Latest Mississippi River Delta News: November 29, 2012

The spill: How much should BP suffer?
By Michael Pearson, CNN. November 28, 2012.
“(CNN) — Remember when oil giant BP paid billions of dollars to clean up its own mess from the 2010 Gulf oil spill?

Then the company agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay an unprecedented $4 billion fine for the spill…” (Read more)

EPA suspends BP from new federal contracts in wake of oil spill
By Steve Mufson, The Washington Post. November 28, 2012.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has suspended BP from bidding on any new federal contracts, including drilling leases, as a result of the company’s conduct during the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster in 2010 that led to 11 deaths and the largest U.S. offshore spill…” (Read more)

Reclamation effort sees progress
By Kari Dequine Harden, The Advocate. November 29, 2012.
“New Orleans — Lower 9th Ward residents who turned out to a community workshop on the restoration of the Bayou Bienvenue Wetlands Triangle on Tuesday night learned that progress is being made in bringing back New Orleans’ closest wetlands, but far more work lies ahead…” (Read more)

Local levee districts could see surpluses in 2016, despite higher maintenance and operation costs, new study says
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans). November 28, 2012.
“Levee districts included in the improved post-Katrina New Orleans area levee system should see annual surpluses totaling between $10.09 million to $18.34 million in 2016, even with the higher cost of operation and maintenance associated with the completed levees, according to a study prepared for the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority by the RAND Corp…” (Read more)

Who will pay for Army Corps hurricane protection system upkeep?
By Tania Dall, WWLTV. November 29, 2012.
“NEW ORLEANS — Hurricane season might be nearing its end, but already anxiety is mounting about the start of next year’s season…” (Read more)

Residents discuss levee tax
By Nikki Buskey, The Houma (La.) Courier. November 28, 2012.
“About 100 bayou residents met Tuesday night to learn about and discuss a proposed sales tax for hurricane and flood-protection levees…” (Read more)

National Fisheries Services holds off on new turtle excluder device rules
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune. November 27, 2012.
“After holding meetings last summer to discuss requiring turtle excluder devices in all shrimp boats that fish with skimmer trawls — equipment used primarily in shallow water, such as Louisiana’s coastal waters, bays and estuaries -– the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service on Tuesday announced it has withdrawn the proposed rule change…” (Read more)

Online marketplace connects fishermen and customers
By Nikki Buskey, The Daily Comet (Houma, La.). November 28, 2012.
“Local fishermen have a new way to reach out to customers using an online marketplace where fishermen can advertise their daily specials and fresh catches…” (Read more)