Latest Mississippi River Delta News: Dec. 18, 2013

Study: Dolphins suffering from lung disease due to Gulf oil spill
By Cameron McWhirter and Tom Fowler, The Wall Street Journal. Dec. 18, 2013.
“Dolphins in an area hard hit by the 2010 BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill are suffering from lung diseases and other abnormalities that are “consistent with petroleum hydrocarbon exposure and toxicity,” according to a new federal-backed scientific study released Wednesday…” (read more)

Half of bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay were seriously ill or dying in 2011, new study finds
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Dec. 18, 2013.
“Nearly half the bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay tested in mid-2011 to assess natural resources’ damage in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill were in “guarded or worse” condition, including 17 percent that were not expected to survive, according to a peer-reviewed study released Wednesday morning…” (read more)

New 30-acre coastal research center, called The Water Campus, to be built in Baton Rouge
By Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press. Dec. 17, 2013.
“Baton Rouge will be the site of an expansive research center called The Water Campus that will serve as a hub for collaborative work on restoring wetlands and protecting coastal communities…” (read more)

Coastal campus to be built at BR’s old municipal docks
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). Dec. 18, 2013.
“A longtime eyesore in downtown Baton Rouge will be transformed into a center of coastal education and research with a Water Center to be built at the old municipal docks just south of the Mississippi River bridge…” (read more)

Battle over levee authority lawsuit against energy companies moves to federal court on Wednesday
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Dec. 17, 2013.
“The battle over the east bank levee authority’s controversial wetlands damage lawsuit against nearly 100 oil, gas and pipeline companies moves to a federal courtroom Wednesday, Dec. 17, with a judge hearing arguments on whether to return the lawsuit to New Orleans Civil District Court…” (read more)

BP files spill fraud suit against seafood workers’ lawyer
By Reuters. Dec. 17, 2013.
“Oil company BP opened up a new front in its battle with litigants in its U.S. oil spill trial on Tuesday, filing a fraud suit against Mikal Watts, the lawyer who represented seamen claiming economic injury as a result of the disaster…” (read more)

BP makes first major Gulf of Mexico oil discovery since Deepwater Horizon
By Jennifer Rankin, The Guardian. Dec. 18, 2013.
“BP has reported a “significant oil discovery” in the Gulf of Mexico, its first major find since the deadly rig explosion that triggered the worst environmental disaster in US history…” (read more)