Judge hits temp brakes on HB 1020

JACKSON, Miss. - Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas has temporarily put the brakes on a section of recently enacted bill (HB 1020) that would expand law enforcement in the state's capital city. Thomas issued the temporary restraining order on H.B. 1020, less than two weeks after it was signed into law Gov. Tate Reeves. The order will be in place at least until he holds a hearing on the motions on May 10. The chancery court challenge was filed April 24 by the ACLU, Center for Justice and on behalf of three Jackson residents. "This court makes no findings that plaintiffs are entitled to relief," Judge Thomas wrote. "Instead, this court specifically finds that it is unable to determine the likelihood of success on the merits without a full hearing,” he wrote on the order, published May 4. HB 1020 calls on the chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court to appoint four judges to the Seventh District Circuit by May 8. The judges, under the statute, would serve nearly a full 4-year term in office, according to court records. (Source: WLBT 05/04/23) Judge issues temporary restraining order blocking implementation of H.B. 1020 (wlox.com)

EPA's 'Good Neighbor' plan on hold

A 3-judge U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals' interim decision has put the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to cut ozone-causing air pollution in 23 states, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, on hold. The revised EPA “Good Neighbor Plan” filed in the Federal Register on March 15 is aimed at reducing emissions in 23 states that cross state lines and contribute to the formation of smog, the brown haze that includes ozone-causing chemicals and smoke. The opinion concluded that the “action” taken by EPA under its state implementation plan denial announcement was a separate decision for each state, and thus not a national action warranting transfer to the D.C. Circuit Court. (NOLA.com 05/03/23) 5th Circuit blocks EPA cuts of ozone crossing state lines | Environment | nola.com

Yazoo flood plan update

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency have reached a preferred approach to solve persistent flooding in the Yazoo (Miss.) Backwater Area, officials announced May 4. The agencies' announcement marks the first physical results following months of collaboration among interagency groups, officials said. The duo is scheduled to hold community engagement sessions May 4-5 to begin sharing details of the “Yazoo Backwater Area Water Management Plan.” The May 4 event was to be held in Onward at the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. There will be two sessions at the Corps of Engineers' Vicksburg District Office on Clay Street. Each session would begin with an overview of the recommended approach. The preferred approach to water management in the Yazoo Backwater Area will include the installation and operation of pumping stations, according to the agencies' media release. (Clarion Ledger 05/04/23) Army Corps, EPA hold meetings on Yazoo MS flood mitigation plan (clarionledger.com) 

UPDATE: Final Yazoo Backwater flood plan meeting in Vicksburg. Restults. Details shared with community about new Yazoo Backwater pump plan (wapt.com)

DoD regional contract May 4

A&M Engineering and Environmental Services Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma (W912BV-23-D-0013); LRS-Hill JV LLC., Severna Park, Maryland (W912BV-23-D-0014): and MSMM Huitt-Zollars JV LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana (W912BV-23-D-0015), will compete for each order of the $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide the full spectrum of construction phase architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 3, 2028. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. (DoD 05/04/23)

DoD regional contract May 3

Delta Land Services LLC, Port Allen, Louisiana, was awarded a $10,101,000 firm-fixed-price contract for bottomland hardwood mitigation credits. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 2, 2024. Fiscal 2023 Bipartisan Budget Act 2018 (PL 115-123) Emergency Supplemental funds in the amount of $10,101,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. (DoD 05/03/23)

Background: Bottomland hardwoods (BLH) are basically wet, floodplain forests that are subject to regular seasonal flooding events. 

Aspire 2023 adds new MS counties

JACKSON, Miss. - Building on the success of previous Aspire Mississippi classes since 2016, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), in partnership with Mississippi State University’s Stennis Institute, has launched new cohorts for Aspire Mississippi 2023. Representative teams from five counties - Amite, Bolivar, Hinds, Pearl River and Union - will be participants in this year’s program. Aspire designed to assist locals in efforts to support vital projects to spur economic and community development within their regions.

Aspire Mississippi is a partnership to build on the success of previous classes, according to MDA Executive Director Laura Hipp. "(W)e can provide the tools and resources necessary for these teams to identify and drive sustainable projects forward," she said. 

Aspire is an annual team-based development program to aid 4-to-6 communities address specific opportunities leading to economic progress. Each of the counties has already participated in a Challenge Briefing/Team Development meeting in their community. Future meetings will feature a Vision-to-Action Workshop, a training session with regional allies to tailor projects throughout the year. 

The teams will meet for the Economic/Community Development Symposium in September in Jackson. The end game for the 2023 program is to have a Results & Learning Celebration in each community to issue project reports, benchmarks and milestones achieved. (Mighty Mississippi 05/02/23) Five counties to participate in Aspire Mississippi 2023 | Mighty Mississippi

MIEEP energy grant applications

The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is accepting grant applications for the 2023 Mississippi Industrial Energy Efficiency Program (MIEEP), which is made possible through some $500K state program funds from the U.S. Department of Energy. MIEEP assists industrial manufacturers with making energy-efficiency upgrades to their facilities that helps reduce energy consumption and operating costs. Grant awards are offered up to 50% of total project costs, with the award not to exceed $50K. The minimum grant award is $15K. Projects that have been implemented through MIEEP have resulted in improved working conditions for about 3,000 employees across a wide variety of manufacturers. Eligible applicants are for-profit state businesses engaged in industrial/ manufacturing processes. The deadline to apply for MIEEP funding is at 5 p.m. (CT) on July 14. An energy audit analysis must be submitted with the application. MDA offers assistance to help offset the costs of that audit. The Funding Opportunity Announcement/grant application can be found at https://mississippi.org/community-resources/office-energy/. For more info, contact MDA’s Energy & Natural Resources Division at (601) 359-9402 or energysmartms@mississippi.org.  (MDA 05/02/23) Industrial Energy Efficiency Grant applications accepted | DeSoto County News

NOLA's AC1 Kline SE's SoY

Hailing from NAS JRB NEW ORLEANS, AC1 Mary Cline is Commander, Navy Region Southeast's Sailor of the Year (SoY). Cline is one of four region nominees who will compete for CNIC's Enterprise Sailor of the Year during a ceremony May 6 at the National Museum on board the Washington Navy Yard. (NAS JRB New Orleans 05/02/23) (4) Commander, Navy Installations Command | Washington D.C. DC | Facebook

HII declares quarterly dividend

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - HII announced May 2 that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.24 per share, payable on June 9 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 26, 2023. (HII 05/02/23) 

USNA quarters re-named Farragut

During the U.S. Naval Academy's (USNA) 2023 Alumni Leadership Forum, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced April 29 that the formerly named Buchanan House, the official quarters of the academy’s superintendent, has been renamed the Farragut House. This renaming honors Union Navy Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, a Civil War hero, and who became a vice admiral (a rank created for him by President Lincoln) in 1864. In 1866, by Congressional Act, he was commissioned admiral, the first officer in the Navy to hold that rank. Being the son of a Spanish immigrant, Farragut is also the first Hispanic American naval officer to hold these ranks. The admiral was born in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1801. Farragut was best known for his Vicksburg, Miss., campaign and at the Battle of Mobile (Ala) Bay - "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." At age nine, he was appointed a midshipman and saw his first sea service aboard frigate Essex in 1811.  

The naming decision came about through the congressionally-mandated Naming Commission that outlined several military assets that were required to be renamed due to Confederacy ties. 

The superintendent's quarters was named the Buchanan House in 1976 after the Naval Academy’s first superintendent, then-Cmdr. Franklin Buchanan. Buchanan was an officer in the United States Navy who became the only full admiral in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. He also commanded the ironclad CSS Virginia. (US Navy 05/02/23) SECNAV Renames United States Naval Academy Superintendent’s Quarters after Admiral Farragut > United States Navy > display-pressreleases

OSHA may fine firm up to $200K

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. - Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators may wind up fining the W.S. Red Hancock firm of Bentonia nearly $200K for violations that led to a 2022 deadly explosion in Madison County. That blast killed one and injured six other workers at a saltwater disposal site last July. The cause had not previously been reported, but OSHA investigators have determined the workers were welding pipes to connect two saltwater disposal tanks to install a catwalk. That welding ignited a flammable substance either inside the tank or around it, which led to the explosion. The federal agency's investigation shows seven violations of agency standards, five of which could lead to fines against the company. OSHA’s investigation remains open, meaning some of these fines could be dismissed or others added. The most egregious fine revolved around the failure to clean those tanks of flammable substances or filling them with water before welding. That fine could cost W.S. Red Hancock Inc. more than $156,000. The company is contesting the fines. (WLBT 05/02/23) Exclusive: OSHA could levy hefty fines against Bentonia company following deadly Madison County explosion (wlbt.com)

4 Miss. RESTORE project grants

JACKSON, Miss. - The U.S. Treasury Department has issued nearly $14M in grant awards for four Mississippi RESTORE projects aimed at supporting workforce development and infrastructure. The funding will go toward revitalizing the Hancock County Fairgrounds, boosting safety and security at the Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, support the growth of tech companies at the Hancock County Technology Park and funds for a workforce development project between Pearl River Community College (PRCC) and the National Oceans and Applications Research Center (NOARC). 

More specific details on the 4 projects at Four South Mississippi projects receive almost $14M in RESTORE Act funds (wlox.com)

The projects are part of Mississippi’s Multiyear Implementation Plan (MIP), which included six projects (including these 4) and four modifications to existing projects totaling $37.57M. The projects were recommendations made to the governor by the Governor’s Gulf Coast Advisory Committee in continued response to recovery from the BP Oil Spill. (WLOX 05/02/23

Bollinger to refit largest NOAA ship

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Bollinger Shipyards has begun fabrication at its newly- acquired Mississippi repair facility, Bollinger Mississippi Repair (BMR), in preparation to refit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship Ronald H. Brown, the largest ship in NOAA’s fleet. The overhaul is expected to extend the life of the vessel, first launched in 1996, an additional 15 years. Work is scheduled to be completed by August 2024. The Ronald H. Brown is a global class vessel supporting scientific research to increase the understanding of climate and the ocean, according to NOAA. The refit of the 27-year-old ship will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss. During the modification, the propulsion system will largely be replaced with more environmentally friendly diesel generators. To perform the work, 100+ jobs will be created at BMR, where the company will be looking to hire Pipefitters, Pipe Welders, Shipfitters, Ship Welders, Riggers, Scaffold Builders and other production support positions. Additional positions needed to be filled for continued repair work on semi-submersible rigs and marine vessels on drydock and at the wet dock. The ship is named to honor the late Ronald H. Brown, the first African American to serve as Secretary of Commerce. 

Bollinger Shipyards LLC is a designer and builder of military patrol boats and salvage and research vessels, ocean-going double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards. Bollinger has 14 shipyards located in Louisiana and Mississippi. It is the largest vessel repair company in the Gulf of Mexico region. (Bollinger 05/01/23) 

MS port authority meets May 25

The Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) board of commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on May 25 at the Port’s Administrative Office on the 14th floor of the Hancock Bank Plaza, located at 2510 14th Street in Gulfport. V0isit the Calendar of Events page for the most up-to-date information. Board meetings are open to the public. (MSPA 05/01/23) 

View minutes of previous 2023 monthly meetings at Commission Meeting Minutes | Port of Gulfport, Mississippi (shipmspa.com)

HII's Overstreet joins Austal

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA announced May 2 that Adam Overstreet has joined the firm as VP of legal affairs and chief compliance officer. In that role, Overstreet will manage a broad spectrum of legal issues, including employment and labor law matters, commercial transactions, and litigation. As the company’s CCO, Overstreet will oversee and strengthen the execution of compliance activities throughout the organization. Overstreet joins Austal USA with over 20 years of legal experience. Serving most recently as HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding Division’s senior counsel at Pascagoula, Miss., he supervised internal investigations for Ingalls and managed the litigation docket for its Mission Technologies Division. Overstreet earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama. (Austal USA 05/03/23) 

MSU nominates Grawe to lead CoB

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State Provost and Executive VP David Shaw announced May 1 that Scott J. Grawe will join the university July 1 as the dean of the College of Business. Grawe, a supply chain management expert, is an Iowa State University tenured professor in the College of Business (CoB) and interim director of ISU’s Study Abroad Center. Grawe also has leadership experience in the private sector with Target Corporation and Polaris Industries. Grawe did undergraduate studies in finance at ISU before earning an MBA with a concentration in supply chain management from the University of Minnesota. His Ph.D. in supply chain management and marketing is from the University of Oklahoma. Grawe's appointment is pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees' State Institutions of Higher Learning. If okayed, he would succeed Dean Sharon Oswald, who is retiring this summer.  05/01/23) Grawe named dean of MSU’s College of Business | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

DoD: Nat'l small business week

The Department of Defense (DoD) joins with its interagency partners and the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) in celebrating National Small Business Week, April 30 - May 6. The occasion provides DoD the opportunity to acknowledge the major contributions small businesses make to the national defense supply chain. (05/02/23) DoD Celebrates National Small Business Week > U.S. Department of Defense > Release

C-I expands at Port Fourchon

C-Innovation LLC (C-I), an affiliate of Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), has expanded into a new facility at Port Fourchon, La., providing an additional dock facility for subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) and riserless light well intervention (RLWI) services. The second facility offers vessel loading, project system integration testing (SIT), mobilization and demobilization services for the subsea market. The facility provides 24/7 operations. “The new facility serves as a hub for executing all of our subsea projects,” Jean Paul Guidry, C-I's shore base operations manager, said in a statement announcing the expansion. The new Port Fourchon facility is designed to deliver comprehensive solutions for both subsea IMR and RLWI services on multiple vessels simultaneously. (Work Boat 05/01/23)

Bad grades: 138 La. water systems

More than 67% of Louisiana’s more than 950 water systems rated an A or B in the state’s first set of ratings, released May 1, in accordance with a law passed in 2021. 

Some 15% of water systems (138) received D or F grades, according to the data. The ratings are based on numerous factors - such as financial sustainability, infrastructure quality, operation and maintenance - including if the system has violated state or federal water quality standards. They are compiled based on 2022 data from the Louisiana Department of Health. 

Getting a low grade does not necessarily mean the water is unsafe to drink, according to LDH’s website. But it should cause locals to reflect on whether the system should be combined with other systems, said Sen. Fred Mills (R-Parks), who authored the bill establishing the grading system. Preliminary grades for the water systems were released in January. 

The largest of the 130 in the preliminary grades, Jefferson Parish Water Works Dist. 2, which serves the West Bank, earned an A in the final grades, after initially getting a D. 

Other large water systems in south Louisiana received passing grades. All of East Baton Rouge systems got an A or B. New Orleans’ East Bank (C) and West Bank (B). 

HOW'D YOUR WATER SYSTEM RATE? How does your water system score? See here | Environment | nola.com

About 5% of Louisiana residents live in a district that was rated with a D or F. Many of those are small and serve rural parishes. More than 50% of the residents in rural Sabine Parish, in the state's NW, live in failing systems, the data shows. (NOLA.com 05/01/23) 138 Louisiana water systems get failing grades | Environment | nola.com

CG to discuss illegal charters

DESTIN, Fla. - The Coast Guard and its task force are slated to hold a media briefing May 3 at CG Station Destin to bring awareness to the risks of illegal Gulf Coast fishing charters. The task force is comprised of 10 agencies from Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. They will be discussing issues such as how to identify illegal charter operators, consequences of operating an illegal charter and safe practices for chartering vessels. Capt. Ulysses S. Mullins, commander of GC Sector Mobile, Ala., will provide remarks on the task force's efforts to identify and halt illegal charter operations. (Coast Guard 05/01/23) Other participants will be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Marine Resources Division, and Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.