Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) Ecosystem Restoration Plan Moves Forward
Newer posts →Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) Ecosystem Restoration Plan Moves Forward
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation The Army Corps of Engineers is set to release the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) Ecosystem Restoration Plan Draft Feasibility Report this Friday, December 17, officially opening the 45-day public comment period. The release marks an important and long-awaited step toward community protection and large-scale coastal restoration for the Greater New Orleans region. The extensive flooding of the Lower Ninth Ward and St. Bernard Parish during Hurricane Katrina was directly attributable to the MRGO, …
Bloggers Nationwide Ask for Gulf Coast Restoration During "Blog for the Gulf" Event
By David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society The Nature Blog Network, which represents more than 1,300 nature, science and conservation blogs from all over the world, sponsored a virtual event called “Blog for the Gulf” last week. Organizers asked bloggers to write about Gulf Coast restoration and recovery, and specifically, the Senate’s need to act during lame duck to dedicate Clean Water Act penalties to environmental restoration. Responses were passionate. “As embarrassing as it is that Congress couldn’t pass a[n] …
Why Should We Save Coastal Louisiana?
By Diane Huhn, Bayou Grace Community Services Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Bayou Grace Community Services has been working to address the most critical and immediate environmental needs of residents of Lower Terrebonne Parish, La. Coastal land loss is a daily reality for those living in these communities. For many, land loss means living in a constant state of recovery and anticipating the next flood, be it from a tropical storm, hurricane, or even high tides. Through its Environmental Outreach program, Bayou …
First Meeting of Gulf Restoration Task Emphasizes Action, Inclusiveness, Comprehensiveness
By Paul Harrison, Environmental Defense Fund A packed room of approximately 250 people in Pensacola, Fl. welcomed the first meeting of President Obama’s Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force on Nov. 8th. Impassioned speeches from Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Garret Graves and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mimi A. Drew emphasized the environmental, human, and economic need for not only fixing the damage caused directly by the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, but also addressing the long-term …
Executive Director Named for Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
On October 25 , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson named John H. Hankinson, Jr. as executive director of the newly-established Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, which President Obama created through an executive order in October. Hankinson served until recently as board chairman of Audubon of Florida and as southeast regional EPA administrator from 1994 to 2001. Previously, Hankinson led land acquisition at the St. Johns River Water Management District and was a staff director for the Florida House of Representatives. A …
Groups Push Congress to Pass Gulf Restoration Legislation During Lame Duck Session
By Elly Pepper, Environmental Defense Fund Currently under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the financial penalties BP would pay for causing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill would be deposited into the Federal Treasury. However, the Treasury should not receive a windfall from a tragedy that severely damaged the Gulf region’s economy and environment. These funds belong in the Gulf. As such, our organizations are working to encourage Congress to pass legislation during the lame duck session that would devote a significant portion …
Six Months Later, A Call to Action
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation On the six-month anniversary of the BP oil disaster, National Wildlife Federation partnered with dozens of organizations – including national environmental groups, local community associations and the fishing industry – to call for congressional action in response to the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. At the rally in New Orleans, participants spoke in support of the Weeks Bay Principles, a set of response and recovery goals signed by 37 organizations across the Gulf in October at …