Louisiana Breaks Ground on Largest Coastal Restoration Project in U.S. History
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Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will create up to 40 square miles of new land (NEW ORLEANS, LA August 10, 2023) — Today, the State of Louisiana broke ground on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the largest single ecosystem restoration project in U.S. history and a monumental milestone decades in the making. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a cornerstone of Louisiana’s comprehensive plan to build and sustain coastal wetlands, will mimic natural land-building processes by reconnecting the Mississippi River to its surrounding wetlands, creating …
Louisiana Legislature Passes Pioneering Coastal Master Plan
Now in its fourth iteration, the plan provides a pathway to invest billions of dollars for coastal climate resilience NEW ORLEANS (May 25, 2023) – Today, Louisiana continued its leadership on climate change resilience and adaptation with the passage of the latest iteration of its Coastal Master Plan (CMP). The plan is a $50 billion, 50-year comprehensive blueprint first adopted in 2007 and updated every six years to reflect the latest science and evolving needs of vulnerable coastal communities. Following its passage, Restore …
Louisiana Voters Overwhelmingly Support Large-Scale Coastal Restoration
New poll finds significant increase in support for sediment diversions, urgent desire for action NEW ORLEANS (April 4, 2023) – There is widespread, bipartisan support for action to address Louisiana’s urgent land loss crisis through large-scale coastal restoration projects, according to a new poll released today by Global Strategy Group (GSG) on behalf of Restore the Mississippi Delta. An overwhelming 73 percent of Louisiana coastal voters support sediment diversions that address coastal restoration, up from 68 percent in 2021. Support …
Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Greenlighted with Final Permits
Record of Decision advances largest ecosystem restoration project in U.S. history NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 16, 2022) – Today, Louisiana’s Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion reached a momentous milestone as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Record of Decision and permits authorizing the project’s advancement. The decision – decades in the making and backed by the best available, world-class science and modeling – signifies a crucial step in turning the tide on the state’s land loss crisis. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion …
A Crucial Moment for Louisiana’s Future as Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Advances
Project will build land, provide storm protection and protect communities from a changing future NEW ORLEANS (Sept. 23, 2022) — Following a comprehensive evaluation and public comment period, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued their Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. In conjunction with this release, the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group also released the Final Restoration Plan which proposes investing Deepwater Horizon oil spill fines to construct the project. As the single largest ecosystem restoration …
Coastal Restoration Plan Advances over $74M in Restoration Projects
Media Statement of Restore the Mississippi River Delta (New Orleans, LA.- July 29, 2022) Today, the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees released its Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats. Earlier this year, over 160 representatives of business, government, environmental, community and other groups in Louisiana signed on to a letter in support of this plan. In response, Restore the Mississippi River Delta – a coalition of …
RISEE Act Would Provide Much Needed Long-term Funding for Louisiana’s Coast
Media Statement of Restore the Mississippi River Delta Leaders (New Orleans, LA.- July 21, 2022) Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced the Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems (RISEE) Act. This act would direct funding to the National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund from revenue generated by offshore wind production, and would expand restoration funding for the Mississippi River Delta and the Gulf Coast by eliminating the revenue sharing cap under the 2006 Gulf of …
Louisiana Legislature Approves Historic Investment in Louisiana’s Coast
Rep. Bourriaque and Restore the Mississippi River Delta respond to milestone achievement (BATON ROUGE, La. – May 24, 2022) Today, the Louisiana Senate approved the state’s Fiscal Year 2023 Coastal Annual Plan, finalizing its full passage by the Louisiana Legislature. The annual plan outlines nearly $1.3 billion in funding over a one-year period and $3.5 billion over the next three years for protection and restoration projects. It also describes the short-term and long-term restoration work that communities can expect to …
R. King Milling Recognized for Impact on Louisiana Coast and Communities
Statement of Restore the Mississippi River Delta on CRCL Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (New Orleans, LA — May 10, 2022) Restore the Mississippi River Delta commends R. King Milling on his Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. This honor is one of the most prestigious in coastal restoration. Milling, the retired president of Whitney National Bank in New Orleans, will be recognized May 12 at the Coastal Stewardship Awards reception in Baton Rouge. “Louisiana is remarkably …
Coastal Stakeholders Urge Decisionmakers to Advance Critical Restoration Projects
Over 160 signatories including state and federal legislators, business and community leaders, environmental NGOs voice support for restoration projects following hurricanes and oil spill New Orleans, Louisiana – Earlier this month the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees released its Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats. In response to the draft restoration plan, over 160 representatives of business, government, environmental, community and other groups in Louisiana have …
New Sea Level Rise Report Provides “Urgent Call for Action to Protect Louisiana’s Coast and Communities”
Media Statement of Restore the Mississippi River Delta Leaders (New Orleans, LA.- February 15, 2022) Today, NOAA’s National Ocean Service and interagency partners released an updated Sea Level Rise Technical Report that delivers sea level rise projections by decade for the next 100 years and beyond. The report indicates that seas will rise by up to a foot nationally by 2050, and potentially by up to two feet by 2100 depending on rates of emissions. In response, Restore the Mississippi …
Louisiana’s Coast and Communities Will Benefit from SHORRE Act Provisions
Media Statement of Simone Maloz, Campaign Director, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Today, Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) introduced the Shoreline Health Oversight, Restoration, Resilience, and Enhancement (SHORRE Act), a bipartisan bill to address coastal and riverine impacts of climate change in the United States. In response, Restore the Mississippi River Delta Campaign Director Simone Maloz issued the following statement: “Our nation desperately needs to fortify …
Louisiana commits nearly $1.3 billion to critical coastal restoration and protection projects
Following devastating hurricanes, the 2023 Coastal Annual Plan delivers historic investments toward strengthening community resilience Today, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority released its Draft Fiscal Year 2023 Coastal Annual Plan, the annual spending plan for the state’s coastal program. The Annual Plan guides funding to implement the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, the 50-year vision for priority coastal restoration and risk-reduction projects to restore and protect Louisiana’s coast. In response to the draft release, Restore the Mississippi River Delta …
Infrastructure Package Delivers Significant Wins for Louisiana’s Coast and Communities
Restore the Mississippi River Delta applauds investments while calling for swift action to implement coastal restoration projects and solutions NEW ORLEANS (November 15, 2021) – In a historic step toward strengthening our nation’s resilience to climate change, President Biden today signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This $1.2 trillion spending package, whose implementation will be coordinated by Mitch Landrieu, the former New Orleans mayor and former Louisiana lieutenant governor, includes $47 billion earmarked specifically for climate resilience, …
New Poll Shows Over 80% of Coastal Louisianans Support Sediment Diversions
Support for key restoration projects is broad in every region and among every demographic, including 74% of respondents in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes NEW ORLEANS (Aug. 12, 2021) — There is widespread, bipartisan support for action to address Louisiana’s urgent land loss crisis through sediment diversions and other science-based restoration efforts, according to a new poll of coastal Louisiana voters released today by Global Strategy Group (GSG) and Environmental Defense Fund. These results are consistent with prior polls in …