Media Advisory: The BP Oil Disaster – Three Years Later
MEDIA ADVISORY: For Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The BP Oil Disaster: Three Years Later
Gulf Coast residents, public officials, conservation groups to host press conference, rally at site of BP trial
CONTACTS: Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, schatzele@nwf.org
Erin Greeson, National Audubon Society, 503.913.8978, egreeson@audubon.org
Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org
Jordan Macha, Sierra Club, 713.299.4300, jordan.macha@sierraclub.org
Dan Favre, Gulf Restoration Network, 401.965.7908, dan@healthygulf.org
Please join coastal restoration advocates, government officials, business owners and impacted community leaders for a press conference and rally at the federal courthouse in New Orleans, the site of the ongoing BP trial, to mark the three-year memorial of the BP oil disaster.
WHAT: Press Conference, Rally, Interview and Photo Opportunities
WHEN: Tuesday, April 16, 12:00 p.m. CDT
WHERE: Hale Boggs Federal Building, U.S. District Courthouse
500 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
WHO: David Muth, Director, Mississippi River Delta Restoration, National Wildlife Federation, speaking on behalf of the Restore the Mississippi River Delta coalition
Jordan Macha, Gulf States Representative, Sierra Club
Billy Nungesser, President, Plaquemines Parish
Susan Spicer, Chef and Restaurateur
Cynthia Sarthou, Executive Director, Gulf Restoration Network
BACKGROUND: Three years after 11 men lost their lives and our nation’s worst environmental disaster began, the people and environment of the Gulf Coast are still awaiting justice. As the first half of the civil trial ends, BP must be held fully accountable for its role in the spill and pay the maximum fines allowed by law – only then can justice be served and restoration begin. All along the Gulf, businesses and communities are eager to restore the ecosystem and economy – but they cannot start until BP pays. Soon, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council will release its draft Comprehensive Restoration Plan, which has the potential to dedicate historic funds to large-scale ecosystem restoration projects throughout the Gulf. The pieces are in place for the start of the largest environmental restoration effort of our time. The only thing missing are the fines owed by BP for its carelessness in the Gulf.
Additional experts will be available for onsite/in studio interviews. For those unable to attend the event in person, audio and video transcripts will be available upon request after the event.
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