It Figures

$4.6 Million

The amount spent by federal and state agencies in Mississippi to help people recover from this spring’s tornadoes, floods and severe storms. Of that total, more than $3.5 million has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency for housing and other needs. The federal Small Business Administration has approved $1.1 million in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits.

$1.6 Billion

The cost to BP of oil spill damages as of June 13. The oil giant said 51,000 damages claims had been submitted and that more than 26,500 payments, worth over $62 million, had been made. The $1.6 billion includes only $60 million of $360 million the oil major has committed to building barrier islands off the Louisiana coast.

21

The number of lives proponents say will be saved because Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation requiring adults riding in pickup trucks to wear seat belts. Federal and state officials have estimated changing the law will also prevent 300 injuries each year. Supporters estimate it could save $30 million in hospital costs each year. Georgia already requires minors to wear seat belts and adults to wear them in all vehicles except pickups.

$5,000

The fine handed out by the state Board of Medicine to a South Florida surgeon who performed a gallbladder operation but took out a healthy kidney by mistake wasn’t inept or careless. The board said Bernard Zaragoza is a good doctor, but he had bad luck.

29

The total number of safety violations found at Massey Energy Co.’s Tiller No. 1 mine in Virginia. A Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission judge ruled that 10 of the 29 violations weren’t serious, dropping the total below the threshold of 25 needed to establish a pattern that would allow stricter regulation. MSHA wanted to classify Tiller No. 1 as its first persistent violator. Massey said the decision shows why there’s an appellate process.