Bill to protect Louisiana’s Coastal Fund unanimously passes House Appropriations Committee
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Louisiana House Bill 490 is legislation that would ensure the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund (Coastal Fund) is used for coastal restoration and protection purposes only. The bill reached its first milestone yesterday when it was unanimously passed by the House Appropriations Committee. This bill will protect the state’s Coastal Fund by prohibiting it from being used as a pass-through account for purposes other than coastal protection and restoration. The Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition will continue to monitor and support HB …
Support HB 490: Legislation to protect Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund
By Cynthia Duet, Director of Governmental Relations, Audubon Louisiana On May 24, 2013, a curious, if not uncomfortable, rhetorical question was posed in bold red lettering in an article from The Lens by Representative Brett Geymann, R-Lake Charles. He asked, “Do you think when we created the Coastal Restoration Fund, it was meant to be used for money-laundering?” Our groups believe the answer to be an unqualified “No” and therefore are supporting a bill this legislative session – HB 490, …
Of Coast and Culture: Happy Mardi Gras, Y’all!
By Eden Davis and Philip Russo, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition There are many reasons to advocate for coastal restoration in Louisiana, but few arguments are as compelling as preserving the cultural legacy of a state known for its food, music and festivities. That’s why we as part of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition are doing our best to celebrate tirelessly the cultural apex that is Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We, along with the rest of the community, …
Media Advisory for Feb. 20: “Bayou Sundance” Documentary to Premiere in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward
Media Advisory for Thursday, February 20, 2014 Contact: Arthur Johnson, The Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, 504.421.9643, ajohnson@sustainthenine.org “Bayou Sundance” Documentary to Premiere in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward Provocative film details history of Bayou Bienvenue through eyes of community elders and youth The Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle is a degraded bald cypress swamp just north of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. Over the past 50 years, human activity has caused the swamp and …
Conservation Organizations Respond to Senator Mary Landrieu’s Confirmation as Chairwoman of Energy and Natural Resources Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Conservation Organizations Respond to Senator Mary Landrieu’s Confirmation as Chairwoman of Energy and Natural Resources Committee Landrieu a champion for Louisiana coastal restoration, Gulf oil spill recovery (Washington, DC—February 11, 2014) Today, the U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus confirmed Senator Mary Landrieu as chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. National and local conservation organizations committed …
A Tale of Two Meetings
By Philip Russo, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign It is hard to say no to a good two-for-one deal. At least, that’s what Louisiana’s Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority (CPRA) had in mind when they planned this week’s public meetings in South Louisiana. At meetings in Belle Chasse (yesterday), Thibodaux (tonight) and Lake Charles (tomorrow evening), CPRA is unveiling and accepting public comments on their Draft Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Plan as well as the Gulf oil spill Draft Natural …
Draft FY2015 Annual Plan, Oil Spill NRDA Public Meetings
By Maura Wood, Partnership Manager, National Wildlife Federation With everyone’s help, we are making great strides toward restoring Louisiana’s coast. Our efforts to attain the resources necessary to meet this great challenge are gaining momentum and projects are moving forward. Next week on January 14, 15, and 16, Louisianans will be able to learn about and comment on the progress being made on coastal restoration at three multi-purpose public hearings being held by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). …
The Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy Gingerbread House
By Philip Russo, Plaquemines Parish Outreach Coordinator, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign We have many holiday traditions down here in the Mississippi River Delta. But whether you’re planning to bask in the smoky warmth of a levee bonfire or tour the illuminated oaks of New Orleans City Park, we here on the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign have decided there’s room for one more holiday tradition: the Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy gingerbread house. The idea for this resilient confectionary …
Deepwater Horizon Trustees release environmental plans for $627 million in restoration projects
By Whit Remer and Estelle Robichaux, Environmental Defense Fund On December 6, the U.S. Department of Interior, on behalf of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage (NRDA) Trustees, released a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for approximately $627 million of early restoration projects across the Gulf Coast. While the projects were initially proposed in May, over the past six months, the Trustees have been preparing a PEIS to evaluate the broad impacts of the projects. The PEIS includes $318 …
Plaquemines Parish Fair and Orange Festival celebrates its 66th year
By Philip Russo, Plaquemines Parish Outreach Coordinator, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign During the first weekend in December, local residents and tourists alike celebrated the bounty of Plaquemines Parish’s cultural and economic successes at the 67th annual Plaquemines Parish Fair and Orange Festival in Buras. Huddled between the protective Mississippi River levee and the elegantly decayed Fort Jackson, the festival was not entirely spared the blustery and frosty weather that is typical of early December. Yet despite the weather, fairgoers celebrated …
The Billion Dollar Question: Who pays for MRGO ecosystem restoration?
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation Last Tuesday, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority authorized the state attorney general to file suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to get the federal government to pick up 100 percent of the expense for the federal plan for ecosystem restoration of damage caused by the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). Since 2008, there has been an ongoing dispute between the state and the Corps involving interpretation of …
Deepwater Horizon Trustees Release Draft Early Restoration Plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Deepwater Horizon Trustees Release Draft Early Restoration Plan Natural Resource Damage Assessment Process Moves Forward (New Orleans, LA—December 6, 2013) Today, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees have released their draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and their draft Restoration Plan for Phase …
Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition submits comments on proposed RESTORE Act Treasury regulations
By Whit Remer and Elizabeth Weiner, Environmental Defense Fund Earlier this month, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition submitted public comments to the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) on a proposed rule governing disbursements from the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Trust Fund. The Trust Fund was established by the RESTORE Act, enacted in 2012, and is funded by 80 percent of the civil Clean Water Act penalties that have been, and will be, paid by the parties responsible for …
Phase II of BP oil spill trial expected to conclude today
By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund Expert testimony on how much oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 oil disaster is expected to wrap up today in a New Orleans federal courtroom. This testimony is part of the Quantification Segment of the second phase of the BP trial, which began on September 30 and is ending a full week earlier than expected. Phase two is focused on efforts to stop the flow of oil from …
Science plays key role in determining amount of oil spilled during 2010 Gulf disaster
By Alisha Renfro, Coastal Scientist, National Wildlife Federation The unprecedented scale of the 2010 BP oil spill and the further complexity introduced by its deep water location pushed scientists involved in the response effort to apply both old and new research methods to estimate the rate of oil flow from the well and the total volume of oil spilled. Currently in New Orleans, phase II of the BP oil spill trial – which will focus on that very question of how much oil …