Latest Mississippi River Delta News: March 28, 2013

Research shows Caernarvon Diversion aids area fisheries
By Todd Masson, The Times-Picayune. March 26, 2013.
“If a giant meteor hurtled through our atmosphere and landed squarely on the Caernarvon Diversion, entirely clogging the outfall canal, there’s a group of anglers who wouldn’t shed a single tear. In fact, they may be praying for just such a thing at this very moment…” (Read more)

Caernarvon Diversion moving fish and killing marsh, anglers say
By Todd Masson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). March 26, 2013.
“Construction of the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion was completed in 1991 at a cost of $26.1 million, with Louisiana picking up 25 percent of the tab. A growing chorus of anglers is saying the state got ripped off…” (Read more)

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority approves $767.3 million annual plan for 2014
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. March 27, 2013.
“The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority on Wednesday unanimously approved a $767.3 million annual plan for coastal restoration and flood protection that calls for spending $640.3 million on 117 projects during the 2014 fiscal year. The plan will be submitted to the Legislature for final approval in a few weeks…” (Read more)

Dramatic flood insurance increases could force residents to flee the coast, restoration officials say
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. March 27, 2013.
“The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority was a study in stark contrast Wednesday in Morgan City, with the group approving more than $760 million in projects designed to protect coastal residents, while officials from FEMA and coastal communities described impending federal flood insurance increases that could force those very residents to flee the coast…” (Read more)

Halliburton calls BP’s request for sanctions ‘a mid-trial sideshow’ in BP oil spill trial filing
By Richard Thompson, The Times-Picayune. March 27, 2013.
“Responding to a BP motion asking a federal judge to sanction Halliburton for not turning over potentially damaging evidence in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill trial, Halliburton on Tuesday accused BP of “finger pointing” and looking to “create a mid-trial sideshow to divert attention away from its own egregious acts and omissions” that led to its Macondo well blowout and one of the largest oil spills in the nation’s history…” (Read more)

Waterway, port investments are vital to Louisiana and the nation: Bill Shuster
By Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa) for The Times-Picayune. March 27, 2013.
“From energy production to seafood, from deep-draft shipping to inland barging, Louisiana is a leader in the American economy, and much of that bounty is transported on our nation’s waterways. By volume, Louisiana’s ports are the busiest in the United States. For that reason, the state’s vast network of waterways is vital to the rest of the nation…” (Read more)

Louisiana’s coastal communities face similar dilemmas as working waterfronts across nation
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune. March 27, 2013.
“TACOMA, Wash. – While Louisiana’s coastal communities continue to be driven inland by storm surge from natural disasters, other working waterfront communities across the country often are confronted with coastal economic development and land grabs for valued waterfront real estate…” (Read more)

BP Trial Documents and Court Staff Birthdays
Brian Huddleston. March 27, 2013.
“Today is Day 19 of the BP Trial, which will probably end up being one of the biggest, if not the biggest, environmental law cases ever. Its flying pretty much under the radar nationally, but is in the daily news here in New Orleans…” (Read more)