Latest Mississippi River Delta news: October 3, 2012

Corps approves $2.9 billion MR-GO restoration plan, but demands state pay 35 percent of cost
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Oct. 2, 2012.
“The chief of the Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday approved a $2.9 billion plan to restore wetlands destroyed by construction of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet. But the corps continues to demand that Louisiana pay 35 percent of the construction costs, or $975 million, which the state is loath to do…” (Read more)

Corps backs project near Gulf outlet
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). Oct. 3, 2012.
“In an “unusual step,” a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report released Tuesday recommends construction of coastal restoration work near the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet once a nonfederal cost-share sponsor has been found…” (Read more)

MRGO plan AOK IMHO
By Len Bahr, LaCoastPost.com. Oct. 3, 2012.
“Mark Schleifstein reported in today’s The Times-Picayune and Amy Wold reported in The Advocate that the Corps of Engineers signed off yesterday on a $2.9 billion long-debated plan to repair some of the damage caused by constructing the ill-conceived Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MR-GO). The problem is that the State of Louisiana would have to cough up 35% of the bill, or about $1 billion to complete the three-tier plan…” (Read more)

Sen. David Vitter takes aim at BP, Coast Guard over Gulf oil spill cleanup
By Richard Thompson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Oct. 2, 2012.
“U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., alleged Tuesday that BP is “actively trying to walk away” from its obligations to clean up the Gulf oil spill, and that the Coast Guard is not doing enough to hold the British oil giant responsible…” (Read more)

Lawmakers fear BP fine money won’t go to Gulf Coast
By Ledyard King, Gannett. Oct. 2, 2012.
“WASHINGTON — Gulf Coast lawmakers spent nearly two years laboring to pass legislation that would make sure their states received most of the fine money BP will pay for the 2010 oil spill.

Now they fear their constituents might be shortchanged…” (Read more)

Isaac triggers criticism of levee system
By Jessica Meyers, Politico. Oct. 3, 2012.
“It’s always the levees.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, ruptured levees gave lawmakers a bully pulpit for all things wrong with the country’s infrastructure priorities…” (Read more)

Louisiana Coal Hubs Ignite Human Health and Coastal Restoration Concerns
By Susan Buchanan, Huffington Post. Oct. 2, 2012.
“In Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish, tensions are rising over coal export terminals that provide jobs but also threaten human health and could interfere with coastal restoration…” (Read more)

Hurricane Isaac work continues in Plaquemines Parish, damage tallied
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Oct. 2, 2012.
“Hurricane Isaac’s damage to eastern Plaquemines Parish continues to be tallied, with the parish recently determining that 334 homes and 151 mobile homes on the east bank flooded during Isaac, according to statistics compiled by the parish last week…” (Read more)

Hurricanes still possible on Louisiana’s coast in October
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Oct. 1, 2012.
“It’s October 1, but that doesn’t mark the end of the risk of tropical storms and hurricanes along Louisiana’s coast, according to meteorologists and climate experts. Some of the worst storms ever to hit the state, including the Cheniere Caminada Hurricane of 1893 that killed as many as 2,500 people, and 1964’s Hurricane Hilda, which left 39 dead, occurred during this month…” (Read more)