessibility and participation

in soil health programs and technical services under the Environmental Quality Incentive

Program (EQIP). EQIP programs help to reduce the carbon footprint, increase water

infiltration and improve wildlife habitat, all while helping farmers realize better crop yields.

 

"As the world population grows, so does the demand for food production," stated Kurt Readus,

NRCS State Conservationist in Mississippi.  "A growing number of farmers are using soil

health management systems to improve the health and functions of their soil."

 

More farmers are increasing their soil's organic matter and improving microbial activity

by practicing good soil health principles.  The top resource concerns in Mississippi are

associated with water quality the soil health initiative helps to address sediment & nutrient

reduction, soil quality, water quality, and water supply.  Farmers are addressing these

concerns by practicing diverse crop rotation by planting diverse species and reducing tillage.

 

"We recognize the growing interest in soil health management," stated Readus.

"For this initiative, we hope to see more implementation of conservation practices that

support soil health."

 

Landowners interested in participating in the Soil Health Initiative may apply at their local

USDA Service Center / NRCS office. NRCS financial-assistance programs offer a continuous

sign-up; however, applications received by March 17, 2017, will be considered in the first ranking period.

 

To locate the nearest NRCS office: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app.