Latest Mississippi River Delta News: August 13, 2015

Guest column: Saving Louisiana’s coast is even more urgent after the hurricanes of the past
*features Steve Cochran, EDF & Kimberly Reyher, CRCL
By Steve Cochran & Kimberly Reyher, The Advocate. August 12, 2015
“The future of Louisiana and its future generations depends on our leaders using every dime of that money as it was intended: to rebuild Louisiana’s best defenses against storms, floods and oil spills. That should be the mission of all of us and our leaders in the years ahead.” (Read More)

Public comments sought on $139 million in proposed oil spill restoration projects
*features MRD/GRP statement, Brian Moore, NAS
By Phil Taylor, Environment & Energy. August 13, 2015
“Environmental groups will be watching the projects closely. Groups in the past have lobbied the council to select projects that will provide maximum benefit to the broader Gulf ecosystem, without regard for state borders. Groups have been especially vigilant against using restoration dollars on projects geared more toward economic development.” (Read More)

Public comments sought on $139 million in proposed oil spill restoration projects
*features MRD/GRP statement
By Dennis Pillion, AL.com. August 13, 2015
“While we haven’t yet engaged on the details of the list, we are encouraged to see this first Funded Priorities List moving forward into the public comment period, and we congratulate the RESTORE Council and staff for their efforts to reach this point. The RESTORE Act is focused on comprehensive restoration for the Gulf of Mexico, and our organizations are eager to see strong projects progress to actual construction and implementation.” (Read More)

Gulf eats away at coast outside levee-protected New Orleans
*features Jim Tripp, EDF
By AP, The Daily Journal. August 12, 2015
“The best hope for these communities, and this includes New Orleans, is getting behind a very aggressive delta restoration program,” said Jim Tripp, a senior counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund. He sits on panels exploring multibillion-dollar plans to restore Louisiana’s coast.” (Read More)

Anatomy of a flood: How New Orleans flooded during Hurricane Katrrina
By Dan Swenson, The Times-Picayune. August 12, 2015
“It’s been nearly 10 years since I first visualized Hurricane Katrina’s flooding throughout the New Orleans metro area in animated graphic form. This updated version incorporates new research and additional reporting about the disaster, which allows for more precise timing of the levee breaches and a clearer representation of how the water moved throughout the city.” (Read More)

Louisiana Conservation Organizations Call for Land and Water Conservation Fund Reauthorization
America’s Wetland Foundation. August 11, 2015
“The Land and Water Conservation Fund, a landmark American law, is up for reauthorization by Congress this year. A number of leading conservation organizations in Louisiana are expressing support for the law to be renewed.” (Read More)