Restore the Mississippi River Delta Launches “Restore the Coast” Community Engagement Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org
Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org
Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org
Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org
Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition Launches “Restore the Coast” Community Engagement Campaign
Campaign Highlights Important Role Louisiana Leaders Play in Coastal Restoration
(August 14, 2015 – NEW ORLEANS) This weekend, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition is launching the “Restore the Coast” community engagement campaign to highlight the important role Louisiana’s elected officials play in coastal restoration. This multifaceted, nonpartisan education campaign will begin by asking voters to sign a pledge urging leaders to: be a voice for coastal restoration, protect existing and secure future coastal restoration funding, and support Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan.
The Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition – made up of national and local organizations working on coastal Louisiana restoration, including Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation – released the following statement announcing the new campaign:
“The ‘Restore the Coast’ campaign’s goal is to demonstrate the importance of coastal restoration as a central issue for all candidates. Its initial step will be to encourage Louisiana residents to do two things – pledge to vote, and urge elected officials to be a voice for coastal restoration, so our communities are better protected from hurricanes, floodwaters and other disasters. We believe that Louisiana needs leaders who protect existing and secure future coastal restoration funding and support the state’s Coastal Master Plan, so our future can be safeguarded through long-lasting, science-based coastal restoration projects.
“Our hope is to send a clear message to our public officials: Louisianians want leaders who will prioritize coastal restoration, by keeping restoration dollars for restoration and continuing the forward progress made through the coastal master planning process. Together, we can protect our communities and coast for generations to come.”
The “Restore the Coast” campaign includes television and radio commercials, billboards, print ads, tabling at local community events, as well as interactive street activities to engage the public and encourage social sharing of this important issue facing Louisiana. Learn more about the “Restore the Coast” campaign and pledge by visiting RestoreTheCoast.org.
Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition is a joint effort of non-profit organizations made up of science, public policy, economics and outreach experts working collaboratively to raise awareness and build support for science-based solutions to restore Louisiana’s coast. The coalition is comprised of staff experts from Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. Together, they are working to restore Louisiana’s coast through long-lasting, science-based restoration solutions, as identified in the state’s Coastal Master Plan. Of the projects included in the Coastal Master Plan, they have identified a suite of 19 priority restoration projects that will collectively and drastically reduce wetland loss and help protect New Orleans and other coastal communities from the effects of tropical storms and hurricanes. Learn more at MississippiRiverDelta.org and RestoreTheCoast.org.