Latest Mississippi River Delta News: July 8, 2013

FEMA should halt excessive flood insurance rate hikes: Editorial
By The Times-Picayune Editorial Board (New Orleans, La.). July 7, 2013.
“As Congress moves toward a one-year reprieve for some property owners facing outlandish flood insurance rate increases, California Rep. Maxine Waters and more than two dozen colleagues are asking FEMA to put a hold on the higher bills administratively…” (Read more).

Restore Act: one year later
By U.S. Representative Steve Scalise. The Daily Comet (Thibodaux, La.). July 6, 2013.
“One year ago, the Restore Act was signed into law, marking a historic opportunity to revitalize the Louisiana coast and secure the future of our state for future generation. The Restore Act directs 80 percent of BP Clean Water Act fines to Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states for purpose of oil spill recovery and ecosystem restoration…” (Read more).

BP to challenge oil spill settlement payments Monday in 5th Circuit
By Richard Thompson. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). July 6, 2013.
“Lawyers for BP will argue Monday before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that what could amount to billions of dollars in settlement payments to Gulf Coast businesses and residents who lost money in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill should be halted…” (Read more).

Student developing Louisiana land-loss app
The Associated Press. July 6, 2013.
“HOUMA (AP) — A researcher is seeking help from residents to develop a web-based app to document land loss in Terrebonne Parish. Sandra Maina, a graduate student at Florida International University in Miami, has been working since last year to develop an app she calls ‘Vanishing Points…'” (Read more).

Another tool for restoration
The Daily Comet Editorial (Thibodaux, La.). July 5, 2013.
“There is only one hope for south Louisiana and the people who live here: We have to act and act quickly to reverse the trend of erosion that is attacking our coast.  Although the state has approached the problem piecemeal the best it could in the past, what is needed is an all-out offensive using a dedicated stream of federal money that can be counted on to stay in place for years to come…” (Read more).