Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 24, 2015
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Hurricane Rita served as eye-opener for Terrebonne officials *features Simone Maloz, ROR By Meredith Burns, Houma Courier. September 24, 2015 “It was one of the first realizations that the land loss that our area experiences is really starting to affect our defense systems here,” said Simone Maloz, director of Restore or Retreat and one of the organizers of a panel on Hurricane Rita held Wednesday in Houma.” (Read More) Bracing for the Storms *features David Yarnold, NAS By David …
It's a Marathon, not a sprint: Small steps build lasting momentum for comprehensive restoration
By Estelle Robichaux, Restoration Project Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund and Gaby Garcia, Science Intern, Environmental Defense Fund This post is part of a series on early restoration planning in Louisiana. Be sure to check out parts one and two for more information on previous plans. By the early 1990s, Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis had been studied and documented for more than two decades. Successful establishment of the state-level Office of Coastal Restoration and Management and the Wetlands Trust Fund …
Remembering Rita: Ten Years Later
September 24 marks 10 years since Hurricane Rita – the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico – slammed ashore sending a storm surge up to 18 feet in some locations, killing 120 people, damaging areas stretching from Plaquemines to Cameron Parish and into Texas and causing over $10 billion in damages. Rita demonstrated that the best offense against future storms is strong “Multiple Lines of Defense” that begins with restoring and preserving the wetlands that buffer wind …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 22, 2015
Next governor must speed coastal restoration: poll *features Steve Cochran, MRD By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. September 21, 2015 “The vast majority of Louisiana voters believe protecting and restoring coastal Louisiana is as important as any other issue facing the state, and the next governor should make restoration a high priority, according to the results of a new state-wide poll released Monday (Sept. 21) by a coalition of environmental groups.” (Read More) Contracting for Louisiana coastal restoration By David …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 21, 2015
Research to study how changes in the Mississippi River can impact the Gulf of Mexico *features Alisha Renfro, NWF By Amy Wold. The Advocate. September 19, 2015 “Renfro said the Mississippi River’s influence, whether it be from freshwater, sediment or nutrients, extends across the Gulf Coast state borders. “We think of the Gulf of Mexico state by state rather than a system. We have to look at what can we do for the Gulf of Mexico, so this will help …
Louisiana Needs You: Be An Advocate for Coastal Restoration!
Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis affects us all. Our disappearing coast is an environmental and economic crisis that puts our communities, jobs and way of life at risk. Every hour, our state loses a football field of land. Disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Gulf oil disaster only exacerbate the problem, leaving our homes more vulnerable to storm surge and future disasters. However, there are solutions to address this crisis. Together, we can work to help better …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 17, 2015
Gov. Bobby Jindal asks for part of BP money to be diverted to Louisiana 1 bridge project *features Steve Cochran, EDF By Mark Schleifstein. The Times-Picayune. September 16, 2015 “Gov. Bobby Jindal has asked coastal restoration officials to change state policy to allow some of the BP oil spill settlement to be used to pay for part of a $350 million Louisiana 1 bridge connecting Port Fourchon with Golden Meadow.” (Read More) Bobby Jindal wants savings from restoration project …
Bold Recommendations & Early Citizen Support for Diversions as a Key to Coastal Restoration
By Estelle Robichaux, Restoration Project Analyst, Environmental Defense Fund and Gaby Garcia, Science Intern, Environmental Defense Fund This post is part of a series on early restoration planning in Louisiana. Be sure to check out part one for a look back to 1973. In 1988, the Coalition to Restoration Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) released a plan titled Coastal Louisiana: Here today and gone tomorrow? The plan, which was a joint effort by stakeholders and scientists, focuses on the Mississippi River Delta …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 16, 2015
Experts: Talk now about drastic changes, or deal with coastal crisis later *features Steve Cochran, EDF By Bob Marshall. The Lens. September 15, 2015 “Participants were charged with designing long-term plans that could ensure the presence of sustainable coastal wetlands into the next century while also maintaining or improving river commerce and flood protection. The state hoped the global reach of the competition would provide new ideas from the rapidly evolving fields of coastal engineering and science, even as it …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 15, 2015
$52 million in restoration, river projects to be discussed Tuesday By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch. The Times-Picayune. September 14, 2015 “In terms of the seven Louisiana projects, five of them are called for in the state’s Master Plan for coastal restoration and protection. The other two projects were proposed by federal council members and directly benefit coastal Louisiana.” (Read More)
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 14, 2015
New Orleans is still vulnerable to another big storm By Adam Ernick. PRI. September 14, 2015 “The sad reality is that the coastal land in Louisiana subsides about three feet every hundred years,” he explains. “Now, if you add to that the predictions for sea level rise, you’re talking about an effective rise in water of six feet over 100 years. So it’s a losing situation unless you go in and try to restore the wetlands.” (Read More) Entrepreneurs …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 11, 2015
With a master plan and the money, can a state unite to restore its protective wetlands? *features Kim Reyher, CRCL & Alisha Renfro, NWF By Emily Holden. E&E. September 11, 2015 “This is the time when we move from planning to action,” Kimberly Davis Reyher, executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, said at a gubernatorial debate at Nicholls State University last month. “One of these gentlemen is going to preside over a period of ambitious implementation of …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 4, 2015
Louisiana must have oil, gas royalties to help save our coast: Editorial The Times-Picayune. September 3, 2015 “Louisiana and the other Gulf states are the ones that have paid the environmental and infrastructure costs of energy production. Yet they have gotten essentially nothing to help offset those costs. Our state always should have gotten a share of the royalties paid by oil and gas companies, as inland states do for drilling done within their borders.” (Read More) Commentary: The …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 3, 2015
State conservation group commends decision to hold Corps liable for MRGO wetlands restoration *features Rebecca Triche, LWF WVUE. September 2, 2015 “This is a big win for the greater New Orleans area and the state of Louisiana,” said Rebecca Triche, executive director for Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF). “The MRGO destroyed wetlands that are critical in protecting New Orleans and the surrounding area from storm surge and this decision signals an end to delays in moving forward with restoration.” (Read More) …
Latest Mississippi River Delta News: September 2, 2015
‘Natural’ river diversion at center of coastal restoration conflict (video) *features John Lopez & Theryn Henkel, LPBF By David Hammer, WWL-TV. September 1, 2015 “It was coastal scientist John Lopez of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation who first dubbed this cleft Mardi Gras Pass, and he’s now giving it credit for actually starting the work that Louisiana has yet to muster the resources to pursue.” (Read More) Strategies: Entrepreneurs preventing the next Katrina By Rhonda Abrams, USA Today. August …