State, Federal Partnership Critical To Advancing Large-Scale Louisiana Coastal Restoration Project
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Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Vital to Future of Nationally-Significant Region (WASHINGTON – Jan. 26, 2018) Earlier today, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and other state and federal agencies to collaborate on permitting for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion under the guidance of Trump Executive Order 13807. Located in Plaquemines Parish, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is a Louisiana Coastal Master Plan project that would direct sediment, …
Conservation Groups Urge Swift Action to Implement Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
Release of scoping report with significant public input an important step forward (NEW ORLEANS – Jan. 23, 2018) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) recently released a Final Scoping Report for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a Coastal Master Plan project that would reconnect the Mississippi River to nearby wetlands to build and maintain land in Louisiana’s Barataria Basin. The report is based on 871 individual comments sent to the Corps to inform the development of an Environmental Impact Statement …
Conservation Groups Identify Priority Projects to Restore Louisiana’s Coast
Report outlines opportunities for comprehensive, coast-wide restoration through key projects (NEW ORLEANS – November 15, 2017) Today, leading national and local conservation groups working together to address Louisiana’s severe land loss crisis released a report, Restoring the Mississippi River Delta: A Recommended List of Coastal Restoration Projects and Programs, outlining 17 priority projects for restoring the Mississippi River Delta and coastal Louisiana. Restore the Mississippi River Delta – a coalition comprised of Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, National …
Conservation Groups Underscore Support for Critical Coastal Restoration Funding for Louisiana
GOMESA Provides Consistent Stream of Funding to Restore Nationally-Significant Landscape (NEW ORLEANS – November 14, 2017) Signed into law in 2006, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) allows for the sharing of 37.5 percent of qualified Outer Continental Shelf oil drilling revenues with oil-producing Gulf Coast states. Louisiana voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment committing GOMESA funds to be used exclusively for restoration and protection activities. Now in Phase II, revenues from GOMESA to the State of Louisiana …
Conservation Groups: After 30 Years of Studies, Get Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Constructed Quickly
As public scoping meetings begin, groups call on permitting agencies to act swiftly FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (NEW ORLEANS – July 20, 2017) Later today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will hold its first public scoping meeting to inform development of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, with additional meetings to be held through July 27. During the scoping process, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), stakeholders will have an opportunity to …
Updated USGS Maps Show Decreased Rate of Louisiana Land Loss
Conservation groups say urgent action still needed to slow down continued land loss, build new land For Immediate Release (NEW ORLEANS – June 12, 2017) Today, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released updated maps depicting net land loss and land gain in Louisiana since 1932. These maps show that the rate of land loss has slowed in recent years, largely due to decreased hurricane activity and the advancement of coastal restoration projects, such as the Lake Hermitage and Bayou Dupont …
Conservation Groups Praise Lake Charles Mayor Roach for Leadership on Louisiana’s Coast
As Mayor Roach transitions from current roles, his contributions and impact will persist FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (New Orleans, LA—June 30, 2017) This week marks the final week in office for Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach, a man whose public service in office spans more than 30 years when he was first elected to the Louisiana Legislature. In that time, Mayor Roach was a strong advocate for Louisiana’s coast, serving as the Vice-Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Restoration …
Gulf Restoration Groups to Congressional Leaders: Scott Pruitt’s EPA Cuts are a Nightmare for Coastal Communities
Pruitt to testify Thursday before House Appropriations Panel on EPA’s budget proposal, which seeks to cut roughly one third of the EPA’s programmatic spending FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (New Orleans, LA – June 15, 2017) Today, U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. Pruitt will face questions on the proposed EPA budget, which will cut the agency’s spending by roughly 30 percent. National and local organizations working on Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River …
Gulf Restoration Groups to Congressional Leaders: We’re Counting On You to Keep Your Word
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE As Secretary Ross and Secretary Zinke Both Testify about the President’s Proposed Budget, Conservation Groups Call on Congress to Keep their Promises on Restoration (New Orleans, LA – June 8, 2017) Today, national and local organizations working on Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River Delta restoration – Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Ocean Conservancy, and The Nature Conservancy – released the following statement in advance of two different budget hearings today, one with …
Louisiana Legislature Approves 2017 Coastal Master Plan
Conservation groups praise it as “a plan we can all be proud of” and “one we need implemented quickly” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Baton Rouge, LA—June 2, 2017) Today, Louisiana’s State Legislature passed SCR1, a resolution approving the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, the state’s blueprint for coastal restoration and protection activities. The resolution was authored by Sen. Morrish (R-Jennings), Sen. Alario (R-Westwego) and Rep. Leger (D-New Orleans). The master plan prioritizes $50 billion in coastal restoration and risk reduction activities over …
President Trump’s Budget Proposal Abandons Louisiana Coastal Restoration
Groups call on Congressional leaders to fight for GOMESA funding, and other critical programs that protect communities and wetlands. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (NEW ORLEANS – May 23, 2017) Earlier today, President Trump unveiled a budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018 that would significantly set back coastal restoration and protection efforts in Louisiana. The proposal upends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), which is a commitment from Congress to share offshore energy revenues with four of the Gulf states …
More than 100 Leading Businesses and Organizations Voice Support for Coastal Master Plan
As legislature considers plan, 109 businesses and other groups urge passage in statewide ads (Baton Rouge, LA—May 2, 2017) As Coastal Day is celebrated at the legislature this week, ads signed by more than 100 Louisiana businesses, chambers of commerce, associations and non-profit organizations in support of the 2017 Coastal Master Plan will be running in newspapers across the state. The master plan, the state’s 50-year blueprint for coastal restoration and protection efforts, is updated every five years with the …
Leading Businesses Call on Louisiana Legislature to Pass the Coastal Master Plan
Following today’s approval by the CPRA Board, plan now moves to state legislature for passage (Baton Rouge, LA—April 19, 2017) Today, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Board unanimously approved the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, the state’s blueprint for coastal restoration and protection efforts. The plan, which is updated every five years with the best-available science, now moves to the state legislature for passage. More than 40 Louisiana businesses, associations and chambers of commerce expressed their support for …
New Poll Shows 88 Percent of Louisianians Support the 2017 Coastal Master Plan
Overwhelming majority want their state legislator to pass the plan, protect restoration funding (NEW ORLEANS—April 3, 2017) An overwhelming 88 percent of Louisiana voters want their legislators to vote for the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, according to a new statewide poll released today. The master plan is the state’s science-based blueprint for large-scale restoration and protection of Louisiana’s critical coastal areas. The draft plan will soon be finalized and is expected to be approved by the Coastal Protection and Restoration …
New LSU Study Underscores Regional Economic Costs of Coastal Land Loss
Study also shows economic benefits of implementing state’s Coastal Master Plan (Baton Rouge – March 22, 2017) Louisiana could lose as much as $3.6 billion in homes, businesses and other infrastructure over the next 50 years if the state takes no action to curb its coastal land loss crisis, according to a new study released today by the Louisiana State University (LSU) Economics & Policy Research Group. The study, “Regional Impacts of Coastal Land Loss and Louisiana’s Opportunity for Growth,” …