Latest news: February 27, 2012
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As Gulf oil spill trial is delayed until March 5, BP and plaintiffs step up settlement talks By Associated Press. Feb. 27, 2012. “NEW ORLEANS — Nearly two years after his brother Gordon was killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, Chris Jones had planned to drive in from Baton Rouge with other relatives to attend the start of the federal trial over the nation’s worst offshore oil disaster…” (read more) BP Oil Spill Trial Postponed By Matt Gutman …
ASFPM agrees: Some gulf oil spill fines should go to gulf restoration
This story was originally posted on Environmental Defense Fund’s Restoration and Resilience blog. By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), which has chapters in each of the five Gulf Coast states damaged by the 2010 gulf oil spill, says it would be appropriate if Congress dedicated some of the spill fines to restore the gulf. “Recognizing that major funds are needed to support reconstruction of Gulf Coast high hazard areas devastated by the recent oil spill, …
House amendment builds momentum for RESTORE Act
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Thanks to the hard work of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House of Representatives passed an amendment yesterday that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines from the gulf oil spill to gulf restoration. The amendment, which passed by a voice vote on the transportation reauthorization bill, sets aside the expected penalties from BP and other responsible parties in a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund to be used solely for restoration. The …
ASBPA sends letter to Congress endorsing RESTORE Act
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Today, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) sent a letter to Congress endorsing and asking for swift passage of the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act (S. 1400), a bill that would ensure oil spill fines are dedicated to gulf restoration. The letter, signed by ASBPA president Harry Simmons, urges Senate and House leadership to take immediate steps to pass the legislation. The RESTORE Act would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water …
Latest news: February 2, 2012
Letter: Senate bill would ensure fines from Gulf oil spill go to restoring the area affected By Peter Sutherland (Pelican Island Audubon Society), TCPalm.com (Treasure Coast, Fla.). Feb. 1, 2012. “Now, for the first time in a while, our deeply divided and heavily partisan nation has a unique opportunity to unite…” Happy World Wetlands Day By Russell McLendon, Mother Nature Network. Feb. 2, 2012. “Feb. 2 is World Wetlands Day, a holiday that has promoted global appreciation and protection of …
Latest news: February 1, 2012
Locals comment on oil-spill rehab By Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet (Thibodaux, La.). Feb. 1, 2012. “Residents, parish officials, and coastal advocates aired their thoughts Tuesday on the first projects that will kick off $1 billion in early environmental-restoration work BP will pay for to correct damage caused by the Gulf oil spill…” State closing public oyster grounds east of Miss. River By The Associated Press. Jan. 31, 2012. “NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says it …
Latest news: January 31, 2012
Untangle this mess: Alabama’s Gulf Coast deserves attention from lawmakers By the Editorial Board, The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.). Jan. 31, 2012. “State Rep. K.L. Brown, R-Jacksonville, who sits on the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee, posted recently on Facebook about how he and the committee were “pleased that Gulf Shores and Orange Beach had record-setting growth this past year.”He went on to add that it was ‘great to get beyond the tragedy of the BP oil spill.’ Unfortunately, …
New methodology makes carbon markets work for wetlands
By Brian Jackson and Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund When society asks who will pay for Louisiana wetlands restoration, people usually think of government or big oil. While both have a huge role, recent developments suggest there may soon be a way for a broad range of American and international businesses to get involved and help pay for restoration projects that will benefit everyone. A new methodology released by Tierra Resources LLC outlines a system to calculate and measure carbon …
Tagged ReportsMeet Morgan Crutcher
As the technical and policy assistant at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), Morgan provides staff with accurate and reliable scientific, technical, and policy information for the purpose of establishing CRCL’s advocacy positions. Her broad range of previous work includes lobbying D.C. congressional staff for passage of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act for Ducks Unlimited, building nutria captivity pens in a flotant marsh for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Louisiana, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software …
Latest news: December 30, 2011
Corps to get $802M for repairs on Mississippi By Cain Burdeau, Associated Press. Dec. 29, 2011. “NEW ORLEANS— The Army Corps of Engineers said on Thursday it’s getting $802 million to repair levees damaged by the historic flooding on the Mississippi River this year — work considered urgent before the next spring flood season starts…” Friday’s letters: The gulf needs the Restore Act Letter to the Editor by Dr. William Hogarth, Tampa Bay Times. Dec. 30, 2011. “We recently read …
Latest news: December 29, 2011
A Year of Coastal Questions By Gambit (New Orleans, La.). Dec. 27, 2011. “The future of the Gulf Coast following the BP oil disaster is in the hands of congress, but will there be any help in 2012? This year, both chambers of Congress successfully drafted near-identical bills that dictate where fines against BP will go. They argue the bulk of the fines, which BP will pay for numerous Clean Water Act violations, should go to the Gulf states…” Plan …
Join the RESTORE Act Social Media Days of Action!
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Today and tomorrow, we are asking everyone to participate in Twitter (today) and Facebook (tomorrow) Social Media Days of Action around the RESTORE Act, urging Congress to make the bill a priority this year. The RESTORE Act will ensure that 80 percent of the Gulf oil spill Clean Water Act penalties that BP and other responsible parties will have to pay will be returned the Gulf States that deserve it. We need Congress to …
Task Force Restoration Strategy is a Vital Next Step Toward Whole Gulf Recovery
By Elizabeth Skree and Whit Remer, Environmental Defense Fund Today, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force released their final Ecosystem Restoration Strategy for the Gulf Coast. After the BP oil disaster, the President established the Task Force through an executive order and charged the group with developing a restoration plan for the Gulf Coast. You can download the strategy document here. This restoration strategy is a vital step in fulfilling the promises President Obama made in his first oval …
Tagged ReportsLatest news: December 5, 2011
Feds set to release gulf restoration plan By Matthew Tresaugue, Houston Chronicle. December 4, 2011. “A federal task force Monday will unveil an ambitious plan for restoring the Gulf of Mexico after decades of environmental abuse – most notably last year’s massive oil spill…” Landrieu: New Orleans to get $30M more for roads damaged by Katrina By Associated Press. December 3, 2011. “NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu says New Orleans will get $30 million in grants to repair …
Latest news: December 2, 2011
Oil spill claims expansion for shrimpers, crabbers is not retroactive By David Hammer, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). November 30, 2011. “In a move that Kenneth Feinberg hopes will bring holdout commercial fishers to the settlement table, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill claims czar announced Wednesday he will double compensation payments for shrimpers and crabbers. From now on, Feinberg’s Gulf Coast Claims Facility will compensate shrimp and crab harvesters at four times their documented 2010 losses, rather than the …