Latest Mississippi River Delta News: Jan. 15, 2014

Live blog: Lawyers suing oil & gas industry to appear before state coastal authority
By Bob Marshall, The Lens. Jan. 14, 2014.
“The Lens will live-blog what could be a wetlands’ version of “High Noon” at Wednesday’s meeting of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority…” (read more)

Spending bill could delay flood insurance hikes
By Associated Press. Jan. 14, 2014.
“Homeowners worried that new federal flood maps will send their flood insurance premiums skyrocketing would get some short-term relief…” (read more)

Measure delaying some flood insurance premium increases included in spending bill compromise
By Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune Jan. 13, 2014.
“A $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill agreed to Monday night by House and Senate negotiators contains a provision that would bar FEMA…” (read more)

Senate should hit pause button on flood insurance rate hikes: Editorial
Editorial, The Times-Picayune. Jan. 12, 2014.
“With a growing list of horror stories about the effects of massive increases in flood insurance premiums…” (read more)

Attorney general defends approval of coastal-erosion lawsuit
By Jeff Adelson, The Advocate. Jan. 14, 2014.
“Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has submitted a court filing defending the independence of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority…” (read more)

In BP spills claim process, special master wants money returned
By James Varney, The Times-Picayune. Jan. 14, 2014.
“Given its appeals success rate thus far, BP may be stuck with the settlement agreement it signed off on regarding the Deepwater Horizon blowout…” (read more)

$75 million for fisheries in appropriations bill
By Steve Urbon, South Coast Today. Jan. 14, 2014.
“…The money will go not only to the Northeast groundsifhery but to New Jersey for Hurricane Sandy relief, and the Gulf of Mexico for oysters…” (read more)

Fishing community raises objections about sediment diversions in joint hearing on state’s annual restoration plan, oil spill restoration program
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. Jan. 14, 2014.
“Representatives of oyster growers, shrimpers and fishers lined up at a public hearing in Belle Chasse on Tuesday night (Jan. 14) to oppose about $30 million dedicated to sediment diversions in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s fiscal year 2015 annual plan…” (read more)