New White House climate agenda focuses on natural infrastructure, climate resilience
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By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund As part of the President’s Climate Action Plan, on Wednesday, the White House announced the release of the Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda. Prepared by the Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Climate and Natural Resources Working Group, this commitment across the Federal Government to support resilience of our natural resources is the first of its kind. The agenda identifies a suite of actions the Federal Government will take to increase the resiliency …
Cocktails for the Coast
By Jesse Soule, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign As the summer officially came to a close, myself and fellow Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign staff joined other concerned Louisianans at the Eiffel Society on iconic St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans to learn about the increasingly dyer state of our coast. Cocktails for the Coast, an outreach event hosted by the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign, provided an engaging atmosphere chock-full of knowledgeable advocates, eager citizens and …
New study examines ecological and coastal restoration benefits of oyster reefs
By Alisha Renfro, National Wildlife Federation “Oysters are the most tender and delicate of all seafoods. They stay in bed all day and night. They never work or take exercise, are stupendous drinkers, and wait for their meals to come to them.” – Hector Bolitho Oysters are remarkable organisms. Not only are they delicious, but each oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, which provides food for the oyster and improves local water quality. A collection …
Join Us Tonight for Cocktails for the Coast!
By Eden Davis, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign The Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign is hosting Cocktails for the Coast tonight (September 25) at the Eiffel Society in New Orleans (2040 St. Charles Ave.) from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. This will be an evening celebrating the beautiful wetlands that serve as our city’s first line of defense. There will be music, food, drinks and fun. The first 60 people who arrive will receive a free drink. After that, there …
The Beauty of the Louisiana Barrier Islands
By Eden Davis, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign On September 12, I had the opportunity to travel to Raccoon Island, one of the remaining barrier islands outside of Terrebonne Bay. Raccoon Island was once part of the 25-mile-long barrier island chain called Isles Dernieres or Last Islands. Prior to the Last Island Hurricane of August 10, 1856, Isles Dernieres was a famous resort destination. When the Last Island Hurricane hit, more than 200 people perished in the storm, and …
Conference on Coastal Restoration this Saturday
Join us this Saturday! National Wildlife Federation, along with the City of New Orleans, will be hosting a conference on Saturday, September 20th to explore the critical role of coastal restoration efforts on the future of the city. All the details can be found on the flyer below. Hope to see you there! Coastal conference agenda:
Risk and Resilience: Society of Environmental Journalists hosts annual conference this week in New Orleans
By Elizabeth Skree, Communications Manager, Environmental Defense Fund This week, along the Mississippi River at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, hundreds of environmental journalists, reporters and bloggers; journalism students and professors; communications professionals; and NGO and government expert presenters and panelists are gathering for the annual Society of Environmental Journalists Conference. The conference brings together environmental journalists from around the world to learn about emerging environmental issues, meet new sources and experts, learn about new tools and programs, network …
Public meetings in Louisiana to solicit feedback on RESTORE Council funding distribution
The State of Louisiana is hosting three meetings in September to increase public awareness around the funding distribution of the RESTORE Act and to request additional feedback and ideas from the public. The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, also known as the RESTORE Council, is responsible for distributing 30% of the money directed to the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. Members of the public are invited to submit formal proposals for projects or programs for funding consideration, to voice support for existing projects, or …
Nine years later: Is the Gulf Coast prepared for another Katrina?
This post originally appeared on Environmental Defense Fund’s EDF Voices blog. By Estelle Robichaux, Environmental Defense Fund Nine years ago, as Hurricane Katrina gathered strength in the Gulf of Mexico, I called my grandmother and namesake to wish her happy 84th birthday – and to urge her to leave her home on Bayou Lafourche until the storm passed. It would take several more days before I heard my mother’s voice over the phone and was reassured that everyone in my family …
You’re invited: Join experts to talk about cost of restoring Louisiana's coast and who will pay
The Lens, with sponsorship from the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition, is hosting a panel discussion on the financing of Louisiana’s $50-billion Coastal Master Plan at Loyola University this Wednesday, Aug. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. This event is designed to send the audience home with a solid understanding of how to restore our coast. An example of questions The Lens plans to address include the following: How far can we go on the current master plan with the funding in …
Wax Lake Delta Tour Showcases New Land
By Philip Russo, Plaquemines Parish Outreach Coordinator, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition A couple weeks ago, I traveled down the Atchafalaya River’s Wax Lake Outlet on a boat tour attended by state officials, coastal restoration advocates and media personnel. The outlet, constructed in 1941 to reduce flood stages at Morgan City, has had the serendipitous effect of creating its own delta—one particle of clay at a time. Our boats approached one of the outlet’s delta islands. This large island, and …
IPCC report examines climate change’s effects on Mississippi River Delta and strategies for adaptation
By Keenan Orfalea, Communications Intern, Environmental Defense Fund “There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” – President John F. Kennedy The Mississippi River Delta – one of the largest and most productive wetland ecosystems in North America – is teeming with life, and this rich bounty has supported the development of unique cultures and traditions, alongside industry. At the same time, Louisiana’s fragile coastal wetland ecosystems are …
Tagged Economics, ReportsThe fate and fortune of Plaquemines Parish is tied to the ability to sustain the wetlands
By Bobby Thomas, Executive Director of the Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry This month, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta campaign invited a few leaders of the Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry (PABI) on a tour of several coastal restoration projects along Barataria Bay near Myrtle Grove. Recognizing this as a valuable educational opportunity concerning a topic of utmost importance for the parish – coastal land loss – we gladly accepted. Despite being one of its greatest assets, …
“Party with a Purpose” brings together young professionals, coastal restoration advocates
By Eden Davis, Greater New Orleans Outreach Coordinator, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign On Wednesday June 18, the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a “Party with a Purpose” for young professionals. More than 64 young professionals came out to enjoy the evening at Brisbi’s restaurant in Lakeview. The event highlighted the coastal land loss crisis that Louisiana is currently facing as well as solutions to restore our coast. Louisiana loses a football field …
Coastal Resilience Solutions Discussed at New Orleans Conference
By Alisha Renfro, Staff Scientist for Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition At the start of the 2014 hurricane season, risk reduction and coastal resilience – the ability of a coastal system to resist, recover and adapt to events like storm events – should be on everyone’s mind. Here in Louisiana, we’re facing land loss, rising sea levels and storms, which have severely diminished the natural resilience of the coast. That means increasing the resiliency of our coastal system will make …