Latest Mississippi River Delta news: May 9, 2013

05.09.2013 | In Latest News, Uncategorized

Historic study to find out what the Mississippi River really carries to help coastal restoration
By Bob Marshall, The Lens. May 8, 2013.
“If there’s one underlying assumption that’s been used to justify the $50 billion cost of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan, it’s this: We actually have a chance to prevent southeast Louisiana from drowning in the Gulf because the Mississippi River carries the mud and sand necessary to keep pace with sea-level rise.

“Turns out that assumption was a best guess…” (read more)

Louisiana levee plan concerns Mississippi leaders
By the Associated Press. May 9, 2013.
“JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Republican Sen. Thad Cochran has proposed amendments to a federal water resources bill to protect coastal areas from flooding or storm surge threats that might result from a new flood control proposal for Louisiana…” (read more)

River to reach flood stage in Vicksburg
By Greg Hilburn, The News Star. May 9, 2013.
“The mighty Mississippi River, already bobbing above flood stage at Natchez, Miss., will reach flood stage Sunday at Vicksburg, Miss…” (read more)

La. officials hope to form coalition with other communities impacted by flood insurance law
By Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune. May 8, 2013.
“WASHINGTON — Government leaders from across South Louisiana are looking to form a coalition with other coastal communities impacted by higher federal flood insurance rates to prod Congress and the Obama administration to take make changes. The Louisiana group continued meetings Wednesday with lawmakers and Obama administration officials to push their case…” (read more)

Senator continues with threat to shutter snapper season
By Jeremy Alford, The Daily Comet. May 8, 2013.
“BATON ROUGE — The drive by a state senator to outlaw the possession of Gulf red snapper for recreational and commercial fishermen as well as everyone else in Louisiana cleared its first hurdle Wednesday, and the debate now heads to the full Senate…” (read more)

BP figure’s lawyer may have conflict of interest
By Harry R. Weber, The Houston Chronicle. May 8, 2013.
“Federal prosecutors say an attorney for a former BP executive charged with lying to Congress about how much oil was flowing after BP’s Gulf of Mexico well blew out in 2010 may have a conflict of interest that could prevent him from representing his client…” (read more)

Outside the Walls: People living outside new levees fight for their own protection
By John Snell, Fox 8 WVUE-TV (New Orleans). May 8, 2013.
“LaPlace, La. – On the 7th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, August 29, 2012, LaPlace woke up to a new reality. 72 hours of tropical storm force winds drove Lake Pontchartrain into neighborhoods that had never before flooded…” (read more)

Researchers find oil impacts in developing fish
By Nikki Buskey, Houma Today. May 8, 2013.
“Scientists have found abnormalities in the embryos of a small, abundant marsh fish exposed to sediments from oiled marshes along Louisiana’s coast…” (read more)

Sandy Eco-Restoration Gets $1 Billion+ in Federal Grants
By Environmental News Service. May 8, 2013.
“WASHINGTON, DC, May 8, 2013 (ENS) – The Department of the Interior is releasing $475.25 million in emergency Hurricane Sandy disaster relief appropriations to 234 projects that will repair and rebuild parks, refuges and other Interior assets damaged by the storm…” (read more)

DOJ’s Top Environmental Lawyer to Step Down
By Jenna Greene, The Blog of LegalTimes. May 8, 2013.
“After an action-packed tenure that included litigating the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Ignacia Moreno, the head of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, announced today she is stepping down June 7…” (read more)

What were lessons of the BP oil spill?
By The Jacksonville Daily News. May 8, 2013.
“It has been three years since the explosion of BP’s Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. The deadly disaster, which began April 20, 2010, claimed 11 workers’ lives and touched off a devastating months-long oil spill in the Gulf…” (read more)

La. officials concerned about flood insurance changes
By Jordan Blum, The Advocate. May 8, 2013.
“WASHINGTON — Many thousands of southern Louisiana residents could see their flood insurance rates “skyrocket” starting as soon as October without federal and congressional action, a group of parish presidents and business leaders warned Wednesday…” (read more)