Latest Mississippi River Delta news: Aug. 14, 2013

Levee board’s suit moved to federal court
By The Associated Press. Aug. 13, 2013.
“NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans-area levee authority’s lawsuit against dozens of oil and gas companies was transferred Tuesday from state to federal court at the request of one of the companies, but the move may be temporary…” (read more).

Coal exporter, state detail pact on river diversion
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge). Aug. 14, 2013.
“A proposed coal export terminal on the lower Mississippi River has environmental and community groups questioning the state’s commitment to coastal restoration while state officials say they’ve found a way for the facility’s permit to continue while moving forward with a river diversion on the same property…” (read more).

BP oil spill cleanup: US says the coast is nearly clear. Is it? (+video)
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor. Aug. 14, 2013.
“With about 100 miles of coastline remaining to clean up following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill three years ago, the states most impacted by the disaster say it is too soon to stop, because the environmental damage is ongoing…” (read more).

BP: Halliburton’s expected guilty plea undermines Gulf spill arguments
By Harry Weber, FuelFix. Aug. 13, 2013.
“BP said Tuesday that Halliburton’s admission it destroyed evidence after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill undermines key claims by the U.S. government in a civil trial over the disaster…” (read more).

Wine Island may be wiped off map
By Nikki Buskey, The Houma Courier (Houma, La.). Aug. 14, 2013.
“Terrebonne’s Wine Island may soon be wiped off the map…” (read more).

Federal sequester limits coastal restoration payouts
By Jordan Blum, The Advocate (Baton Rouge). Aug. 13, 2013.
“WASHINGTON — The ongoing federal budget stalemate that led to the so-called “sequester” also could affect more than $1 billion in anticipated coastal restoration funds for Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states…” (read more).

BP Sues EPA to Get New Contracts
By Tom Fowler, The Wall Street Journal (New York). Aug. 13, 2013.
“BP PLC has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying the agency is abusing its discretion by continuing to bar the company from new government contracts following guilty pleas related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill…” (read more).

Major green groups keeping mum on flood authority lawsuit opposed by Jindal
By Bob Marshall, The Lens (New Orleans). Aug. 13, 2013.
“With three of the nation’s largest environmental groups working out of local offices to help save Louisiana’s drowning coast, it seemed only a matter of time before they voiced support for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East’s lawsuit against oil and gas companies for damages to the region’s wetlands…” (read more).

New Orleans shows striking potential, persistent problems, 8 years after Hurricane Katrina, economic report says
By Mark Waller, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). Aug. 14, 2013.
“With the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina impending, the New Orleans area is showing encouraging signs that it might be pulling off a rare reversal of a once-entrenched economic decline, but some weaknesses persist, concludes the latest check on the region’s economic health by the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center…” (read more).

Louisiana Wetlands: Why We All Need Them, And Why Oil Companies Aren’t The Only Ones On The Hot Seat
By Kelli Barrett, Ecosystem Marketplace. Aug. 12,2013.
“Author John Barry is best known for his eminently readable accounts of scientific advances, while humorist Harry Shearer is best known for his improve and voice acting skills. Barry, however, is also vice president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East, (SLFPAE)…” (read more).

BP fine money affected by budget cuts
By WEAR (Pensacola, Fla.). Aug. 13, 2013.
“PENSACOLA BEACH — Some of the fine money coming to the gulf coast from the oil spill in 2010 is getting tied up by federal budget cuts. Transocean was fined $1 billion for its role in the disaster…. and violations of the Clean Water Act. The Restore Act guarantees that 80 percent of that fine money be directed to the five gulf coast states affected by the spill…” (read more).

BP whines some more about how rough life is
By John Upton, Grist. Aug. 13, 2013.
“BP killed 11 workers when the Deepwater Horizon rig blew up, and then it obstructed government investigators. That’s not editorializing — the company pled guilty to manslaughter and obstruction charges. Since you can’t imprison a corporation, it was punished in other ways. One of those punishments was a temporary ban on getting new federal contracts…” (read more).

Gulf Shrimpers Taste Victory
By William Mauldin, The Wall Street Journal. Aug. 13, 2013.
“American shrimpers got a boost Tuesday from a U.S. ruling that could lead to duties being slapped on imports from five major producing countries, including China…” (read more).

Warmer temperatures drive swamp rats out of the marshes and into new environments
By The Daily Climate, Mother Nature Network. Aug. 13, 2013.
“As fans of “Duck Dynasty” can attest, hunting for nutria – big, water-loving rodents with bright orange front teeth – is hugely popular in Louisiana. This might not be exclusive to the bayou for long. As winters warm, nutria could migrate across the country, according to new research…” (read more).

Live blog Wednesday: Flood Protection Authority appears before legislators
By Bob Marshall, The Lens (New Orleans). Aug. 13, 2013.
“Two members of the local Flood Protection Authority will appear Wednesday before a joint meeting of state House and Senate committees to discuss its lawsuit against oil and gas companies…” (read more).

Sick Of The Deepwater Horizon Disaster, BP Gets Aggressive With Lawsuits
By Rebecca Leber, Think Progress. Aug. 14, 2013.
“BP has dropped any pretense of playing nice over the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history with a lawsuit filed Tuesday to reopen federal oil and gas leases…” (read more).