Delta Dispatches: Revitalizing the Bayou Region
← Older postsDelta Dispatches: Revitalizing the Bayou Region
Listen Now: In this episode of Delta Dispatches, host Simone Maloz discusses the importance of coastal restoration in Louisiana’s Bayou Region with Bren Haas, Program Director at Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), and Jennifer Armand, Executive Director of the Bayou Community Foundation (BCF). Bren talks about his role at BTNEP, the organization’s work in water quality and habitat preservation, and their upcoming events including the White Boot Gala. Jennifer highlights the community’s resilience in the face of disasters like …
20 Years After Katrina, Meaningful Coastal Protection and Restoration Must Continue
NEW ORLEANS (Aug. 27, 2025) — As the 20th anniversaries of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita approach, Restore the Mississippi River Delta—a coalition of national and local conservation groups—issued the following statement reflecting on the significant progress made in Louisiana’s coastal restoration over the past two decades while underscoring the urgency to maintain momentum: “Twenty years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita changed Louisiana forever. More than 1,800 lives were lost, and communities were shattered. The storms exposed deep flaws in Louisiana’s …
Delta Dispatches Reflecting on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Listen Now: In this episode of Delta Dispatches, host Simone Maloz, Campaign Director for Restore the Mississippi River Delta, reflects on the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, emphasizing the importance of coastal restoration for Louisiana. Simone interviews Jessica Dandridge, Executive Director of the New Orleans Water Collaborative, who discusses the impact of these storms on her life. They also talk about the upcoming NOLA Water Week. In the second half, Simone chats with Sidney Coffee, former chair of …
Delta Dispatches: Caring for Coastal Communities
Listen Now: In this episode of Delta Dispatches, host Simone Maloz discusses Louisiana’s coastal restoration efforts, featuring conversations with Charles Allen and Arthur Johnson. Charles Allen, Community Engagement Director with Audubon Delta, recounts his extensive experience advocating for coastal restoration and community involvement in Louisiana’s environmental initiatives. Arthur Johnson, CEO of the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED), shares insights into the organization’s history and its ongoing work in community engagement and environmental education. Together, they …
Delta Dispatches: Back to the Bayou
Listen Now: In the return episode of Delta Dispatches, host Simone Maloz is joined by Dr. Alisha Renfro and Steve Cochran to discuss Louisiana’s coast, its people, wildlife and jobs, and why restoring it matters. Today we explore the ecological, economic, and community significance of the Louisiana’s coast and the challenges and implications following the state’s decision not to move forward with the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion.
Louisiana Cancels Landmark Restoration Project, Undermining Decades of Coastal Progress
NEW ORLEANS (July 17, 2025) – The State of Louisiana has officially canceled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion—the largest single ecosystem restoration effort in U.S. history and the cornerstone of the state’s own Coastal Master Plan. The project’s termination was announced by the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (TIG), the entity responsible for overseeing the expenditure of Natural Resources Damages funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and follows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision earlier this summer to suspend the …
Annual Plan Moves Forward. Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Left Behind.
Restore the Mississippi River Delta is concerned about Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing coast, and we know you are, too. We want to keep you informed of the most critical issues currently facing our coast. This blog is part of an ongoing series expressing our concerns about recent shifts in our state’s successful and popular coastal program, including changes to the structure of our coastal program, the protection of coastal funding, and implementation of cornerstone projects in our science-based Coastal Master Plan. …
Over Fifty Louisiana Civic and Business Leaders Urge State to Proceed with Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
Letter Urges Governor to Resume Construction and Maintain a Science-based Approach to Restoration NEW ORLEANS (May 21, 2025) – Today, over fifty business and civic leaders from across south Louisiana sent a letter to Governor Jeff Landry urging him to resume construction of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion at the size and scale that it was designed and permitted. The letter also expresses concerns about the urgent need to restore the Barataria Basin to address the long-term sustainability and insurability in …
Louisiana Leaders Demand Action on State’s Largest Coastal Restoration Project
The once-in-a-generation Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion has broad support across Louisiana – but now faces political jeopardy BATON ROUGE (May 12, 2025) – Today, community advocates, business leaders and coastal experts gathered at the Louisiana State Capitol to urge state leaders to advance the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (MBSD), a once-in-a-generation project widely regarded as essential to rebuilding and protecting Louisiana’s vanishing coast. The press conference was part of Coastal Day at the Capitol and comes amid growing concern that Gov. Jeff …
Restore the Mississippi Delta Responds to Suspended Permit for Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
(New Orleans, LA – April 26, 2025) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has suspended a permit for Louisiana’s keystone restoration project, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. Using the river to restore Louisiana’s disappearing coast has long been one of Restore the Mississippi River Delta’s primary goals. The coalition of national and local conservation organizations comprised of the National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society and Pontchartrain Conservancy released the following statement in response to the suspended permit: “The …
CPRA Board Moves Forward with Coastal Restoration Plan
Plan includes full funding for Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, despite a construction halt announced by the state BATON ROUGE, La. (April 16, 2025) – Today, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) board voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Plan, which maintains full funding for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (MBSD) and other critical coastal restoration and protection projects. Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local organizations working to restore Louisiana’s coast, issued the following …
New Poll Shows Strong, Bipartisan Louisiana Voter Support for Sediment Diversions
Surveys finds steadfast backing of timely science-based coastal restoration efforts NEW ORLEANS (April 15, 2025) – Two new surveys released today show widespread bipartisan support for reconnecting the Mississippi River to its wetlands through sediment diversion projects, including the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. These results come at a pivotal moment, as Governor Jeff Landry has stalled progress on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) recently announced a 90-day construction halt on the project. A strong …
Groundbreaking Ceremony for River Reintroduction to Maurepas Swamp Project
A Landmark Step Toward Restoring Coastal Louisiana MAUREPAS, LA (Dec. 3, 2024) – Today, the state of Louisiana broke ground on the critical River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp project, which would reconnect one of the largest forested wetland complexes in the nation with the Mississippi River to aid in preventing further wetland loss and habitat degradation. The project will benefit more than 45,000 acres, providing a wetland buffer that can reduce storm surge for communities stretching from the Greater Baton …
Louisiana Governor Landry Criticizes Keystone Restoration Project Despite Decades of Supporting Science
Questions remain about future of Louisiana’s coastal program to address ongoing land loss crisis NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 21, 2024) — Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local conservation organizations comprised of the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Environmental Defense Fund and the Pontchartrain Conservancy, strongly supports the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. Following today’s hearing of the Louisiana Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works, where Governor Jeff Landry gave an update on the stalled Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the …
Restore the Mississippi River Delta Response to Status of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local conservation organizations comprised of the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Environmental Defense Fund and the Pontchartrain Conservancy, strongly supports the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. Following the correspondence the federal trustee agencies sent to the state in response to the status of the project, the coalition issued the following statement: “We have been concerned for some time that the current administration was wavering from the state’s longstanding commitment to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion …