Gulf ads thank gulf senators for passing gulf restoration amendment

62 Gulf businesses, business groups, restoration advocacy groups sign ads

News Release

(Washington, D.C.—March 23, 2012) Five Gulf state newspapers will run full-page color ads starting today thanking the nine Gulf senators who recently voted in favor of legislation to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from the parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf ecosystem and economy.

The ads features a “thank you” from 62 Gulf businesses, business groups and restoration advocacy groups to the nine Gulf senators who “led an overwhelmingly bipartisan group of 76 senators to pass the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act [to] help repair and strengthen the communities, businesses and environment…still suffering nearly two years after the unprecedented Gulf oil disaster.”

The full-page color ads, which cost a total of $45,000, are paid for by: National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, Oxfam America, and Ocean Conservancy. The ads will run on the following dates in the following newspapers:

• Fri., Mar. 23, Houston [Tex.] Chronicle ad thanking Texas Senators *Hutchison & **Cornyn
• Sun., Mar. 25, Baton Rouge [La.] Advocate ad thanking Louisiana Senators *Landrieu & *Vitter
• Sun., Mar. 25, Mobile [Ala.] Press-Register ad thanking Alabama Senators Shelby & Sessions
• Sun., Mar. 25, Pensacola [Fla.] News Journal ad thanking Senator *Nelson
• Sun., Mar. 25, [Biloxi/Gulfport, Miss.] Sun Herald ad thanking Senators *Cochran & *Wicker

*Cosponsored and voted for RESTORE Act
** Voted for RESTORE Act

The House already has approved a similar RESTORE Act amendment sponsored by Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La.) as part of the House transportation bill.

The Gulf businesses, business groups and restoration advocacy groups signing the thank you ads include:

1. Alabama Coastal Foundation
2. Alabama Forest Resources Center
3. Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce
4. Alabama Wildlife Federation
5. American Shore and Beach Preservation Association
6. American Shore and Beach Preservation Association – Texas Chapter
7. Apalachee Land Conservancy
8. Baton Rouge Audubon Society
9. Biohabitats, Inc.
10. Birmingham Audubon Society
11. Canal Barge Company, Inc.
12. Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
13. Coast Builders Coalition
14. Coastal Bend Audubon Society
15. Coastal Resiliency Coalition
16. Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast
17. The Conservation Fund
18. Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary
19. Dredging Contractors of America
20. Environmental Defense Fund
21. Florida’s Nature Coast Conservancy
22. Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
23. Florida Wildlife Federation
24. Francis M. Weston Audubon Society
25. Galveston Bay Foundation
26. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC
27. Greater New Orleans, Inc.
28. Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association
29. Gulf Restoration Network
30. Gulf United Metro Business Organization
31. Houston Audubon Society
32. Houston Wilderness
33. Keith and Schnars, P.A.
34. Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
35. Land Trust Accreditation Commission
36. Land Trust Alliance
37. Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain
38. Louisiana Restaurant Association
39. Louisiana Wildlife Federation
40. Mississippi Coast Audubon Society
41. Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association
42. Mississippi Wildlife Federation
43. Mobile Bay Audubon Society
44. Mobile Baykeeper
45. National Audubon Society
46. National Parks Conservation Association
47. National Wildlife Federation
48. The Nature Conservancy
49. New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau
50. Ocean Conservancy
51. Oktibbeha Audubon Society
52. Orleans Audubon Society
53. Oxfam America
54. Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation
55. South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce
56. St. Bernard Parish Government
57. Texas Conservation Alliance
58. Tierra Resources LLC
59. Weeks Bay Foundation
60. Weeks Marine
61. Weston Solutions, Inc.
62. Women of the Storm