Vol. 15 Issue 10 December 2018
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Newsletter
MDEQ Announces Tool to Help Identify Historic Environmentally Concerned Sites

MDEQ is proud to announce the launch of the new, searchable Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Uncontrolled Sites (UCSS) webpage and the new, improved Underground Storage Tank (UST) searchable database. This new online map provides a geographical representation of the registered UST facilities and the CERCLA and UCSS sites in Mississippi. 

MDEQ has historically maintained a list with GPS coordinates for all known or suspected contaminated sites in Mississippi (the State of Mississippi CERCLA and Uncontrolled Sites file list) along with data for all the registered UST and leaking UST sites. The new webpage allows the user to search for these sites in and around their projects and to identify any potential environmental concerns for re-development activities.

The new search tool can be accessed at this link , on the GARD Homepage under CERCLA/UCSS File List or on the UST Homepage under UST Database Search . We are excited to provide this new service to our customers, and we anticipate a wide range of use for this application. 



 
MIP Amendment #3 and 2018 MSEP Amendment Available for Public Review and Input
The projects announced at the Restoration Summit are included in two plans now available for public review and comment through January 18, 2019:


The MIP is a list of projects and programs proposed for funding under Bucket 1 of the RESTORE Act.


The MSEP is a list of projects and programs proposed for funding under Bucket 3 of the RESTORE Act.

To view the documents and to learn how to provide input, please visit www.restore.ms .
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Tips for a "Green" Holiday Season
MDEQ encourages Mississippians to remember the environment this holiday season through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices to “green up” the holiday season. According to EPA, the amount of household trash increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and the New Year. MDEQ recommends considering the several “green” practices during the holiday season that can be found here .
Restoration Project Update - RESTORE Project to Improve Water Quality
Water quality is a concern across Mississippi’s coastal counties and was highlighted as a priority restoration objective by coastal stakeholders. Common threats and stressors to Mississippi coastal waters include urban development, failing wastewater and sewer infrastructure, and sedimentation which impact ecological function and decrease water quality moving into the Mississippi Sound. Water quality entering the Sound can be improved with projects that upgrade, repair, and replace wastewater infrastructure at its source.  Read more .
EPA Hazardous Waste Updates
Hazardous Waste Report
E PA has posted the most recently reported hazardous waste data online. These data are submitted by certain generators and treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) nationwide about their hazardous waste generation and management activities every other year. The data cover activities performed in 2017 and show that the generation of hazardous waste in the U.S. in 2017 was 33.6 million tons, an increase of about three million tons, or nine percent, from 2015 to 2017. 
With an increase in generation comes an increase in the quantity of hazardous waste that was recycled in 2017. Approximately 1.2 million tons, a 50 percent increase from 2015, of hazardous wastes were recycled. The hazardous waste data can be accessed in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Info Web database here.

Airbag Disposal
EPA issued an interim final rule in response to the urgent public health issue posed by recalled Takata airbag inflators still installed in vehicles. With this rule, EPA is facilitating a more expedited removal of defective Takata airbag inflators from vehicles by dealerships, salvage yards and other locations for safe and environmentally sound disposal by exempting the collection of airbag waste from hazardous waste requirements so long as certain conditions are met.
This interim final rule has been published in the Federal Register and was effective on November 30, 2018. EPA is also seeking comment on this rule on or before January 29, 2019. Find out more here .

EPA Streamlines Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Regulations for Healthcare Sector
EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a final rule streamlining standards for managing hazardous waste pharmaceuticals in the healthcare sector. The final rule is expected to result in up to $15 million in costs savings annually. Read more .
Stream Capture
By David T. Dockery III, RPG, and Barbara Yassin

Stream capture, also known as river capture, river piracy, or stream piracy, is a geomorphological phenomenon where a stream is diverted from its own bed to flow down the bed of a neighboring stream.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Best Wishes for 2019 from Executive Director Gary Rikard and the staff of MDEQ!

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