Latest news: October 27, 2011
Letter to the Editor by John Haffner, New Orleans. Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). October 25, 2011.
“Because restoring Louisiana’s coast is not just a matter of fairness, but a matter of survival, I am glad that House members from both sides of the aisle joined together to introduce a bill that will ensure that 80 percent of penalties paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster are used to help restore the region, not for unrelated federal spending…”
By Associated Press. October 27, 2011.
“NEW ORLEANS — More than six years after Hurricane Katrina’s rampage, authorities have taken only halting steps toward identifying weaknesses in a nationwide patchwork of levees intended to protect millions of Americans’ lives and property during potentially catastrophic floods…”
By Bobby Caina Calvan, Globe Staff (Boston, Ma.). October 25, 2011.
“British Petroleum added $4.9 billion in quarterly profits to its nearly $18 billion haul so far this year – prompting Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts to grouse about the company’s continued wrangling over fines for last year’s catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico…”
By Nate Monroe, Daily Comet (Lafourche Parish, La.). October 26, 2011.
“Lafourche and Terrebonne governments are hoping to recoup millions of local tax dollars spent on flood-control efforts this spring by the end of the year or early 2012…”
By Nikki Buskey, Houma Today. October 26, 2011.
“Local levee districts, industry groups and parish officials are voicing concerns that a change to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers environmental regulations could drastically drive up the price of infrastructure projects by millions, including levees and coastal restoration, making them unaffordable…”
By Katarzyna Klimasinska and Brian Swint, Bloomberg. October 26, 2011.
“BP Plc won its first U.S. permit to drill a new oil well in the Gulf of Mexico’s deep waters, clearing the way for the company to resume exploration after the record offshore spill last year…”
By Janet McConnaughey, Associated Press. October 25, 2011.
“NEW ORLEANS – A scientist who said shoddy levee work caused Hurricane Katrina’s devastating floods wasn’t muzzled by his work for Louisiana State University because he wasn’t speaking as a school employee, a federal judge has ruled…”
By Allen Powell II, The Times Picayune (New Orleans, La.). October 25, 2011.
“Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner has quite the imagination when it comes to the town he leads. He sees buildings and sidewalks where there is nothing but grass. He pictures tourists where none exist. And he envisions jobs for the unemployed…”