Coastal restoration costs in Louisiana could devour BP fines in their entirety, but competing interests and other Gulf states are certain to eat into the RESTORE Act funds.
Tag: Coastal restoration
Posted inEnvironment, Investigations
Forces collide as nature takes a stab at saving a coastal marsh — for free
When the swollen Mississippi broke through to feed a marsh during Carnival 2011, it seemed to some like an alternative to the multi-million-dollar man-made diversion planned nearby. But conflicting views over whether to let ‘Mardi Gras Pass’ run wild are a perfect example of how complex coastal restoration issues can be.
Posted inEnvironment
Top state official rebuts dire warning, insists coast can be saved
Garret Graves, Louisiana’s coastal protection czar, contends that scientists behind a shockingly gloomy federal report are “just misinformed.” He said the state’s master plan allows for adaptation as conditions change.
Posted inEnvironment, Investigations
New research: Louisiana coast faces highest rate of sea-level rise worldwide
New technology has revealed that southeast Louisiana is sinking faster than previously known. Combined with rising seas due to global warming, a leading scientist says waters will rise “at least four feet.” With more communities closer to open water, even minor hurricanes could cause catastrophic damage.
Posted inEnvironment
Eco vs. econo: 11th-hour dispute over plan to spend $20B in BP fines
Up to $6 billion of BP’s fines for the oil spill was supposed to be spent on ecosystem recovery. A behind-the-scenes drama unfolded when new guidelines added “economic recovery” to the approved purposes.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Cutting coastal cash is perfect complement to Big Oil’s free ride
Belated thanks to Gambit for reprinting a Bloomberg News article on the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s unwillingness to hand out big fines to the oil industry. I linked to a summary of the article in my Feb. 24 opinion column, and was pleased to see that Bob Marshall cited the Bloomberg piece in his […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
The nation’s sacrifice zone, part II
The New York Times article I referred to in my previous post did more than contrast the crisis of wetlands loss to the oil disaster. It also discussed the longtime degradation of the Gulf Coast, and touched on several “radioactive” issues: According to data from the Minerals Management Service compiled and analyzed by Toxics Targeting, a […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Can Mabus save us?
Though President Obama’s highly anticipated oil-gusher speech was widely panned, he made an important commitment to restoring Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. If kept, this expensive, long-term promise – made before a national prime-time audience – might be the most significant commitment a president ever made to the Pelican state. Here’s the relevant excerpt from Obama’s Oval […]