Recap of Day Four of BP Oil Spill Trial
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By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund Testimony wrapped up this afternoon for the Source Control segment of the second phase of the BP oil spill trial. Phase I of the trial, which lasted nearly two months earlier this year, covered events that caused the rig to explode by focusing on BP’s corporate culture, drilling practices, and safety plans. Currently, the trial is in its second phase. Judge Carl Barbier is hearing testimony on BP’s efforts to stop the …
Recap of Day Three of BP Oil Spill Trial
By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund Today was the third day of testimony in the phase II of the BP trial for the massive 2010 Gulf oil disaster. Attorneys for BP began calling witnesses to support their position that the company did everything possible to stop the massive oil leak from the Macondo well. Just to recap, this phase of the trial focuses on presiding Federal District Court Judge Carl Barbier hearing testimony on BP’s efforts to stop …
Recap of Day Two of BP Oil Spill Trial
By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund Attorneys in court today for phase two of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill trial focused on BP’s oil spill response plans and the engineering operations contemplated to stop the flow of the oil from the Macondo well. Measures to control and stop oil are referred to as “Source Control” in this part of trial. Robert Turlak of Transocean took the stand early in the morning to testify about an operation called “BOP …
Timeline of the Gulf Oil Disaster: Make BP Restore
Yesterday, September 30, 2013, as phase II of the 2010 BP oil spill civil trial began in New Orleans, members of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign gathered outside the courthouse to demand BP be held fully accountable for the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. At 6:30 am, we debuted a brand new BP oil spill timeline video LIVE outside the courthouse on a 16-foot, high definition LED billboard in an effort to highlight the ongoing need for restoration and …
Recap of Day One of BP Oil Spill Trial
By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund Yesterday morning kicked off the second phase of what is expected to be a four-week trial in the BP oil spill case. This phase follows the nearly two-month trial that took place earlier this year and covered all the events that caused the troubled drilling rig to explode. The second phase will cover events happening after the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Phase II is broken into two mini phases: The first mini phase …
Conservation Organizations Demand BP Accountability for Gulf Oil Disaster
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Conservation Organizations Demand BP Accountability for Gulf Oil Disaster Deepwater Horizon civil trial resumes, groups reinforce need to restore (New Orleans, LA—Sept. 27, 2013) On Monday, Sept. 30, phase II of the Deepwater Horizon civil trial will begin to determine how much BP will be required to pay in fines for the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. Today, leading …
Treasury releases RESTORE Act regulations, restoration process advances
By Whit Remer, Policy Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund On September 6, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) proposed draft regulations for disbursing funds under the RESTORE Act. Treasury is responsible for developing compliance measures, an auditing process and guidelines for grant distribution under the law. The release of the regulations enables the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council to advance some of its work, and the final regulations will outline the process for Gulf Coast states to acquire their RESTORE …
Media Advisory for Monday, September 30: The BP Oil Disaster Trial in New Orleans
Contact: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Monday, September 30: The BP Oil Disaster Trial in New Orleans New video of gushing oil, visual timeline of oil spill to debut on 16-foot LED billboard outside courthouse **Interview and photo opportunities** Phase II of the 2010 BP oil disaster civil trial is scheduled to begin Monday, September 30, 2013. Representatives from three of America’s leading conservation organizations will …
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approves Initial Comprehensive Plan
By Estelle Robichaux, Environmental Defense Fund Last week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council held a public meeting in New Orleans to vote on its Initial Comprehensive Plan: Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy. The RESTORE Act, signed into law in July 2012, established the Council and tasked it with, among other duties, creating a long-term ecosystem restoration plan for the Gulf Coast region in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In his opening remarks, Louisiana Governor …
Wildlife tourism in Louisiana
This is the second post in a series about wildlife tourism and the Gulf Coast economy. By Will Lindsey and Rachel Schott, Environmental Defense Fund Datu Research LLC’s recently released report, “Wildlife Tourism and the Gulf Coast Economy,” shows how wildlife tourism is a vital component of the Gulf Coast economy and links the industry’s success to the health of the Gulf’s unique environment and ecosystems. Taking a closer look at the report allows one to see the full economic …
Tagged EconomicsStudy shows how coastal habitats help provide protection from storms, sea level rise
By Alisha Renfro, Coastal Scientist, National Wildlife Federation Coastal communities throughout the U.S. are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and extreme weather events. The conventional approach for protecting people and property along the coast has relied on engineering solutions such as levees, seawalls and bulkheads, which “harden” shorelines. However, not only can these structures be expensive to build and difficult to maintain, but in some cases, they can also increase erosion, impair the recreational uses of the area and …
Tagged ReportsKatrina and Isaac anniversaries remind us of urgent need for coastal restoration
By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation This week marks the anniversaries of Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. As we take time to remember and commemorate, we must also look to the future and commit to preparing for the next storm and protecting our communities. Even eight years after Katrina, it’s hard to forget the storms. Recovery and rebuilding remain an everyday reality in coastal Louisiana. Levees and home elevation are some of the more immediate ways to protect ourselves, but these …
A review of the RESTORE Council's Initial Comprehensive Plan
By Whit Remer and Elizabeth Weiner, Environmental Defense Fund Last week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released the “Initial Comprehensive Plan: Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy” for implementing parts of the RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act, which was enacted into law in 2012 in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council was created by the RESTORE Act and comprises officials from five Gulf Coast states and six federal agencies. The …
Tagged ReportsWhat is wildlife tourism?
This is the first in a series of posts about wildlife tourism and the Gulf Coast economy. By Will Lindsey and Rachel Schott, Environmental Defense Fund A new economic report by Datu Research LLC studied the important contribution that wildlife tourism provides to the economic vitality of 53 coastal counties and parishes across the Gulf Coast states. Wildlife tourism, which includes wildlife watching, recreational fishing and hunting, generates $19 billion per year in revenue for the Gulf Coast. Renowned for …
Tagged Economics, ReportsRESTORE Council Releases Initial Gulf Coast Restoration Plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org RESTORE Council Releases Initial Gulf Coast Restoration Plan Groups urge Council to prioritize ecosystem restoration, Louisiana Coastal Master Plan in final plan (New Orleans, LA – August 21, 2013) Today, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released its Initial Comprehensive Plan: Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy. Leading national and local conservation and …