Latest news: March 15, 2012

Senate passes $109 billion transportation bill, including BP fines provision
By Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). March 14, 2012.
“In a rare act of bipartisanship, the Senate on Wednesday voted 74-22 for a $109 billion transportation bill that directs 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines assessed in the 2010 BP oil spill to the five Gulf states harmed by the disaster. The fines are expected to be in the billions of dollars…” (Read more)

Senate passes RESTORE Act
By Maria Recio, The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.). March 14, 2012.
“WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate approved a highway bill Wednesday that includes a long-sought provision for the Gulf Coast: a guarantee that 80 percent of the fines collected from the BP oil spill — an amount that could reach $20 billion — will be distributed for coastal restoration to the five Gulf states: Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Alabama…” (Read more)

Public suggestions included in coastal restoration plan
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). March 15, 2012.
“The state’s draft plan on how coastal restoration and protection will proceed in the next 50 years is going through some changes based on comments received by the public and others…” (Read more)

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana honors coastal stewards
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. March 14, 2012.
“The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has recognized seven individuals and one environmental group for their contributions to preserve and restore the state’s coastal wetlands…” (Read more)

Environmental groups file suit over dead zone
By Nikki Buskey, The Daily Comet (Lafourche Parish, La.). March 14, 2012.
“Environmentalists are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force the federal government to regulate Mississippi River pollution that causes the annual Gulf dead zone…” (Read more)

Coastal Master Plan 101 Part Three: CRCL’s Take
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.
“The need for a Coastal Master Plan for Louisiana was never made clearer than in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005…” (Read more)