Latest Mississippi River Delta News: Feb. 14, 2014

New Louisiana plan relies heavily on diversions to reduce nutrients causing Gulf ‘dead zone’
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 13, 2014.
“Louisiana plans to use existing and proposed sediment and freshwater diversions as part of a new plan for removing a small share of the fertilizers and other nutrients from the Mississippi…” (read more)

BP Deepwater Horizon spill oil causes heart damage that can kill tuna, new study finds
By Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 13, 2014.
“Crude oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon spill contains a chemical that interferes with fish heart cells, slowing heart rates…” (read more)

Toxins released by oil spills send fish hearts into cardiac arrest
By Louis Sahagun, The Los Angeles Times. Feb. 13, 2014.
“Scientists have cracked a cellular biology mystery underlying a harmful effect oil spills have on fish: irregular heartbeats that can lead to cardiac arrest…” (read more)

‘Zee’ named Graves’ successor
By Erin Besson, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). Feb. 13, 2014.
“A Houma resident on Monday will claim leadership of the state’s top position on coastal issues…” (read more)

World Wetlands Day celebrates local move
By Channing Parfait, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). Feb. 13, 2014.
“World Wetlands Day detailed the value of Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands to students at the Wetlands Discovery Center’s new home at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum…” (read more)

House Republicans to offer new legislation to fix large flood insurance hikes
By Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune. Feb. 14, 2014.
“House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Wednesday that the House will take up a “modified version” of legislation that passed the Senate January 30…” (read more)