The US Coast Guard told reporter Amy Wold of The Advocate that offshore sheen hit Grand Isle's beaches on two separate days in June, and a section of the beach was closed for a day. The Advocate has followed up that report with an article about Louisiana's Oil spills, here.
NEW ORLEANS - Despite more than $22 million in repairs, a levee that broke with catastrophic effect during Hurricane Katrina is leaking again because of the mushy ground on which New Orleans was built, raising serious questions about the reliability of the city's flood defenses. Continue Here.
A federal court judge cleared the way Friday for the Army Corps of Engineers to face trial on claims that defects in its Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet destroyed wetlands and turned the navigation channel into a funnel for storm surge. Continue at Nola.com.
From the Palm Beach Post:
"The algae's reappearance spotlights the importance
of cleaning up Lake Okeechobee, a job that, done correctly, could cost
at least $2 billion. Even after pressure from Gov. Crist, the
Legislature appropriated just a paltry $50 million for Everglades and
lake projects, not even close to what will be needed for either next
year. Gov. Crist had asked for $200 million, with half going to the
Everglades and the other $100 million to the lake". continue here.
I'll be monitoring this story closely from here on...
From Time Magazine:
As you drive west out of Miami along a road called Tamiami Trail, you come to a tract where you can feel the sprawl ending and the Everglades beginning. On your right, across the road from the last strip mall, is a large parcel of wetlands and pine trees protected by Miami-Dade County's Urban Development Boundary (UBD), a line drawn in the marsh to keep South Florida builders from encroaching any further on this unique ecosystem. Lowe's, the home improvement chain, wants to move the border so it can erect a new store on more than 20 acres of the wetlands; further south, developers want to hop the line to build a commercial park and thousands of new homes. Continue here.
This is indeed good news!
TALLAHASSEE — After declaring that Florida's budget woes were so grim that they had to cut off funding for the restoration of the Everglades, legislative leaders quickly reversed themselves Monday, finding an extra $50 million to fund the massive environmental cleanup project. continue at the Herald Tribune...
Reznet, the online newspaper for Native America, has been covering the impact of the hurricanes of 2005 on Louisiana indigenous coastal tribes via a year long project, "Katrina, Rita and the Houma". Journalism students Mary Hudetz, a Crow reporter from the University of Montana, and Martina Rose Lee, a Navajo photojournalist from Arizona State University, collaborated with veteran journalists Victor Merina, a former Los Angeles Times investigative reporter, and multimedia journalist Steven A. Chin to produce the special report. See the special report, here.
An anonymous commenter at the Reznet website posts the following:
John Verret, Bayou du Large, LA. (c) Matthew White
Louisiana coastal photographer Matthew White was in Terrebonne Parish last fall documenting endangered landscapes inhabited by the Houma Indians and other native coastal tribes with traditional guide, Captain John Verret. To see Matthew's photographs of Terrebonne Parish go here. (click the X upper right of slides if you prefer to view captioned photos.)
Ferries halted; spillway opening as river swells
With the Mississippi River cresting beyond the National Weather Service’s previous predictions and even higher than the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers anticipated, precautions are now in motion to prevent potentially catastrophic flooding along the river’s lower portions.From Thursday’s closure of ferry operations near St. Francisville to today’s rare opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway to the south near Norco, both public and private interests began preparations. Continue at The Advocate.
Plant a Tree on Arbor Day and Help Restore Wetland Forests at the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center was named one of the top five urban nature centers in the United States. The Nature Center suffered considerable damage from Hurricane Katrina which devastated its interpretive center, exhibits and the 86 acres of bottomland hardwoods
and bald cypress-tupelo swamp. The swamps were inundated with muddy saltwater for nearly a month and an
estimated 75 percent of the forest was destroyed. The Nature Center has not reopened to the public since August 2005 and the resident and migrant wildlife that flourished in this area have
not returned in large
numbers.
Please volunteer on January 19th to help BRING NATURE BACK.
When: Louisiana Arbor Day - Saturday, January 19th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, 5600 Read Boulevard, New Orleans East
Who: The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Audubon Nature Institute, Entergy Corporation and Restore America's Estuaries invites all interested volunteers to participate in a community based habitat restoration project at the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans East.
What: Volunteers will assist the Coalition and other partners to plant over 1,000 trees in five acres to begin restoration of this devastated forest.
REGISTER NOW Email Natalie Snider at nsnider@crcl.org or call (888) LACOAST Please respond by Friday, January 18, 2008
Cocodrie -Terrebonne Parish, La. © Matthew White
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana's hopes for repairing and restoring its tattered coast took a major step forward Thursday as the Bush administration approved the state's plan to use $255 million in federal money for more than 100 conservation and diversion projects, including major efforts in the New Orleans area. More at the Times- Picayune, here.
Source BTNEP.org
On Wednesday, November 14, 2007 WWL TV, out of New Orleans, aired a segment titled "Solution to Louisiana's coastal erosion half a world away." The piece highlights simple principles that are used both in Louisiana and in the sea off of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to build new landmasses.
Darin Lee, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources; Patricia Taylor, Environmental Protection Agency; Shea Penland, UNO; Ivor van Heerden, LSU Hurricane Center; and BTNEP Director Kerry St. Pe' discuss effective coastal restoration tools, strategies and techniques that could be used to distribute the sediments that we so sorely need to rebuild our coast immediately. The 7 minute segment by Dennis Woltering of WWL-TV can be seen at: http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl111407kherosion.3e6b5d8.html
Reported by Associated Press
About 1,300 acres of Cameron Parish marsh damaged by Hurricane Rita is set for restoration under a 1 million dollar federal conservation grant. Continue here.
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The Gulf of Mexico Program recently announced that the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Baton Rouge, Louisiana will receive a first place Gulf Guardian Award for 2007 in the Government Category, for their “Integrated Ecosystem Restoration and Hurricane Protection: LA Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast”. The awards will be presented during the 2007 Clean Gulf Conference on November 14, 2007 at the Embassy Suites Hotel, Bayside Ballroom in Tampa, Florida beginning at 6 p.m.
For the first time in Louisiana history, the state has a
comprehensive master plan that integrates coastal restoration and
hurricane protection for sustaining Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. To develop
this plan, the state first created the Coastal Protection &
Restoration Authority (CPRA) in December 2005 with authority to
articulate a clear statement of priorities and focus development and
implementation efforts. In a remarkable 18-month public process, lead
by the expertise of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department
of Transportation and Development and other state agencies, Louisiana
now speaks with one clear voice for the future of Louisiana’s coast.
The Gulf of Mexico Program initiated the Gulf Guardian awards in
2000 as a way to recognize and honor the businesses, community groups,
individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the
Gulf healthy, beautiful and productive. A first, second, and third
place award are given each year in seven categories – individual,
business, youth and education, nonprofit organizations, government,
partnership and bi-national efforts.
"Gulf Guardian awards showcase accomplishments from a broad
spectrum of environmental leaders -- from committed individuals to
dynamic corporations" EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene
said. "I applaud their success in preserving the vital resources of the
Gulf Coast, one of our most valuable national treasures"
The Gulf of Mexico Program began in 1988 to protect, restore,
and maintain the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico
ecosystem in economically sustainable ways. The Gulf of Mexico Program
is underwritten by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is a
non-regulatory, inclusive consortium of state and federal government
agencies and representatives of the business and agricultural
community, fishing industry, scientists, environmentalists, and
community leaders from all five Gulf States. The Gulf Program seeks to
improve the environmental health of the Gulf in concert with economic
development.
Bryon Griffith, Director of the Gulf of Mexico Program said “This is the 8th year of the Gulf Guardian Awards Program and I am proud to say that each year the winners in all categories have represented the very best of environmental accomplishments in the Gulf of Mexico. The 2007 award winners truly exemplify the bond that enthusiastic and committed citizens, communities, governments, and businesses share in addressing complex problems to improve, protect, and sustain our regional and national treasure, the Gulf of Mexico.”
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The multibillion-dollar project to restore the Everglades has come to a near standstill, and the government can no longer estimate how much it will cost or how long it will take, the top federal official in charge of construction told The Associated Press. Continue here.
This article from CBS News addresses Katrina's potential "ecological 'feedback loop,' in which carbon being released from fallen, decaying forests raises the occurrences of storms and, in turn, intensifies the effects of global warming...The good news is that resilient and fast-growing Southern forests, with the help of humans, may be able to temper the phenomenon".
House overwhelmingly overrides President’s veto of WRDA
By an overwhelming vote of 361–54, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to override the President’s veto of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA), legislation that authorizes billions of dollars for Louisiana flood control, hurricane protection, coastal restoration, waterway improvements, and ecosystem rehabilitation projects. On the local level, WRDA provides an authorization of $187 million for flood control projects in East Baton Rouge Parish.
U.S. Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, who serves as the ranking Republican member of the Water Resources subcommittee and served as a lead House negotiator on the House-Senate conference committee that authored WRDA, issued the following statement:
“This is a battle I have waged for 7 years, and on behalf of the citizens of Louisiana I am gratified to have finally won. Louisiana has faced incredible challenges since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and today we are making the investments in coastal restoration and hurricane protection that our state so urgently needs. I commend my colleagues in the House for overriding this veto and urge the Senate to schedule a veto override vote very quickly.”
On the authorization of $187 million for flood control projects in East Baton Rouge Between raising the authorization level and changing the cost-share formula, we’re talking about a substantial increased federal investment and savings to the parish of $40 million for projects that mean greater safety for people and property.”
The bill also includes language authored by Baker to allow the Corps, for the first time, to participate with other agencies to assess and seek solutions for the “hypoxia” problem or the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico impacting Louisiana fishing, which recent reports indicate is growing worse. The provision would bring the Corps’ unique expertise in wetlands, specifically nutrient filters that mitigate against hypoxia, and waterways that deliver the nutrients, to bear on a unified plan to deal with hypoxia.
Louisiana and Sixth District area projects in the WRDA bill include:
St. Francisville Drainage: Authorizes the Corps to initiate improvements for flood-prone areas of the town.
False River: Expedites Corps work to address the siltation problem harming this vital Pointe Coupee Parish lake.
Intracoastal Waterway Stream Bank Restoration: Directs the Corps to address severe erosion problems Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Bayou Sorrel Lock in Louisiana Coastal Area:Authorizes $1.9 billion for Louisiana’s coast, which represents the largest coastal restoration project in American history.
Morganza to Gulf: Authorizes the $886.7 million project for the area between the Atchafalaya and Mssissippi Rivers from the Morganza Floodway in Pointe Coupee Parish to the Gulf Coast and including the watershed area that makes up most of Acadiana. This project authorizes the Corps to conduct extensive flood and hurricane protection; wetlands, natural resource, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem conservation; and will facilitate recreational, commercial, and outdoor activities.
East Baton Rouge: Expands a 1998 authorization for the Corps’ riverfront work in West Baton Rouge Parish now to include East Baton Rouge Parish and West Feliciana Parish.
University/City Park Lakes: Authorizes the Corps to expedite this dredging and ecosystem restoration project.:
East Baton Rouge Parish Flood Control: Authorizes a new, higher level of $187 million for this important flood control project. The bill language also changes the federal cost share from 65/35 to 75/25. The higher authorization, combined with the cost-share change, will provide a $40 million increase in federal investment and savings to the parish.
Bayou Sorrel Lock: Authorizes the Corps to reconstruct the $100 million lock in Iberville Parish, a critical choke point for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
Bayou Plaquemine: Saves the city of Plaquemine $400,000 toward a $2 million project that provides environmental enhancement of Bayou Plaquemine by increasing the level of dissolved oxygen and lowering the temperature of bayou waters, which are currently experiencing habitat degradation.
Watershed Management programs: Provides technical, planning, and design assistance to non-federal interests for carrying out watershed management, restoration, and development projects at the Amite River Basin and East Atchafalaya River.
Flood mitigation priority areas: Provides technical, planning, and design assistance to non-federal interests for carrying out flood mitigation, restoration, and development projects in Ascension, EBR, Iberville, Livingston, and Pointe Coupee parishes. The Corps is authorized to conduct projects that reduce flooding while trying to restore rivers to their natural condition.
EBR, Livingston and Ascension parish wastewater: Increases authorized funding level from $20 million to $35 million.
Plaquemine sanitary, sewer and wastewater infrastructure improvements: Authorizes funding level of $7 million.
Hypoxia: Authorizes the Corps to begin working with federal, state, and other agencies to address the hypoxia situation in the Gullf of Mexico.
For more news about Congressman Baker, please visit www.baker.house.gov
Blogger Rob Paterson at Fast Forward has penned an interesting post about how public tv station KPB is using new technologies such as Google Maps, Twitter & Flickr to broadcast news about the California fires. Screenshots at the post, check it out here.
and here is a very comprehensive look at web 2.0 coverage of the California fires by tech guru Mark Potts.
and yet another here.
courtesy, Warner Independent Pictures
As Leonardo DiCaprio's new film The 11th Hour opens this week, media critics take on the hypocrisy of eco-celebrities whose excessive lifestyles and consumption negate the very message they are attempting to communicate- Here.
According to the press releases at the Warner website, “The 11th Hour” is about the important issues that challenge our planet and the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how we’ve arrived at this moment -- how we live, how we impact the earth’s ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course.
BTW, the film weaves in footage from Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. I plan to go see it, in spite of its criticism---and I wouldn't want to miss the opp to gaze into DiCaprio's baby blues. :)
This one's a bit interesting. A new island roughly seven miles long has been formed near Dauphin Island in Alabama waters. The isle has "waist-high dunes" and "thick dune" vegetation, along with seagrass beds and " several small salt ponds packed with baitfish". Read about it here.
You may have already got, er.. "wind" of this one, but the internet is ablaze with reactions to what one blogger termed as a "category 5 rant" by famed Colorado State University forecaster William Gray. Seems Gray told a packed lecture hall at UNC Charlotte that humans aren't responsible for global warming ---and Al Gore is "brainwashing our children". A couple of links, below:
Gore's climate theory savaged - (news.com au)
ONE of the world's leading meteorologists has described the theory that helped Al Gore win a share of the Nobel prize "ridiculous".
The Tempest - (An oldie but goodie from WaPo)
Lawmakers Doubt Voters Would Fund Big Carbon Cuts
The Washington Post: Here's the good news about climate change: Energy and climate experts say the world already possesses the technological know-how for trimming greenhouse gas emissions enough to slow the perilous rise in the Earth's temperatures. Here's the bad news: Continue here.
and also by Steve Mufson of WaPo:
What It Would Take to Put the Brakes on Global Warming
If the majority of climate scientists are right, the sheer immensity of
the global warming problem can make mortal measures look hopelessly
tiny.
THE Mediterranean could start generating its own hurricanes if sea temperatures keep rising, a study has warned. At present hurricanes, originating far out in the Atlantic, blow westwards towards the Caribbean and America’s Gulf coast, and leave Europe’s coastline unscathed. Now scientists warn that climate change means that the Mediterranean is arming up so much it stores enough heat to trigger the formation of its own hurricanes. Continue at Times Online.
E&E News: House appropriators yesterday voted to send the $53.6 billion Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill to the floor. The measure would significantly boost funding for oceans and climate programs, with $4 billion set aside for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It passed by voice vote, along with a managers’ amendment containing earmarks. Continue at Earth News...
By: United States Army Corps of Engineers
Published: Jul 11, 2007 at 08:36
The United States Army Corps of Engineers today released the draft
Hurricane Protection Decision Chronology (HPDC) for the Lake
Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Protection Project (LP&VHPP)
in the Greater New Orleans area. The report is being released for a
30-day public comment period during which time the report's authors are
soliciting any additional relevant documentation that was not available
to them while compiling the draft.
The HPDC is an exhaustive examination of the complex 50-year record of
LP&VHPP decision-making and project implementation involving the
Corps, local sponsors, government at all levels, and the courts.
The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, John Paul Woodley,
Jr., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Director of Civil Works,
Major General Don Riley, commissioned the HPDC shortly after Hurricane
Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2005.
Woodley said, "The Hurricane Protection Decision Chronology, while
important because of what it tells us about the past, will be of even
greater value as a national resourc
