Latest news: May 22, 2012
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Your Word: An Able Warrior By Casi Callaway, executive director of the Mobile Baykeeper, for the Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 22, 2012. “Rarely do we hear about Republicans and Democrats working together these days. In fact, it often appears that if Party A declares the sky is blue, Party B will oppose that observation outright. That partisanship was set aside by the majority of our Gulf Coast legislators in order to craft a bill to support Gulf restoration in the …
Latest news: May 21, 2012
Coastal-zone changes coming for local parishes By Jeremy Alford, The Daily Comet. May 18, 2012. “BATON ROUGE (La.) — The Legislature is nearly finished with a bill that will add more of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes to the state’s official coastal zone…” (Read more) Franklin county commissioners urge congress to support the RESTORE Act Oyster Radio News (Eastpoint, FLa.). May 18, 2012. “Franklin County Commissioners are putting the pressure on our state representative to get behind the RESTORE Act which …
Latest news: May 18, 2012
Sen. Richard Shelby to be recognized by National Wildlife Federation By Mary Orndorff, The Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 17, 2012. “WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, normally not a favorite of environmental organizations, will accept an award tonight from the National Wildlife Federation for his work on the RESTORE Act, which would direct the fines from the 2010 oil spill to coastal restoration and economic development projects along the Gulf of Mexico…” (Read more) Scientists still busy with NRDA process …
Latest news: May 17, 2012
Moving forward on Restore Act: An editorial Editorial, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 17, 2012. “When a final transportation bill is worked out by Senate-House negotiators, Sen. Barbara Boxer says that it will include a measure to direct 80 percent of BP oil spill fines to the Gulf Coast…” (Read more) OUR VIEW: Morganza requires knowing what is, isn’t Editorial, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). May 16, 2012. “There is no denying it, the Morganza to the Gulf project is …
Coastal Master Plan passes another legislative milestone
Update on Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan: Earlier today, the Louisiana House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources and Environment unanimously approved the 2012 Coastal Master Plan (CR 46) and Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (CR 41). On Monday, both plans passed the House Transportation Committee by a vote of 11-0. The next and final step for the master plan is consideration by the full Louisiana House of Representatives, which will likely happen early next week. The Coastal Master Plan lays …
Latest news: May 16, 2012
Efforts to save coast slowed by lack of federal support Editorial, The American Press (Lake Charles, La.). May 14, 2012. “Remember the old joke about one of the biggest lies ever told is that the check is in the mail? Well, that’s not a lie when in comes to Congress. And it’s no laughing matter as far as Louisiana’s efforts to save its coast and wetlands…” (Read more) Boxer: Highway deal will include measure to funnel oil-spill penalty money to …
Latest news: May 15, 2012
Gulf Oil Spill: Where are we now? By Greg Angel, WTXL-TV. May 14, 2012. “TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Two years ago it was hard to escape the images emerging along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds of miles off the coast of Louisiana, a BP oil rig exploded killing 11 men. By the time it was capped, it’s estimated some five million barrels of oil had contaminated the gulf waters…” (Read more)
Louisiana House Transportation Committee approves Coastal Master Plan
Today, the Louisiana State House of Representatives Transportation Committee unanimously approved the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan (SCR 46) and Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (SCR 41). Last week, the Louisiana State Senate also approved both plans. The Coastal Master Plan lays out a 50-year vision for protecting and restoring Louisiana’s coastal resources and communities. Next, the master plan will go on to the House Natural Resources committee for approval. Check back over the coming days for updates on the plan’s progress through …
Latest news: May 14, 2012
River charts new course By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). May 14, 2012. “Scientists saw something new happen to the lower Mississippi River on Mardi Gras Day — the birth of a new Mississippi River pass…” (Read more) Bill would prohibit change for shrimpers By Nikki Buskey, The Houma (La.) Courier. May 11, 2012. “An amendment that would prohibit federal money from being used to require Turtle Excluder Devices on shrimp trawls passed the U.S. House of Representatives …
Latest news: May 11, 2012
Romney’s possible VP choice criticized for opposing RESTORE Act By Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 10, 2012. “WASHINGTON – Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a leading candidate to be Mitt Romney’s vice presidential running mate, is getting some heat back in his home state for casting the only Gulf Coast vote against sending 80 percent of BP oil spill fine money to the five Gulf states…” (Read more) B.R. startup’s solution to nutria problem: Make dog treats Greater …
Latest news: May 10, 2012
RESTORE Act for Gulf Coast draws opposition By Mary Orndorff, The Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 9, 2012. “WASHINGTON – A proposal to split the Clean Water Act fines from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill among Alabama and four other states has drawn opposition from other parts of the country…” (Read more) Take advantage of tool for understanding the oil spill Editorial, The Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 9, 2012. “TO THE unscientific mind, much of the technical information surrounding the …
Latest news: May 9, 2012
Lawmakers begin debate on RESTORE Act By Ledyard King, Florida Today (Brevard, Fla.). May 8, 2012. “Members of a House-Senate conference committee began debating legislation Tuesday that would steer billions of dollars to Florida and other Gulf Coast states still recovering from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster…” (Read more) Letter: ‘Sensible, equitable’ By Manley K. Fuller (Tallahassee President, Florida Wildlife Federation), Naples Daily News (Naples, Fla.). May 8, 2012. “It is disappointing to see how some elected officials in …
Latest news: May 8, 2012
Legislator says coastal plan not optional for state The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). May 8, 2012. “Louisiana has little choice but to adopt a $50 billion plan to pay for projects that would protect and restore the state’s coastline, the second-highest-ranking member of the Louisiana House of Representatives said Monday…” (Read more) Outraged Greenpeace releases images of oiled turtles By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 7, 2012. “Photos belonging to the federal government showing dead sea turtles covered …
Latest news: May 7, 2012
Making the coast healthier By Chris Oberholster, The Nature Conservancy, Alabama state director, for The Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 6, 2012. “As the author of the guest essay, “A Firmer Foundation” (April 22), correctly notes, we can’t prevent natural disasters, but we can do our best to prepare ourselves to withstand them with as little loss of life and property as possible…” (Read more) BP oil spill settlement grants will pay for health, mental health services on Gulf coast By …
Latest news: May 4, 2012
BP oil spill trial reset for Jan. 14, 2013 By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 3, 2012. “The civil trial over the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill will begin on Jan. 14, 2013, two months after a scheduled hearing on final approval of a settlement agreement between BP and private claimants, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier ruled today. The first phase of the trial will focus on issues leading up to the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig …