Latest Mississippi River Delta News: Dec. 23, 2013

12.23.2013 | In Latest News, Uncategorized

For BP cleanup, 2013 meant 4.6 million pounds of oily gunk (+Audio)
By Debbie Elliott, NPR. Dec. 21, 2013.
“…But environmentalists say the fact that 4.6 million pounds was collected this year — more than three years after the disaster — is telling. “You put that much oil into an ecosystem, and you’re going to be living with the consequences of it for a long, long time,” says David Muth with the National Wildlife Federation in New Orleans…” (read more)

Editorial: Great work helping our islands
By The Houma Courier, Editorial (Houma, La.). Dec. 21, 2013.
“Some of the most significant flood protection work going on in Louisiana is on our fragile and quickly disappearing barrier islands. Those islands once strung together to create a formidable defense against storm surge and tidal action…” (read more)

Editorial: BP oil spill conviction — one down, more to go
By The Seattle Times, Editorial (Seattle, Wash.). Dec. 22, 2013.
“The proper response to the first conviction of four current or former BP employees charged with crimes related to the 2010 Gulf oil spill should be one down, more to go…” (read more)

Dolphin illnesses linked to Gulf oil spill
By Ker Than, National Geographic. Dec. 20, 2013.
“Dolphins living in an area heavily impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill show higher incidences of lung disease, hormonal abnormalities, and other health effects, a new study finds…” (read more)

Coastal parishes creating a united front, and other area political news
By The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.). Dec. 23, 2013.
“Jefferson Parish President John Young will lead a new organization dedicated to coordinating coastal parishes’ efforts to present a unified front as they work on coastal-erosion and wetlands-restoration issues and fight flood insurance hikes…” (read more)

Plaintiffs, BP disagree over company’s blame for oil spill, slowness to plug Macondo well
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, La.). Dec. 20, 2013.
“Attorneys representing private plaintiffs as well as the states of Louisiana and Mississippi argued Friday (Dec. 20) that evidence presented during the first two phases of the trial to determine liability in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill clearly establishes that BP and its subsidiaries “exhibited a willful, wanton and reckless disregard for the environment, the property rights of others, and public health and safety…” (read more)

BP caused 2010 Gulf spill to last longer, victims’ lawyers say
By Margaret Cronin Fisk, Bloomberg Businessweek. Dec. 20, 2013.
“BP Plc (BP/) delayed efforts to cap its Macondo well in 2010 by misrepresenting how much oil was gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, lawyers for spill victims said, urging a judge to find the company grossly negligent…” (read more)

State invites comment on nutrient management
By The Houma Courier (Houma, La.). Dec. 20, 2013.
“A team of state officials are inviting comment on a plan to address nutrient management through the local watershed. It’s part of an effort to address nutrient levels through the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin that contribute to the annual Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico…” (read more)

Audit finds lax controls in spending BP money by La. seafood board (+Video)
By Paul Murphy, WWL TV (New Orleans, La.). Dec. 23, 2013.
“A scathing state audit, released Monday morning, points to possible improper spending by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board…” (read more)

2 top officials leave BP oil spill claims office
By Associated Press. Dec. 22, 2013.
“Two top officials of a fund that pays compensation in connection with the 2010 BP oil spill have resigned, just months after the two were accused of engaging in improper conduct…” (read more)