Coastal Master Plan passes another legislative milestone
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Update on Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan: Earlier today, the Louisiana House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources and Environment unanimously approved the 2012 Coastal Master Plan (CR 46) and Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (CR 41). On Monday, both plans passed the House Transportation Committee by a vote of 11-0. The next and final step for the master plan is consideration by the full Louisiana House of Representatives, which will likely happen early next week. The Coastal Master Plan lays …
Take action: Help protect Louisiana's coast
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund The Myrtle Grove sediment diversion is a linchpin of Louisiana’s groundbreaking plan to restore the coast and repair damage inflicted by the BP oil disaster. However, the State and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are considering permits for the construction of a massive coal export terminal right next to this critical restoration project. Allowing these permits to proceed could stop the Myrtle Grove project in its tracks. RAM Terminal, LLC has recently applied for permission to …
Louisiana House Transportation Committee approves Coastal Master Plan
Today, the Louisiana State House of Representatives Transportation Committee unanimously approved the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan (SCR 46) and Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (SCR 41). Last week, the Louisiana State Senate also approved both plans. The Coastal Master Plan lays out a 50-year vision for protecting and restoring Louisiana’s coastal resources and communities. Next, the master plan will go on to the House Natural Resources committee for approval. Check back over the coming days for updates on the plan’s progress through …
Latest news: May 9, 2012
Lawmakers begin debate on RESTORE Act By Ledyard King, Florida Today (Brevard, Fla.). May 8, 2012. “Members of a House-Senate conference committee began debating legislation Tuesday that would steer billions of dollars to Florida and other Gulf Coast states still recovering from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster…” (Read more) Letter: ‘Sensible, equitable’ By Manley K. Fuller (Tallahassee President, Florida Wildlife Federation), Naples Daily News (Naples, Fla.). May 8, 2012. “It is disappointing to see how some elected officials in …
Meet Shannon Cunniff
Shannon is the deputy director for the Mississippi River Delta Restoration and Resilience Project at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Working closely with the senior director, Shannon focuses on improving strategic and tactical effectiveness of the EDF team. She works on setting team goals, objectives and strategies; translating those into work plans; and evaluating progress to ensure timely, high-quality products. She manages staff scientists, policy analysts and consultants to solve complex problems and execute tasks. Shannon is no stranger to flood …
Louisiana State Senate passes Coastal Master Plan
Yesterday, the Louisiana State Senate unanimously approved the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan (SCR 46) as well as the Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (SCR 41). The Coastal Master Plan lays out a 50-year vision for protecting and restoring Louisiana’s coastal resources and communities. In April, both the Senate Transportation and Natural Resources Committees also unanimously approved the plan. Now that that it has passed the Senate, the Coastal Master Plan will go on to the House Transportation …
Study looks at sediment and water flow through Mississippi River, helps scientists plan effective restoration projects
By Alisha A. Renfro, Ph.D., National Wildlife Federation The sediment and water transported by the Mississippi River built much of the ecologically-rich Mississippi River Delta and Louisiana coastline. But over the last decade, manmade modifications throughout the river basin to improve navigation and flood protection have disconnected the river from its delta. This has reduced the amount of sediment carried by the river and severed the connection between the river and the adjacent wetlands it naturally built. Sediment is a …
Tagged ReportsRESTORE Act passes with House transportation vote, now moves to conference
By Whit Remer, Environmental Defense Fund Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives included Rep. Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) RESTORE Act amendment in their final version of the Surface Transportation Extension Act. The RESTORE Act is legislation that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines from the BP gulf oil spill towards Gulf Coast restoration. Both the U.S. House and Senate have passed versions of bill. The House passed the transportation bill by a vote of 293-127, setting up a …
Conservation Groups Laud Funding for Restoration Efforts from Senate
Federal funds will support critical restoration construction projects, jobs in Louisiana FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org (Washington, D.C.—April 26, 2011) Today, five national and local conservation groups praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for approving funding for critical restoration projects in Louisiana, including an effort to use sediment dredged from navigation waterways to recreate critical wetlands. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would …
Job opening: Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is a non-profit advocacy organization established in 1988 to unite business interests, scientists, landowners, national and local conservation groups, local governments, hunters, anglers and a broad spectrum of concerned citizens in a shared mission of restoring and protecting a sustainable coastal Louisiana. CRCL seeks to hire a Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator to coordinate three distinct stakeholder engagement initiatives designed to build support for comprehensive restoration of the Mississippi River Delta region. The Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator …
Tagged EconomicsLatest news: April 9, 2012
Voters support Louisiana’s latest master plan for coastal work By Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet (Thibodaux, La.). April 6, 2012. “Eighty-six percent of Louisiana voters say they want their legislators to approve the state’s 2012 coastal master plan, according to a poll released this week. …” (Read more) Population growth in New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish sign of ongoing recovery: An editorial By Editorial page staff, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). April 9, 2012. “For many people who lived in metro …
Dredging Contractors of America sends letter to Congress in support of the RESTORE Act
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Last week, the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA), the national nonprofit trade association for the dredging industry, sent a letter to House leadership in support of the RESTORE Act — legislation that would ensure that oil spill fines are used for gulf restoration. “The RESTORE Act appropriately allocates 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties, as a result of the BP oil spill, to the five Gulf Coast states, and establishes an effective management and …
Latest news: March 19, 2012
The Gulf gets its share: Sen. Shelby should be thanked for work on RESTORE Act Editorial. The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.). March 17, 2012. “The extent of the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill became evident two years ago. That’s when Alabama and other Gulf Coast states began pushing legislation that would designate 80 percent of the fines levied for potential violations of the Clean Water Act to go to the restoration of the five most-affected states…” (Read more) Restore Act takes …
Senate will vote on RESTORE Act amendment today
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund It’s an important day for recovery in the Gulf Coast. Nearly two years after the BP oil disaster, the communities, economies and environment of the gulf are still struggling to recover. Today, Congress has the opportunity to take a crucial step towards making the gulf whole again: by voting yes on the Nelson-Shelby-Landrieu RESTORE Act amendment to S. 1813, the Surface Transportation bill. The RESTORE Act amendment has been paired with an additional $1.4 …
Latest news: February 28, 2012
Amendment to restore Gulf likely to be taken up in Senate this week By Virginia Chamlee, The Florida Independent (Tallahassee, Fla.). Feb. 27, 2012. “Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives gave voice vote approval to an amendment that would dedicate 80 percent of the estimated $5-21 billion in Clean Water Act fines from the 2010 BP oil spill toward restoration of the area’s ecosystem and economy. The Senate version of that amendment is expected to be taken up this week…” …