Press Releases

Conservation Groups Pleased to See Gulf Restoration Efforts Advance

Conservation Groups Pleased to See Gulf Restoration Efforts Advance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.767.4181, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, jlopez@saveourlake.org Conservation Groups Pleased to See Gulf Restoration Efforts Advance NRDA Trustees Release 1,500-Page Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan (NEW ORLEANS – October 5, 2015) Today, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees released …

New Poll Finds 94 Percent of Louisianians Will Consider a Candidate’s Coastal Platform When Voting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Poll Finds 94 Percent of Louisianians Will Consider a Candidate’s Coastal Platform When Voting  Majority Want Next Governor to Protect Coastal Restoration Funding, Make Restoration a Priority (NEW ORLEANS—Sept. 20, 2015) This fall, Louisianians will elect a new governor who will have a significant role in moving forward the state’s 50-year Coastal Master Plan. Nearly 94 percent indicate that a candidate’s commitment to protect and restore coastal Louisiana will be important to them when they vote, …

MRGO Must Go Coalition Applauds $3 Billion Court Decision Moving Critical Restoration Forward

For Immediate Release: Contact: John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504-421-7348, jlopez@saveourlake.org Samantha Carter, National Wildlife Federation, 504-264-6831, carterS@nwf.org MRGO Must Go Coalition Applauds $3 Billion Court Decision Moving Critical Restoration Forward  10 years after Katrina, critical ecosystem and storm buffer still awaits restoration (NEW ORLEANS – September 2, 2015) In a landmark decision last week, U.S. District Court Judge Lance Africk of the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled in favor of the State of Louisiana, finding that the U.S. Army …

Conservation Groups Commemorate Katrina Anniversary by Urging President to Prioritize Restoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.767.4181, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, jlopez@saveourlake.org Conservation Groups Commemorate Katrina Anniversary by Urging President Obama to Prioritize Restoration  Coastal Restoration Is Key to City’s Long-Term Resiliency, and Administration Has Opportunities to Advance Efforts (NEW ORLEANS, LA—Aug. 26, 2015) As President Obama and …

Restore the Mississippi River Delta Launches “Restore the Coast” Community Engagement Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition Launches “Restore the Coast” Community Engagement Campaign Campaign Highlights Important Role Louisiana Leaders Play in Coastal Restoration (August 14, 2015 – NEW ORLEANS) This weekend, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition is launching the “Restore …

RESTORE Council Releases Priority List of Gulf Restoration Projects for Funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Rachel Guillory, Ocean Conservancy, 504.208.5816, rguillory@oceanconservancy.org Andrew Blejwas, The Nature Conservancy, 617.785.7047, ablejwas@tnc.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, johnlopez@pobox.com   RESTORE Council Releases Priority List of Gulf Restoration Projects for Funding National and Local Conservation Groups Call List Positive Step Forward; Tremendous …

A Decade after Katrina, Groups Issue Recommendations for Community Protection, Restoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:               Samantha Carter, National Wildlife Federation, 504.264.6831, carters@nwf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Raleigh Hoke, Gulf Restoration Network, 573.795.1916, raleigh@healthygulf.org A Resilient, Sustainable New Orleans A Decade after Katrina, Groups Issue Recommendations for Community Protection, Restoration (New Orleans – August 11, 2015) To commemorate the upcoming 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a coalition of local community and conservation advocacy groups working to restore wetlands around the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) released a …

Gulf Restoration Groups Ready to Put Billions to Work to Bring Back Gulf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Rachel Guillory, Ocean Conservancy, 504.208.5816, rguillory@oceanconservancy.org Andrew Blejwas, The Nature Conservancy, 617.785.7047, ablejwas@tnc.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org John Lopez, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, 504.421.7348, johnlopez@pobox.com Gulf Restoration Groups Ready to Put Billions to Work to Bring Back Gulf Region’s economy and well-being are based on strong, resilient ecosystem …

Opening of Hurricane Season a Timely Reminder of Urgent Need for Coastal Restoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Jimmy Frederick, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, 225.317.2046, jimmy.frederick@crcl.org Opening of Hurricane Season a Timely Reminder of Urgent Need for Coastal Restoration Leading conservation groups call for action as storm season commences (New Orleans, LA—May 28, 2015) Prior to the June 1 start of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season, national and local conservation groups working …

Conservation Groups Commend Congressional Funding of Louisiana Coastal Restoration Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Conservation Groups Commend Congressional Funding of Louisiana Coastal Restoration Projects Funding will help advance crucial, long-needed Louisiana coastal restoration efforts (Washington, D.C.—May 21, 2015) Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations included critical funding for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Program in its Fiscal Year 2016 (FY 16) Energy and Water Development Appropriations …

NOAA Study Confirms BP Oil Spill Led to Dolphin Deaths in Northern Gulf of Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org NOAA Study Confirms BP Oil Spill Led to Dolphin Deaths in Northern Gulf of Mexico  Leading Conservation Groups Call on BP to Accept Responsibility for Continued Environmental Damage (New Orleans, LA—May 20, 2015) Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a peer-reviewed study confirming that the 2010 Gulf oil disaster contributed to …

Leading Conservation Groups Praise Passage of HCR1, Funding 2015-2016 Coastal Annual Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org   HCR1 Passes Legislature, Funding 2015-2016 Coastal Annual Plan Leading Conservation Groups Praise Passage as Recognition of Coastal Restoration Priorities (New Orleans, LA—May 19, 2015) Today, House Concurrent Resolution 1 (HCR 1) – the funding vehicle for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s 2015-2016 annual plan for integrated coastal protection and restoration – made …

Restoration Groups Call on President Obama to Make Leadership on Gulf Restoration a Priority Issue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Andrew Blejwas, The Nature Conservancy, 617.785.7047, ablejwas@tnc.org Rachel Guillory, Ocean Conservancy, 504.208.5816, rguillory@oceanconservancy.org RESTORATION GROUPS CALL ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO MAKE LEADERSHIP ON GULF RESTORATION A PRIORITY ISSUE Five years after the start of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, nation’s largest environmental groups ask the President to accelerate restoration (Washington, D.C. – April 17, 2015) Today, …

Five Years after BP Oil Spill: Focus Should Be on Continued Need for Restoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org Jacques Hebert, National Audubon Society, 504.264.6849, jhebert@audubon.org Elizabeth Van Cleve, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, evancleve@edf.org Five Years after BP Oil Spill: Focus Should Be on Continued Need for Restoration   Leading Conservation Groups Challenge BP to Stop Campaign of Misinformation, Fund Restoration (New Orleans, LA—April 16, 2015) Monday, April 20, marks five years since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing 11 men and spewing at least 3.19 million barrels …

City of New Orleans Christmas Tree Recycling Program Celebrates 20 Years of Protecting Wetlands

By Samantha Carter, National Wildlife Federation Where does your Christmas tree go when you leave it at the curb? If you participated in the New Orleans tree recycling program this year, then as of April 2nd your tree is now in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge.       After your tree was picked up off of the curb in January, it was sorted and bundled by the Department of Sanitation with help from the city’s Office of Coastal and …