Latest news: October 18, 2011

Republican congressmen take aim at Environmental Protection Agency

By Bruce Alpert, Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). October 18, 2011.

“Since assuming control of the U.S. House of Representatives in January, Republicans have passed at least 75 bills, riders and amendments designed to scale back environmental regulations they say stymie job creation. Opposition by most Senate Democrats and the Obama administration have stopped the measures from becoming law, but that could change if the GOP holds onto the House, unseats enough Democrats to win a majority in the Senate and wins the White House in next year’s elections…”

America’s Wetland Art, Photo and essay Contest Challenges Students for Ideas to Save the Coast

By KATC Staff, KATC.com (Lafayette, La.). October 18, 2011.

“The America’s WETLAND Foundation announces its annual Keep Your Eye on the Prize juried competition to engage Louisiana students in saving coastal wetlands at a time when coastal land loss is increasing and more Louisiana communities are being affected…”

First step to full recovery

By U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo, Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Ms.). October 17, 2011.

“My Gulf states colleagues and I recently introduced the RESTORE Act. This legislation will direct 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines assessed to the responsible parties involved in the Deepwater Horizon disaster to the Gulf Coast states. This is an important first step to put in place a fair process that allows us to restore the Gulf Coast region that was directly impacted by the disaster…”