Latest news: February 23, 2012
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Judge rules BP, minority partner liable for Clean Water Act civil penalties in Gulf oil spill By the Associated Press. Feb. 22, 2012. “NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has ruled that BP PLC and one of its minority partners in the blown-out Macondo well are liable for civil penalties under the Clean Water Act for their roles in the nation’s worst offshore oil spill…” (Read more) Coastal Restoration: A Smart Investment By Mark Tercek, CEO, The Nature Conservancy, for …
Latest news: February 22, 2012
Heavy Penalties Send Tough Message To Other Defendants JD Journal. Feb. 22, 2012. “The Deepwater Horizon Spill litigation process took a significant step towards compromise and reconciliation, when Mitsui & Co’s, MOEX Offshore, accepted to pay $ 90 million dollars in settlement money to the US and five states, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas…” Settlement Talks Pick Up Ahead of BP Oil Spill Trial By John Schwartz, The New York Times. Feb. 20, 2012. “NEW ORLEANS — Nearly two …
Latest news: February 21, 2012
House approves giving 80 percent of BP oil spill fines to Gulf fund By Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 17, 2012. “The House gave voice vote approval Thursday to an amendment that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines from the 2010 BP oil spill to a new Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund. The vote was a key victory for supporters of using the fine money to finance environmental restoration in the five Gulf states, but only a …
House amendment builds momentum for RESTORE Act
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Thanks to the hard work of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House of Representatives passed an amendment yesterday that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines from the gulf oil spill to gulf restoration. The amendment, which passed by a voice vote on the transportation reauthorization bill, sets aside the expected penalties from BP and other responsible parties in a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund to be used solely for restoration. The …
Latest news: February 17, 2012
Oil spill fine amendment through House but much work remains By George Altman, Press-Register. February 17, 2012. “WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives approved language Thursday calling for 80 percent of civil fines resulting from the 2010 oil spill, which could amount well into the billions of dollars, to be reserved to help Gulf states rebound from the disaster…” Spill-fines bill advances in U.S. House By Nikki Buskey, The Daily Comet. February 16, 2012. “Gulf Coast states would receive …
ASBPA sends letter to Congress endorsing RESTORE Act
By Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund Today, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) sent a letter to Congress endorsing and asking for swift passage of the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act (S. 1400), a bill that would ensure oil spill fines are dedicated to gulf restoration. The letter, signed by ASBPA president Harry Simmons, urges Senate and House leadership to take immediate steps to pass the legislation. The RESTORE Act would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water …
Latest News: February 16, 2012
Louisiana coastal restoration money could grow, shrink in Congress By Bruce Alpert and Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 16, 2012. “It’s been two steps forward and one step back for efforts in Washington to generate financing for key coastal restoration projects in Louisiana. The House is nearing approval of an amendment to an energy bill that would give the five Gulf states 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines collected from the 2010 BP oil spill, a provision that could …
Latest news: February 15, 2012
Gulf sponsors want Congress to pass the RESTORE Act soon By Susan Buchanan, The Louisiana Weekly. February, 14, 2012. “Congressional delegates from Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states hope the bipartisan RESTORE Act will be passed soon and before a possible BP settlement with the federal government so that BP fines go to coastal states and not Washington’s coffers…” The Water Institute of the Gulf formed to coordinate research on restoring Louisiana coast By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. February 14, …
RESTORE Act social media week of action continues!
Thanks to all who have been participating in our RESTORE Act social media week of action! Our work is not done. There is a good chance the RESTORE Act could come to a vote in the Senate this week. That’s why it’s important for us to keep the pressure on and continue sending messages to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), asking them to take a position on the RESTORE Act and pass it NOW! Just click …
Latest news: February 14, 2012
A Valentine for the Gulf By Sue Sturgis, The Institute for Southern Studies. February 14, 2012. “There’s speculation on the Gulf Coast that BP could soon reach a settlement in the civil suit over its 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Opening arguments in the historic case, which has been dubbed the “trial of the century,” are set to begin on Feb. 27 in New Orleans. But rumor has it that a settlement could be announced as soon as Feb. 21 …
Voices of the Delta: Keith Blomstrom
This is the second post of our Voices of the Delta series. Name: Keith Blomstrom Occupation: President of the Minnesota Conservation Federation Why are the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast important to Minnesota? Minnesota is linked to the gulf in many ways. The Mississippi River starts in Minnesota — its headwaters are located in Itasca State Park, near Bemidji, Minn. — so the river itself means a great deal to us. Some of the beneficial sediment that travels to …
Latest news: February 13, 2012
Don’t let BP fines paid for spill disappear into federal black hole By David Yarnold, President, National Audubon Society, for the Miami Herald. February 11, 2012. “Barrels of bile were spilled in weeks leading up to the Florida primary. But that’s just a clean-up on aisle three compared to the epic five million barrels of crude oil that paralyzed the Gulf Coast states a couple of years ago…” Restore Act needs your help now By Joe Macaluso, The Advocate (Baton …
Tweet your #LOVE for the gulf!
Want to help show your love for the Gulf this Valentine’s Day? It’s easy! Just click on one of the messages below to tell Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that you want money from the BP oil spill to go back to the gulf. Just click on one of these messages! Show your #LOVE for the #Gulf. Tell @SenatorReid @McConnellPress Pass #RESTOREact NOW! #oilspill http://bit.ly/zyg8vZ via @RestoreDelta Send the #Gulf a Valentine! Tell @SenatorReid @McConnellPress …
Latest news: February 10, 2012
Master plan could change under public scrutiny By Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet (Lafourche Parish, La.). Feb. 9, 2012. “State officials say a $50 billion draft plan for coastal protection and restoration that faced harsh criticism at a meeting in Terrebonne last month can be changed based on public comment…” Coastal projects outlined By Jeff Zeringue, The Daily Iberian (New Iberia, La.). Feb. 9, 2012. “Louisiana residents have until Feb. 25 to comment on the Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast, …
Show your #LOVE for the gulf: RESTORE Act online week of action starts Monday
By Ryan Rastegar, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign Coordinator Starting Monday Feb. 13 and continuing throughout the week, the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign will be sending some Valentine’s Day love to the gulf! We’ll be tweeting and Facebooking specific members of Congress, urging them to send BP oil spill fines back to the gulf by passing the RESTORE Act. It has been almost two years since the devastating BP gulf oil spill of 2010, and Congress has yet to act to ensure that …