Latest Mississippi River Delta News: May 15, 2015

House approves committee to consider lifting oyster lease moratorium
By Jeremy Harper, Houma Today. May 13, 2015
“The House of Representatives approved a resolution Wednesday creating a commission to review lifting the state’s moratorium on new oyster leases.” (Read More)

A deeper Mississippi River on the Horizon
By Kathryn Stone, Maritime Executive. May 14, 2015
“On Wednesday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its plans to draft a supplemental environmental impact report looking into expanding an area of the Mississippi River Ship Canal between Baton Rouge and the Gulf of Mexico. The plan will deepen the section section of the river from 45 feet up to a maximum of 50 feet in order to accommodate larger vessels destined for the Panama Canal.” (Read More)
 
Corps’ toughest critic heaps praise on new hurricane defenses
By John Snell, WVUE. May 14, 2015
“Today, the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet is closed, blocked by the surge barrier and a giant rock structure 17 miles to the east. From the air, the MRGO closure is deceiving. While it stretches nearly 1,000 feet across the waterway, it peaks through the surface like an ice berg. Just 12 feet wide at the surface, it covers 450 feet at the water bottom. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in New Orleans East remains open, but a giant sector gate closes there at the surge barrier during storm events.” (Read More)

Coast hopes to boost nature-based tourism
By Evelina Burnett, MPB. May 14, 2015
“Wildlife tourism is already a $2 billion business in Mississippi. MPB’s Evelina Burnett reports on a new nature tourism effort on the Gulf Coast intended to boost that number even higher. The Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area is creating a management plan to help encourage the growth of nature-based tourism.” (Read More)