Louisiana Senate Finance Committee actions could derail future coastal restoration funding
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A proposed constitutional amendment introduced this week in the Louisiana Legislature that would require fines from the gulf oil spill to go into a coastal protection and restoration fund has been radically changed while under consideration by the Senate Finance Committee. The committee added language in the form of an amendment offered by Senator Edwin Murray in coordination with Senate President John Alario that would give legislators authority to redirect money to other pursuits, effectively derailing the intent of the …
Latest news: May 30, 2012
Officials support the Restore Act By TaMaryn Waters, The Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat. May 30, 2012. “The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster two years ago was a gut check for the Gulf Coast, particularly for Florida fishermen and small businesses, who have yet to get over it…” (Read more) Pressure builds over plan for BP oil spill cash WTSP-TV. May 29, 2012. “Tallahassee, Florida – A coalition of business and government groups is urging Congress to take final action on the RESTORE …
Latest news: May 29, 2012
Advancing Louisiana’s coastal plan: An editorial Editorial, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 25, 2012. “Louisiana’s blueprint for saving our shrinking coastline was adopted by the state Legislature this week, and that’s a significant step forward in the state’s fight to survive…” (Read more) Editorial: RESTORE Act huge step in war to save wetlands Editorial, The American Press (Lake Charles, La.). May 25, 2012. “Approval by the state Legislature earlier this week of the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan presents a …
Hurricane season: Remembering the past and protecting the future
By Audrey Payne, Environmental Defense Fund To mark the beginning of the 2012 hurricane season on June 1, the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign will launch a social media event to bring awareness to the importance of storm protection and wetland restoration as a line of defense against storm surge. With another storm season upon us, it’s hard not to think about the possibility of another destructive storm — like Hurricane Katrina or Rita — sweeping across the delta or …
Groups to Louisiana Legislature: Ensure oil spill fines are used for coastal restoration
Earlier this week, the Louisiana Legislature finalized passage of the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan. This landmark document lays out a bold, science-based vision for restoring the state’s vanishing coastline. The suite of restoration projects included in the plan promises to ease and then reverse the state’s staggering land-loss rates over the course of 50 years. However, this aggressive undertaking is not inexpensive. Projected costs for the plan total some $50 billion. But the state has a lifeline in the …
Latest news: May 25, 2012
Louisiana hailed for coastal measures United Press International. May 24, 2012. “WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) — Louisiana legislators were praised by a consortium of environmental groups for outlining a 50-year plan to protect the coastal ecosystem…” (Read more)
Latest news: May 24, 2012
2012 Coastal Master Plan aims to stem tide of Louisiana land loss By Maya Rodriguez, WWL-TV. May 23, 2012. “NEW ORLEANS– Looking 50 years into the future, Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan aims to turn back the tide of the relentless land loss plaguing the state…” (Read more) Gulf fishermen reel from seafood troubles By Cain Burdeau and Jay Reeves, Associated Press. May 24, 2012. “LAFITTE, La. (AP) — Gloom infects the hard-working shrimp and crab docks of this gritty …
Latest news: May 23, 2012
Louisiana House approves 50-year plan for restoring coast By Jeff Adelson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 22, 2012. “Baton Rouge — A 50-year, $50 billion plan for restoring Louisiana’s eroding coast, along with the annual plan for the coming year, won the unanimous support from the Louisiana House of Representatives on Tuesday, the last hurdle in a sometimes-contentious process that began in January. Based around a strategy of providing multiple lines of defense, projects ranging from barrier islands to levees …
Conservation Groups Commend Louisiana Legislature for Approving State’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan
Plan lays out vision for protecting and restoring Louisiana’s coastal resources and communities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Baton Rouge, LA—May 22, 2012) Local and national conservation groups praised the state Legislature today for unanimously approving the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, a 50-year blueprint for restoring Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing coastal wetlands and protecting the state’s natural resources and communities. The groups also commended the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority for drafting the plan to reflect a comprehensive, science-based vision that …
Latest news: May 22, 2012
Your Word: An Able Warrior By Casi Callaway, executive director of the Mobile Baykeeper, for the Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 22, 2012. “Rarely do we hear about Republicans and Democrats working together these days. In fact, it often appears that if Party A declares the sky is blue, Party B will oppose that observation outright. That partisanship was set aside by the majority of our Gulf Coast legislators in order to craft a bill to support Gulf restoration in the …
Latest news: May 21, 2012
Coastal-zone changes coming for local parishes By Jeremy Alford, The Daily Comet. May 18, 2012. “BATON ROUGE (La.) — The Legislature is nearly finished with a bill that will add more of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes to the state’s official coastal zone…” (Read more) Franklin county commissioners urge congress to support the RESTORE Act Oyster Radio News (Eastpoint, FLa.). May 18, 2012. “Franklin County Commissioners are putting the pressure on our state representative to get behind the RESTORE Act which …
Latest news: May 18, 2012
Sen. Richard Shelby to be recognized by National Wildlife Federation By Mary Orndorff, The Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.). May 17, 2012. “WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, normally not a favorite of environmental organizations, will accept an award tonight from the National Wildlife Federation for his work on the RESTORE Act, which would direct the fines from the 2010 oil spill to coastal restoration and economic development projects along the Gulf of Mexico…” (Read more) Scientists still busy with NRDA process …
Reshaping a Greater New Orleans: Rebuilding Our Coast
This story was originally published on WYES.org. Can Louisiana’s Coast Be Saved? The state says it can and that it has a plan to protect and restore the imperiled Louisiana coast. Tune in as experts discuss the planned projects, their costs, and their chances for success. Watch RESHAPING A GREATER NEW ORLEANS: REBUILDING OUR COAST Sunday, May 20 at 8:00 p.m. Repeats Thursday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 25 at 10 p.m., and Sunday, May 27 at noon. The …
Latest news: May 17, 2012
Moving forward on Restore Act: An editorial Editorial, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). May 17, 2012. “When a final transportation bill is worked out by Senate-House negotiators, Sen. Barbara Boxer says that it will include a measure to direct 80 percent of BP oil spill fines to the Gulf Coast…” (Read more) OUR VIEW: Morganza requires knowing what is, isn’t Editorial, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). May 16, 2012. “There is no denying it, the Morganza to the Gulf project is …
Coastal Master Plan passes another legislative milestone
Update on Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan: Earlier today, the Louisiana House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources and Environment unanimously approved the 2012 Coastal Master Plan (CR 46) and Annual State Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan (CR 41). On Monday, both plans passed the House Transportation Committee by a vote of 11-0. The next and final step for the master plan is consideration by the full Louisiana House of Representatives, which will likely happen early next week. The Coastal Master Plan lays …