Opening of Hurricane Season a Timely Reminder of Urgent Need for Coastal Restoration
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org Opening of Hurricane Season a Timely Reminder of Urgent Need for Coastal Restoration Leading conservation groups call for action as storm season commences (New Orleans, LA—May 28, 2015) Prior to the June 1 start of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season, national and local conservation groups working …
In Ads Across State, Leading Wildlife & Fisheries Biologists Endorse Sediment Diversions
By Natalie Peyronnin, Director of Science Policy, Mississippi River Delta Restoration, Environmental Defense Fund Twenty-seven leading wildlife and fisheries biologists and other wetlands professionals are urging Louisiana’s citizens to support the construction of sediment diversions to restore marshes vital for protecting Louisiana’s diminishing coast and the people and wildlife it supports. In full-page ads that will begin appearing in Louisiana media, including the state’s largest newspapers, this Sunday, May 3, the experts write: “Louisiana urgently needs to restore a better …
A tradition worth building – Collectively sustaining and stewarding our coast
By Maura Wood, Partnership Manager, National Wildlife Federation On April 20, several members of the Restore the Mississippi River Delta campaign gathered with community members in Davant, Louisiana, to commemorate the 5th anniversary since the BP oil spill with testimony and discussion about how the terrible oil unleashed on that day is still affecting us all. Those gathered included representatives from NGOs, fishermen, residents of coastal communities, business leaders, employees of restoration agencies and others. While there is widespread agreement …
Improving implementation of the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
By Shannon Cunniff, Deputy Director, Water Program, Environmental Defense Fund This is part two of a two-part series about the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. Hurricane Katrina and Super Storm Sandy clearly illustrated the significant effects storms and flooding can have on the nation’s economy and security. So it’s not surprising that the President tapped the National Security Council to lead an interagency team to develop additional means to reduce the impact and cost of floods to the nation. …
The new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
By Shannon Cunniff, Deputy Director, Water Program, Environmental Defense Fund This is part one of a two-part series about the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. Check back tomorrow for part two. There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about the new Federal Flood Risk Management Standard established in Executive Order (EO) 13690. In this two-part series, we will shed light on the new standard as well as ways for stakeholders to get involved in the process and make …
City of New Orleans Christmas Tree Recycling Program Celebrates 20 Years of Protecting Wetlands
By Samantha Carter, National Wildlife Federation Where does your Christmas tree go when you leave it at the curb? If you participated in the New Orleans tree recycling program this year, then as of April 2nd your tree is now in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. After your tree was picked up off of the curb in January, it was sorted and bundled by the Department of Sanitation with help from the city’s Office of Coastal and …
Five years after oil spill, boat trips to Barataria Bay reveal tar balls, dying islands
Sadly, this is not an April Fools joke. Nearly five years after the BP Gulf oil disaster, we took a trip to Louisiana’s Barataria Bay to see the continuing and ongoing environmental effects of the spill. Representatives from Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Louisiana Wildlife Federation and Restore or Retreat organized a boat tour for local and national media to see for themselves the continued negative effects of the spill and the dire need for restoration. …
Wine & Wetlands event brings together coastal residents, advocates
Guest post by Mike Mariana, Belle Chasse, LA On January 15, my wife and I attended the Wine & Wetlands event organized by the Restore the Mississippi River Delta coalition and their outreach coordinator for Plaquemines Parish, Philip Russo. More than 50 people from across our parish attended and had the opportunity to hear from several concerned citizens, business owners and governmental representatives, all working in their own way to restore our coast. Thanks to the sponsorship of several of …
Final Phase of BP Oil Spill Trial to Begin Next Week
Press Statement + Interview Opportunities Available Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Lauren Bourg, National Audubon Society, 225.776.9838, lbourg@audubon.org Final Phase of BP Oil Spill Trial to Begin Next Week BP must be held fully accountable for its role in nation’s largest oil disaster (New Orleans – January 15, 2015) On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, the third and final phase of the BP oil spill civil trial will begin …
River diversion model debuted at Plaquemines Parish Orange Festival
By Philip Russo, Outreach Coordinator, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition Land along a river has long been coveted for its agricultural productivity, but few rivers can compete with the mighty Mississippi. With a drainage basin stretching across 31 U.S. states and parts of Canada, it is no surprise that the Mississippi River carries a lot of sediment. Historically, the river would deposit this sediment near its mouth in what is now southeast Louisiana, creating new land. But since leveeing …
Media Advisory: Conservation Groups Release Restoration Solutions for Mississippi River Delta
MEDIA ADVISORY for Tuesday Dec. 9: Telepresser at 10:00 a.m. CT Conservation Groups Release Restoration Solutions for Mississippi River Delta New report recommends a series of science-based restoration efforts to benefit coastal Louisiana The 2010 Gulf oil disaster dumped more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, affecting hundreds of miles of coastline along the five Gulf states, with Louisiana’s coast receiving the greatest damage. BP and the other companies responsible will pay billions of dollars …
Media Advisory: Conservation Groups Release Priority Restoration Solutions for La and Gulf Coast
MEDIA ADVISORY for Tuesday Dec. 9 Louisiana telepresser – 10 am CT Gulf-wide telepresser – 11 am CT Conservation Groups Release Priority Restoration Solutions for Louisiana and Gulf Coast Two new reports outline path toward comprehensive Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration following oil disaster The 2010 Gulf oil disaster dumped more than 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, affecting hundreds of miles of coastline along the five Gulf states, with Louisiana’s coast receiving the greatest damage. BP …
Flora of the Wax Lake Delta: One of Louisiana’s best-kept secrets to coastal restoration
By Maggie Yancey, National Wildlife Federation The Wax Lake Delta, a lush secluded enclave of natural beauty located in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya River Basin, is a hunter’s paradise among many wonders most people wouldn’t expect. The delta is known for offering excellent waterfowl hunting, and the open season welcomes more than 1,000 hunters per year to the 40,000-acre wildlife management area. However, most people aren’t aware that the Wax Lake Delta didn’t always exist. In fact, the Wax Lake Delta was …
Adapting to climate change using natural infrastructure
By Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund For half a century, the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) has been bringing together water resources professionals for information exchange, professional development and education. Hosting numerous conferences per year, AWRA recently hosted its Annual Water Resources Conference earlier this month in Washington, DC. More than 1,300 people attended the conference to hear presentations on the latest water resources topics and network with fellow professionals. The conference was also special as it was in …
Happy Halloween: Beware of the Rougarou!
On Saturday October 25th, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta field team came together to recruit supporters for coastal restoration at Rougarou Fest in Houma, Louisiana. Rougarou Fest is a family-friendly festival with a spooky flair that celebrates the rich folklore that exists along the bayous of Southeast Louisiana. It is also the primary fundraiser supporting the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that is working to educate individuals about Louisiana’s disappearing coast. If you are not a native to …