Latest Mississippi River Delta News: July 15, 2013
Fading away: Coastal erosion threatens Louisiana’s fragile wetlands and economy
By Cole Avery. The News-Star (Monroe, La.). July 14, 2013.
“Ryan Lambert has seen amazing things in the Louisiana bayou. Skies full of ducks. Waters teeming with fish. Lush plant life giving habitat to the game that make the state “The Sportsman’s Paradise.” He’s spent 33 years sharing his home with thousands of tourists…” (Read more).
Our Views: Don’t waste BP funds
By The Advocate Editorial Board (Baton Rouge, La.). July 15, 2013.
“On the question of what coastal states should do with the windfall from BP fines, Ben Raines has a modest proposal: Use some of the money to buy up fragile wetlands. The BP oil company owes billions in fines because of a 2010 oil rig explosion off the coast of Louisiana that spewed…” (Read more).
Top 10 Cities for Hurricane Storm Surge Threat
By Becky Kellogg. Wunderground Blog. July 15, 2013.
“Just as the tropics heat up, a new report warns that 4.2 million homes on the East and Gulf Coasts are at risk of storm surge flooding from hurricanes this year. While storm surge has always been a significant, dangerous threat during hurricane season, it rose to the forefront of American consciousness during the 2012 hurricane season…” (Read more).
Louisiana Seafood: In wake of BP spill and river diversions, oysters show strain
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). July 14, 2013.
“It’s difficult to talk about Louisiana seafood these days without the BP oil spill working its way into the conversation. It wasn’t that long ago, after all, that television screens were filled with high-def images of fouled coastal marsh and angry fishermen forlornly staring at their idled fleet…” (Read more).
Natural defences can sharply limit coastal damage
By Virginia Gewin. Nature News. July 14, 2013.
“Coastal forests, coral reefs, sand dunes and wetlands are just a few of the natural habitats that protect two-thirds of of the US coastline from hazards such as hurricane storm surges — shielding not only high-value properties in New York and California but also the poor in Texas and the elderly in Florida…” (Read more).
Leaking Gas Well Sealed Off Gulf Coast, Official Reports
By The Associated Press. July 12, 2013.
“NEW ORLEANS — A gas well that started leaking several days ago in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast has been sealed. Eileen Angelico, a spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, said Friday that Energy Resource Technology LLC began the sealing…” (Read more).
Gulf Coast Economics: Fish and Wildlife Dollars Hammer Development
By Bob Marshall. Field & Stream: The Conservationist. July 12, 2013.
“Conservationists fighting to protect fish and wildlife habitat usually are up against the same opponent: Business development. In the Midwest, that can mean agriculture. In the Northeast, it’s often sprawling business parks. But down on the Gulf Coast, where protecting wetlands is critical for fisheries…” (Read more).
The Gulf of Mexico: We must protect this natural resource
By Bonnie Schumaker. The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.). July 12, 2013.
“The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster made it clear that more effective oversight of offshore industry is absolutely necessary. As oil continued to spew from the Macondo wellhead that summer, citizens across the Gulf region urged Congress and the Obama administration…” (Read more).
FEMA announces program analyzing non-federal levees after criticism from Vitter, parish presidents
By Andrea Shaw. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). July 12, 2013.
“Five parishes that rely on their locally built levees for flood protection will participate in a FEMA pilot program aimed at setting new rules for determining risk in areas with non-federal systems. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which does not recognize…” (Read more).