Nominations Sought For Top State Conservation Awards
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(November 30, 2012 – BATON ROUGE, LA) The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) is accepting nominations for the 49th Governor’s State Conservation Achievement Awards. The program recognizes those persons and organizations making outstanding contributions to the natural resource welfare and environmental quality of the community, parish and state. There are eight award categories for which nominations can be made. They are: professional; volunteer; business; educator; youth; elected official; communications and organization. Nominations will be accepted until January 21, 2013. The awards …
LPB TV and the BP Oil Disaster: “Louisiana: The State We’re In”
Last Friday on Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s (LPB) “Louisiana: The State We’re In,” panelists representing impacted families, state communities and the environment discussed the recent Department of Justice announcement of an unprecedented $4.5 billion BP criminal case settlement for BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, plus ongoing impacts and restoration needs. Panelists included: Keith Jones, whose son was among the eleven killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion; Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society’s Mississippi Flyway and Gulf of Mexico; and …
Environmental Groups Praise Historic Criminal Settlement
CONTACTS: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation, 512.203.3016, mccormick@nwf.org Scott Madere, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.767.4181, scottm@crcl.org John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin, 604.421.7348, johnlopez@pobox.com Environmental Groups Praise Historic Criminal Settlement Using BP criminal penalties for restoration a step forward to unprecedented civil fines Leading conservation groups praised the Department of Justice for reaching a historic $4.5 billion settlement on the criminal charges stemming from the 2010 BP oil disaster. This settlement will send $1.2 billion to coastal Louisiana restoration projects with an …
Video: Postcards from New Orleans: Hope for the Northeast
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund If anyone can sympathize with the Northeast as it recovers from Hurricane Sandy, it’s the residents of New Orleans. I found this out firsthand on recent trip to Louisiana. httpv://youtu.be/mLuI4g00WAE While Hurricane Sandy battered the Northeast, I was in South Louisiana with Environmental Defense Fund’s Creative Director, Nicole Possin, working on a video about wetlands restoration in the Mississippi River Delta. We’d planned the trip long before we knew about Sandy, and the irony …
Statement: New BP Oil Slick Proof That 2010 Oil Spill is Not Over
Contacts: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org New BP Oil Slick Proof That 2010 Oil Spill is Not Over BP must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, groups say (Washington, D.C.—October 11, 2012) Today, a three-mile oil slick that was detected in the gulf last month was confirmed as oil from the 2010 gulf oil disaster. The slick illustrates that …
Statement: Army Corps Should Act Quickly to Restore MRGO Damage
Contacts: Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation, 504-442-2702 John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504-421-7348 For Immediate Release: (September 26, 2012—New Orleans) The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its March decision on Army Corps liability for catastrophic flood damage related to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) during Hurricane Katrina, giving the Army Corps immunity under the discretionary-function exception of the Federal Tort Claims Act. Still, the Court acknowledged the MRGO “greatly aggravated the storm’s effects on the city” …
Poll: Hunters and Anglers Overwhelmingly Support Gulf Clean-up
Sportsmen and women want fines from 2010 gulf oil disaster used to restore critical coastal ecosystems. This was originally posted on VanishingParadise.org. A new national poll released yesterday shows that hunters and anglers prioritize protecting the gulf ecosystem and using fines paid by BP and other parties responsible for the 2010 Gulf oil disaster to be used for gulf restoration. The poll conducted by Chesapeake Beach Consulting shows threats to America’s conservation heritage are priority issues for sportsmen and women, …
Tagged ReportsHurricane Isaac Batters Louisiana Marshes, Uncovers Oil
This story was originally published by the National Wildlife Federation. By Craig Guillot, National Wildlife Federation When Hurricane Isaac struck Louisiana on the seven-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, its winds and tidal surge caused four deaths and at least $1.5 billion in insured damages. For many residents around the Mississippi River Delta, Isaac brought back memories of two recent disasters to hit the coast — Katrina and the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. Before the storm even hit land, residents in some …
Conservation Groups Praise White House for Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Executive Order
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 Brian Moore, National Audubon Society, 202.386.1516, bmoore@audubon.org Conservation Groups Praise White House for Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Executive Order Order demonstrates continued commitment to restoration; eyes turn to BP to make things right in gulf (Washington, D.C. — September 10, 2012) Today, local and national conservation organizations thanked President Obama for issuing an executive order reinforcing the White House’s commitment to Gulf Coast restoration in …
Geosynthetics Industry Poised to Grow as Gulf Coast Restoration Ramps Up
NEWS RELEASE Contact: Elizabeth Skree, 202-553-2543, eskree@edf.org Geosynthetics Industry Poised to Grow as Gulf Coast Restoration Ramps Up RESTORE Act will increase environmental restoration, spur economic growth (Washington, D.C.—July 26, 2012) What are geosynthetics and why are they central to the creation of jobs and expansion of coastal restoration projects? A new Duke University study, “GEOSYNTHETICS: Coastal Management Applications in the Gulf of Mexico,” details how the emerging geosynthetics industry can create jobs benefitting nearly 200 employee locations in 36 states, …
Tagged Economics, ReportsSenator Landrieu visits Louisiana coastal communities, celebrates passage of RESTORE Act
By Amanda Moore and Happy Johnson, National Wildlife Federation Yesterday (July 9), U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) kicked off a five-stop Louisiana coastal tour to celebrate the historic passage and signing into law of the RESTORE Act. Stops included Jean Lafitte, Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Bell City. Staff from the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign were on hand in Lafitte as the senior senator from Louisiana thanked the crowd for the time and energy spent achieving this momentous victory for …
Groups Commend Louisiana Congressional Supporters on Passage of RESTORE Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Chris Macaluso, Louisiana Wildlife Federation, 225.802.4048, chris@lawildlifefed.org Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org Karen Gautreaux, The Nature Conservancy, 225.788.4525, kgautreaux@tnc.org Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org Scott Madere, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.767.4181, scottm@crcl.org GROUPS COMMEND LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORTERS ON PASSAGE OF RESTORE ACT Legislation restoring Gulf Coast ecosystems and economy included in Transportation Bill (Baton Rouge, La. – June 29, 2012) Today, local and national …
Groups Commend Congress on RESTORE Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.475.1733, hlayman@tnc.org David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org Mary Babic, Oxfam America, 617.517.9475, mbabic@oxfamamerica.org GROUPS COMMEND CONGRESS ON RESTORE ACT Legislation restoring Gulf Coast ecosystems and economy included in transportation bill (Washington, D.C. – June 28, 2012) Local and national conservation groups have issued the following joint statement in response to the Senate and House …
Tagged ReportsConservation groups laud funding for restoration efforts from U.S. House
Federal funds will support critical restoration construction projects, jobs in Louisiana FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Washington, D.C. — June 1, 2012) Today, local and national conservation groups applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for approving $10 million in new funding for critical Louisiana coastal restoration projects. Passed as an amendment to the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, the measure was sponsored by Louisiana Representatives Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Cedric Richmond (D-La.) and directs $10 million to the U.S. Army Corps …
More than 100 Gulf Coast cities, municipalities, economic development groups and chambers of commerce urge Congress to pass RESTORE Act
Yesterday, 118 leaders representing cities, municipalities, economic development groups and chambers of commerce from all five gulf states sent a joint letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to pass the RESTORE Act. If passed, the RESTORE Act would direct the majority of fines paid by those responsible for the 2010 gulf oil spill back to Gulf Coast communities. Both the Senate and House have passed versions of the RESTORE Act as part of their transportation bills. The legislation …