Latest Mississippi River Delta News: Feb. 03, 2015

Proposed 2015-16 coastal restoration and protection plan swells to $773 million
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times Picayune. Feb. 02, 2015
“The 223-page “annual plan” by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which must be approved by the Louisiana Legislature, serves as a blueprint for the state’s $50 billion, 50-year coastal protection and restoration Master Plan.” (Read More)

BP oil spill trial wraps up nearly 2 years after historic litigation began
By Jennifer Larino, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 02, 2015
“The final phase of the main BP oil spill litigation ended Monday, nearly two years since dozens of attorneys for the federal government and BP converged on a New Orleans courtroom to begin what has become one of the most complex civil cases in the nation’s history.” (Read More)

Obama budget would reallocate offshore royalty payments for Louisiana and other Gulf state to ‘entire nation’
By Bruce Alpert, The Times Picayune. Feb. 02, 2015
“The president’s budget plan to funnel the Gulf states’ offshore energy revenue out of those states is incredibly insulting to Louisianians,” Vitter said. “In Louisiana, federal revenue from offshore energy activity goes directly to coastal restoration. Our coasts are the first line of defense to hurricane or tropical storm; plus, they represent a critical part of our ecosystem.” (Read More)

Anadarko official says company didn’t pay for oil spill cleanup
By Margaret Cronin Fisk, Bloomberg. Feb. 02, 2015
“Under the Oil Pollution Act, a responsible party, which you were named as, has a duty, an obligation to pay response costs and cleanup costs,” U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said during testimony in New Orleans Monday by Darrell Hollek, an Anadarko executive.” (Read More)

BP partner Anadarko responsible for oil spill fines, federal judge says
By Jennifer Larino, The Times Picayune. Feb. 02, 2015
“You seem to be making more of a policy argument as to why a non-operator should be subject to penalties under the Clean Water Act,” Barbier said. “If that’s the case, I think you’re in the wrong venue. You need to go to Congress.” (Read More)

Reports establish tens of millions of gallons of BP oil still in the Gulf
By Charles Digges, Bellona.org. Feb. 02, 2015
“Millions of gallons of oil from BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout have been discovered in the sediments on the Gulf of Mexico’s floor says a new report, giving lie to the petroleum giant’s continue claims that it eradicated the worst consequences of the biggest maritime oil spill in US history.” (Read More)