Vol. 16 Issue 9 October 2019
News from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Mississippi Restoration Summit Nov. 12

The Mississippi Restoration Summit will take place on November 12 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi. The event offers the public an opportunity to learn about current and planned restoration activities along with the announcement of new projects for 2019. The event is open to the public and free to attend with no registration required. Access the agenda here .
MDEQ Invitation for Bids for Hancock County Marsh Living Shoreline Project Phase 5

MDEQ is seeking sealed bids for construction of the MDEQ – Hancock County Marsh Living Shoreline Project: Phase 5. This project is being jointly solicited by MDEQ and the Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission (HCPHC). MDEQ’s participation in this work is part of the Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment prepared by the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Trustees in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The project includes the construction of approximately 46 acres of salt marsh in Heron Bay and includes dredging activities as part of the HCPHC’s Dredging Program to maintain maritime access to Port Bienville Industrial Park and Stennis Space Center. Find out more and how to obtain a copy of the contract documents for the project here .
MDEQ Lifts HAB Water Contact Warnings
  
On October 4, MDEQ lifted the water contact warnings that had been in place at all beach sampling stations due to the presence of a blue-green Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB). The results of toxicity testing done by the agency for HAB were all below the EPA guidelines of 8 parts per billion for microcystin toxin. Read More
Mississippi's FEMA Risk MAP and Flood Mapping Program Quarterly Update

To provide information to Mississippi county, local community officials and other potential stakeholders on the status of ongoing FEMA Risk MAP & Flood Mapping Program projects, the MDEQ Office of Geology provides quarterly updates. To read the update issued October 7, click here .

Volkswagen Trust Beneficiary Mitigation Plan Update

Mississippi has finalized and submitted the Volkswagen Trust Beneficiary Mitigation Plan to the trust manager. A copy of the Plan can be found here . Mississippi is currently developing the Application Package for the program, and it is expected to be released soon. 

For more information, please contact Elliott Bickerstaff. 
New NPDES Applications Coming Soon

As part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program update finalized February 12, 2019, EPA has modernized the NPDES applications forms to match the new regulations and clarified requirements. Applications will be more consistent in style and allow additional flexibility in reapplication testing. MDEQ is required to adopt these forms by June 12, 2020, and has created a state specific NPDES form for Small Domestic facilities discharging treated wastewater to a water of the state. Read More and FAQs
MDEQ Helps Sponsor Upcoming Recycling Events for Electronics and Glass

MDEQ is partnering with area organizations to sponsor recycling opportunities for discarded electronics and container glass on Friday, November 15, at the Mississippi Farmers Market at 929 High Street in Jackson from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. November 15 is also America Recycles Day promoting the importance of recycling for the environment and the nation’s economy. 

The biennial electronics recycling event is an ongoing partnership with the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, Magnolia Data Solutions, Keep Jackson Beautiful, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, the City of Jackson and the Mississippi Recycling Coalition. The electronics recycling event invites businesses and private residents in the Jackson Metro to bring their discarded electronics for recycling. Electronics is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the U.S. and disposal of these items often presents challenges with environmental and data security issues.  

MDEQ is also co-sponsoring a recycling event for container glass with Door 2 Door Recycling, the Mississippi Magnolia Chapter of SWANA, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, the Mississippi Recycling Coalition, and the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership. The event will accept beverage and food container glass for recycling from residents in the Central Mississippi area. Container glass is a challenging material to recycle and has to be shipped to recycling facilities out of state for processing, consequently special recycling events such as this effort provide an opportunity for people to recycle. While the event targets residential container glass, any business interested in participating should contact Jennifer Milner or Lynn Bradshaw to discuss potential arrangements for business glass collection.  More information here .
e-Manifest FY 2020-2021 User Fees

EPA has announced the new e-Manifest user fees for federal Fiscal Years 2020-2021. These user fees are set based on the manifest usage and processing costs for each manifest type. EPA encourages the hazardous waste industry to adopt fully electronic manifesting as soon as possible so that industry members can take maximum advantage of the benefits and cost savings. Although this is a federally administered effort, questions regarding the state’s adoption of e-Manifest requirements may be addressed to Krista Caron , the Hazardous Waste Branch Manager at MDEQ. 
Managing Your Hazardous Waste: A Guide for Small Businesses

EPA recently updated the handbook that provides an overview of the federal hazardous waste regulations and helps small-business owners and operators understand how best to comply with federal hazardous waste management regulations. It was updated in October 2019 to incorporate new requirements from the 2016 Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule, the 2018 e-Manifest Rule, the 2019 Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule, and other recent rulemakings.
MRC Annual Fall Recycling Conference

 The Mississippi Recycling Coalition's (MRC) annual fall recycling conference will be held October 29 and 30 in Oxford. Registration details are available on the MRC website .
School Recycling Grants Available

The Mississippi Recycling Coalition is offering grants to schools to support new or expanding recycling programs. There are $500 and $1,000 grants available to public and private K-12 schools in Mississippi. The deadline for submitting applications is November 15. Find out more and how to apply here . 
Scholarships Available

For the 2019-2020 academic year, the Mississippi Recycling Coalition and the Mississippi Beverage Association are offering up to ten $1,000 scholarships to undergraduate students currently enrolled in Mississippi public and private colleges and universities and majoring in areas related to the environmental sciences. The application date is November 1. Read More 
Mississippi Urban Forestry Council Conference

The Mississippi Urban Forestry Council's annual conference will take place November 7 and 8 in New Albany. This year's theme is "Making and Sustaining Livable Communities." MDEQ is a sponsor of the event, and the agency's Coen Perrott will be a presenter on November 7. More information and an agenda can be found here .
Photo of the Month

MDEQ's Field Services Division recently outfitted an existing boat with new fish shocking equipment. Partially funded by an EPA grant, the new equipment is more efficient and safer for staff. This equipment stuns fish so they can be gathered and their tissue analyzed by MDEQ’s Laboratory for contaminant levels that
could be harmful to people that consume fish from the state’s waters. A list of fish advisories can be found here .