Science-based decision making and the gulf oil disaster
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By Alisha A. Renfro, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, National Wildlife Federation On April 20, 2010, a blowout of BP’s Macondo well, just 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana, began the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. For more than 80 days, oil spewed from the well into the deep and dark waters of the Gulf of Mexico, quickly spreading to mid-depths and to the surface. While this disaster resulted in the mobilization of an unprecedented amount of resources to …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: February 5, 2013
Matalin & Carville: Love, life and the Super Bowl By Mary Matalin and James Carville for USA Today. February 3, 2013. “In Louisiana we have a saying, “joie de vivre”, which is French for “the joy of living”. As long-time natives and current residents, we are fortunate to know New Orleans and to understand what it means to live in south Louisiana. There is no city more alive or more special than New Orleans…” (Read more) Smaller BP’s profits down …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: February 4, 2012
Mike Voisin’s Strong, Calm Seafood Voice Goes Silent By Ed Lallo, Louisiana Seafood News. February 2, 2013. “At 10:38 am on what was a sunny Saturday morning, the mood darkened in southern Louisiana as the state and Gulf seafood industries lost one of their strongest voices. Michael C. Voisin, owner of Motivatit Seafoods and a current Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commissioner, died in intensive care from a massive heart condition while at Terrebonne General Hospital in his hometown of Houma…” …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: February 1, 2013
Eco vs. econo: 11th-hour dispute over plan to spend $20B in BP fines By Bob Marshall, The Lens (New Orleans). January 31, 2013. “There was praise from most of the interested parties Tuesday when the federal Department of Commerce released the draft of its plan for spending what is expected to be more than $20 billion in fines stemming from BP’s Deepwater Horizon spill…” (Read more) Super Bowl 2013 ‘Super Saturday of Service’ includes Bayou Sauvage tree planting By Mark …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 31, 2013
Justice Department asks judge to require BP to produce documents showing how it low-balled oil flow By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 30, 2013. “The Justice Department on Wednesday asked a federal judge in New Orleans to require BP to produce documents that outline how it low-balled the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from its Macondo well in 2010. The estimates were sent to the Coast Guard and Congress…” (Read more) Mississippi officials, Steven …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 30, 2013
BP Wins Final Approval of Guilty Plea Over Gulf Oil Spill By Jef Feeley and Allen Johnson Jr., Bloomberg. January 29, 2013. “BP Plc (BP/) won final approval of a $4 billion guilty plea that resolves all criminal charges against the company related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico…” (Read more) What others are saying about BP’s $4 billion Deepwater Horizon criminal settlement By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 29, 2013. “U.S. …
Restoration Council Starts Critical Conversation with “Path Forward”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org David Ringer, National Audubon Society, 212.979.3062, dringer@audubon.org Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation, 512.203.3016, mccormick@nwf.org Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.841.3929, hlayman@tnc.org Shelley Sparks, Ocean Conservancy, 504.616.9150, ssparks@oceanconservancy.org Restoration Council Starts Critical Conversation with “Path Forward” Draft plan clearly commits at least 30 percent of RESTORE funds to Gulf ecosystems (WASHINGTON—January 29, 2013) Today, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released its proposed path forward for restoring the Gulf of Mexico following the …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 29, 2013
BP guilty plea for Gulf oil spill to be considered by federal judge on Tuesday By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 28, 2013. “U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance will hold a hearing Tuesday on whether to accept a guilty plea agreement by BP that requires the company to pay $4 billion in fines and other payments to settle criminal charges — including felony manslaughter — stemming from the disastrous 2010 Gulf oil spill and the and sinking of …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 28, 2012
Restoration task force approves $57.8 million for wetlands projects, begins to design four more By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 24, 2013. “A federal-state coastal restoration task force on Thursday (Jan. 24) approved construction of a $26 million project to restore wetlands at the mouth of Bayou Bonfouca on the Lake Pontchartrain shoreline in St. Tammany Parish, and a $32 million project to rebuild more than 500 acres of wetlands near Lost Lake in Terrebonne Parish. The Coastal …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 25, 2012
Coastal restoration strategies are key topic at Slidell reception The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 24, 2012. “Jimmy and Suzanne Broadwell recently hosted a reception at their home, Tranquility Plantation, for guests interested in learning more about the issue of coastal wetlands loss in Louisiana and how the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) plays a key role in developing and carrying out coastal restoration strategy. The event featured more than 40 guests from Slidell, New Orleans and surrounding areas…” (Read …
What is Our Coast Worth (In Dollars)?
This story was originally posted on the Coalition the Restore Coastal Louisiana’s Coastal Currents blog. By Scott Madere, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Our coastal wetlands have immeasurable worth to Louisiana in terms of culture. Our history, art, celebrations, recreational opportunities and so much more are tied to the muddy waters and vast green expanse of our swamps, forests and coastal marsh. Our love for our land defines us as a people, and we often cite it to those who …
Tagged EconomicsLatest Mississippi River Delta News: January 24, 2012
New anti-flooding ideas urged By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). January 24, 2013. “It’s not possible for every community in south Louisiana to be surrounded by a levee, but there are other options available to reduce the risk of flooding, according to one state group…” (Read more) App May Help Track Impact of Louisiana Coastal Losses The Associated Press. January 24, 2013. “An Internet-based app under development may help a Web app may help document the disappearing culture …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 23, 2012
Research scientists hear that some remain skeptical of seafood safety in aftermath of BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 22, 2013. “Members of the public renewed questions about the safety of seafood in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Tuesday night during a public hearing at a gathering of scientists to discuss ongoing research about the effects of the spill…” (Read more) BP Deepwater Horizon spill: Scientists say seafood safe, …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: January 22, 2013
Justice Department, BP defend $4 billion Deepwater Horizon criminal plea agreement By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). January 18, 2013. “BP and the U.S. Justice Department filed a joint statement in federal court this week defending the plea deal reached to settle criminal charges stemming from the disastrous 2010 Gulf oil spill, saying the penalties amount to “severe corporate punishment” that will “deter BP and other deepwater drillers from permitting such a catastrophe in the future…” (Read more) Researchers …
18th Annual Tulane Environmental Summit
From the Tulane University Law School: Tulane Environmental Law Society is pleased to present its 2013 Summit on Environmental Law & Policy, to be held February 22-23, 2013 at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, La. The Summit will feature concurrent, Continuing Legal Education (CLE)-accredited panels and is open to attorneys, students and university faculty, public interest organizations and the general public. Panel Topics include: Friday: Bayou Corne Sinkhole, BP Spill: Reformulating Risk Management, The Mississippi Gopher Frog & the …