Archive for Senator Mary Landrieu
Conservation Groups Laud Funding for Restoration Efforts from Senate
April 26, 2012 | Posted by Elizabeth Skree in Congress, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA), Media Resources, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Senator Mary LandrieuFederal funds will support critical restoration construction projects, jobs in Louisiana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org
(Washington, D.C.—April 26, 2011) Today, five national and local conservation groups praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for approving funding for critical restoration projects in Louisiana, including an effort to use sediment dredged from navigation waterways to recreate critical wetlands. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would receive $16.8 million for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) program to begin construction on LCA ecosystem restoration projects and $9.3 million to study future projects. This funding was part of President Obama’s budget request and was strongly supported by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.).
"This funding is an important step forward in helping restore critical wetlands around the Mississippi River Delta, as well as helping create new jobs in Louisiana. This is a win-win for the environment and the economy,” said the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation in a joint statement. "Thanks to the Appropriations Committee and Sen. Landrieu, these restoration projects will put sediment from the Mississippi River back to use creating wetlands that act as a speed bump for hurricanes and a natural storm buffer for communities.”
“We hope Congress will include this funding in the final version of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill,” the groups continued. “Taking these preventative actions now will make these areas less vulnerable to future disasters."
Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost more than 1,900 square miles of wetlands, an area roughly equivalent to the state of Delaware. The decline of the Mississippi River Delta’s wetlands has dramatically impaired protection from hurricanes and wiped out much of the buffer against future storms and disasters. The loss of wetlands also threatens:
- One of our nation’s most important fisheries
- One of our nation’s most significant port complexes and navigation systems
- Wildlife, including tens of millions of migratory birds and waterfowl
- Domestic energy production and processing
- Communities all along the central Gulf Coast
The federal funding was provided in the Senate Appropriations Committee Report on the FY13 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
More restoration projects like the ones funded through this budget request would be possible with passage of the RESTORE Act. The legislation would dedicate 80 percent of oil spill penalties paid by BP and others responsible for the 2010 oil spill towards gulf restoration. The RESTORE Act has received strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.
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No CommentsGroups hail Senate passage of transportation bill with gulf restoration amendment
March 14, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Congress, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Senator Mary LandrieuVote follows recent House approval of efforts to dedicate oil spill fines to gulf restoration
(Washington, D.C.—March 14, 2012) A coalition of six Gulf Coast restoration advocacy groups praised the Senate today for passing the Surface Transportation bill with an amendment that would dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from BP and the other parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf Coast. The current transportation bill expires on March 31.
The amendment, called the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act, is historic legislation that the full Senate passed last week with support from 76 senators, including every Senate Democrat and half of the Senate’s Republicans. The Senate’s approval of the RESTORE Act, whose lead sponsors include Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), follows the House's recent approval of a similar RESTORE Act amendment sponsored by Congressman Steve Scalise (R-La.) that was attached to the House transportation bill.
“Faith leaders, conservationists and sportsmen, and strong majorities of voters from both ends of the political spectrum in Gulf states and across the nation agree that it just makes sense for the fines from the Gulf spill to come back to help repair the economic and environmental damage done to the Gulf,” said a joint statement issued by Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy and Oxfam America. “We thank the Senate leaders who have made this victory possible for the Gulf. Now we look forward to Congress passing, and the President signing into law, the final transportation bill with the RESTORE Act.”
The RESTORE Act will ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for the 2010 Gulf oil disaster are used to rebuild the economies of Gulf Coast communities that were impacted by the spill and to restore the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, barrier islands, dunes, and coastal wetlands, that are the foundation of the Gulf Coast economy.
A nationwide poll of 1,006 likely general election voters conducted by the Democratic firm, Lake Research Partners, and the GOP firm, Bellwether Research and Consulting, showed that the vast majority of U.S. voters (84 percent) believe the Gulf Coast — including the Mississippi River Delta — impacts the nation’s economy. Nearly two-thirds of those voters (63 percent) believe this region impacts the economy in their part of the country.
Contacts:
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.572.3331, scrowley@edf.org
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.475.1733, hlayman@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Andrew Blejwas, Oxfam America, 617.785-7047, Ablejwas@oxfamamerica.org
Senate will vote on RESTORE Act amendment today
March 8, 2012 | Posted by Elizabeth Skree in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Congress, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Senator Mary LandrieuBy Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund
It’s an important day for recovery in the Gulf Coast. Nearly two years after the BP oil disaster, the communities, economies and environment of the gulf are still struggling to recover. Today, Congress has the opportunity to take a crucial step towards making the gulf whole again: by voting yes on the Nelson-Shelby-Landrieu RESTORE Act amendment to S. 1813, the Surface Transportation bill. The RESTORE Act amendment has been paired with an additional $1.4 billion in funds towards the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF funds large-scale conservation projects in America’s most-treasured places.
The RESTORE Act amendment is legislation that would ensure 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties from the gulf oil spill are dedicated to gulf restoration. The bill has bipartisan support in both chambers of congress and from members nationwide. It would ensure that fine money be used to restore and revitalize the environment and economies of the Gulf Coast. Passage of this legislation is not only important to the people of the gulf, but to the entire nation that depends on a healthy gulf region. In fact to date, over 73 thousand people have taken action and told Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell that restoring the Gulf Coast is important.
In February, over 140 faith leaders sent a letter to Senate leadership urging them to pass the RESTORE Act and help repair the gulf. “Restoration projects that would be funded under this bill can help protect communities, restore ecosystems, revive the tourism and fishing industries, and create tens of thousands of jobs as residents rebuild and diversify their economy,” says the letter. “This legislation represents a significant, bipartisan and achievable step toward justice for Gulf Coast communities and ecosystems.”
Last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents the interests of more than three million businesses and organizations, sent a letter to Senator Mary Landrieu supporting the bill. “The RESTORE Act, as currently written, is a common sense and bipartisan approach to a situation that has impacted the entire Gulf region,” states the letter. “The Chamber supports S. 1400, and applauds your leadership on this important issue.”
On Monday, the National Association of Counties (NACo), which was founded in 1935 and represents the interests of the nation’s 3,068 counties, accepted a resolution supporting the bill: “NACo supports the concept established by the RESTORE Act, that diverts penalty money from the responsible party to local economic and environmental restoration plans, and supports the expansion of this policy to future pollution incidents.”
In addition to these groups, associations including the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (AFPM) sent letters to Congress supporting the RESTORE Act. And sportsmen organizations representing hundreds of thousands of hunters and anglers also reached out to the Senate, urging swift passage of the bill.
Call your senator NOW and tell them to vote Yes on the RESTORE Act amendment!
It's easy: Call the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 and tell them you'd like to speak with your senator. Here is a sample script:
"Hi, my name is _______ and I'm calling to urge the senator to vote Yes on Senate amendment 1822, the Nelson-Shelby-Landrieu RESTORE Act amendment. The damage from the oil spill happened in the gulf, so Congress should ensure that the oil spill fines go back to the gulf. Passing the RESTORE Act is the fair and right thing to do. Thank you."
1 CommentGulf Senators Praised for Cosponsoring Bill to Restore Gulf
July 21, 2011 | Posted by Ryan Rastegar in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Congress, Federal Policy, Media Resources, Senator David Vitter, Senator Mary Landrieu
Contacts:
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.572.3331, scrowley@edf.org
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Sandra Rodriguez, The Nature Conservancy, 703.841.4227, srodriguez@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Patrick Scully, Oxfam America, 617.728.2402, pscully@oxfamamerica.org
Gulf Senators Praised for Cosponsoring Bill to Restore Gulf
Bill dedicates oil spill fines to restore Gulf communities, economies & ecosystems
(Washington, D.C.—July 21, 2011) A coalition of organizations supporting Gulf restoration celebrated news today that a bipartisan coalition of Gulf senators is cosponsoring the RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act. The legislation seeks to ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster are used to help restore the region’s communities, economies and environments instead of going to unrelated federal spending.
Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) are the original cosponsors of the bill, and are now joined by Sens. David Vitter (R-LA), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Kay Bailey-Hutchison (R-TX). Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, who was instrumental in securing the agreement among the senators, has pledged to consider this bill in her committee quickly.
“The damage from the oil spill was done in the Gulf, so Congress should ensure that oil spill fines go to the Gulf, not to unrelated federal spending,” reads a joint statement issued by Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy and Oxfam America. “This Gulf state agreement paves the way for Congress to do what voters expect: hold the parties responsible for the Gulf oil disaster accountable for restoring the Gulf because our nation’s economy depends on a healthy Gulf region.”
A bipartisan poll conducted this spring showed that 83 percent of voters nationwide support – and 69 percent strongly support – dedicating the Gulf oil spill penalties to restoring the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast. The poll also showed support among voters from across the political spectrum:
- 90 percent of Democrats
- 84 percent of independents
- 76 percent of Republicans
- 78 percent of those who say they agree with the Tea Party movement
Nearly 500 miles – almost half – of the coastline in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida that was contaminated by the Gulf oil disaster remains oiled one year later, according to the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration.
“There is much more work to be done to ensure that a strong and effective restoration bill for the Gulf ultimately becomes law and this is a positive and commendable first step. We look forward to working with the Gulf delegation, other members of Congress and the administration on passage of a bill that meets the restoration needs of this critical ecosystem and its vulnerable communities,” the statement concludes.
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On BP Oil Disaster Anniversary, Groups Urge Congress to Use Fines to Restore Gulf Environment and Economy
April 20, 2011 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Congress, Meetings/Events, Senator David Vitter, Senator Mary Landrieu
An oil-soaked brown pelican washes ashore on Grand Isle, Louisiana (May 21, 2010). Photo credit: Yuki Kokubo, www.yukikokubo.net
On the first anniversary of the BP oil well blowout, regional and national leaders urged Congress to hold BP accountable by passing legislation to dedicate BP’s Clean Water Act (CWA) fines to restoring the Gulf’s damaged environment and economy.
Under current law, fines paid by BP and others responsible for the spill automatically will be deposited into the Federal Treasury, instead of being used to help restore the Gulf region.
U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and David Vitter (R-La.), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) have introduced four separate bills that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines to restore the Gulf Coast’s environment and economy.
“These members of Congress deserve credit for recognizing that BP’s fines for the oil spill should be invested in restoring the Gulf, where the damage was done, not in the Federal Treasury,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “The environment and economy of the Gulf region rely on each other to be strong and vibrant. We’re calling on leaders in Congress, particularly from the Gulf region, to get together and get restoration done for the Gulf.”
The anniversary event featured a boat tour to show oil spill damage in Barataria Bay and Bay Jimmy and aerial tours of Wax Lake Delta, which shows that rebuilding wetlands is possible. The Wax Lake Delta is the unexpected creation of a 1941 flood control project in which the Army Corps of Engineers dug a canal to Atchafalaya Bay from the Atchafalaya River. As a result, the Atchafalaya River sediment built 25 square miles of new land in the Wax Lake Outlet.
“The Gulf is injured certainly, and will be for some time, but it is not without the possibility of recovery in the long term” said Chris Canfield, vice president of Gulf Coast Conservation and the Mississippi Flyway for the National Audubon Society. “If we can marshal the energy of fear and concern we all felt a year ago and turn it into resolve – into a Congressional mandate for Gulf restoration – we can do wonders.”
Nearly nine out of 10 poll respondents (87%) across the five Gulf states agree that the environmental health of the Gulf Coast region affects their state’s economy very much or somewhat. (Lake Research Partners and Bellwether Research and Consulting)
“Without a strong and shared vision by our regional congressional delegations to dedicate fines to the Gulf Coast states, fine monies will wash away into the Federal Treasury,” said Anne Milling, founder of Women of the Storm. "We thank Representatives Scalise and Castor and Senators Landrieu, Vitter and Nelson for their bipartisan unity on this crucial issue, and we encourage other members of Congress to follow their example."
Environmental degradation has caused tremendous damage to the Gulf ecosystems in recent decades. The region has lost nearly 50 percent of its wetlands, 60 percent of its sea grass beds, 50 percent of its oyster reefs, and more than 32 percent of its mangrove forests. (The Nature Conservancy)
“Given our huge budget deficit, Clean Water Act fines are the most viable, short-term funding mechanism for the long-term restoration of the Gulf Coast that President Obama promised ten months ago ‘to restore the unique beauty and bounty of this region’,” said Paul Harrison, senior director of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Project for Environmental Defense Fund. “Congress must hold BP accountable for the environmental and economic damage it caused from the worst oil spill in U.S. history by dedicating the Clean Water Act fines to Gulf Coast restoration and ensuring BP pays the bill for the Natural Resources Damage Assessment.”
As BP Oil Spill Anniversary Looms, Gulf Restoration Groups Laud Introduction of RESTORE Act
April 15, 2011 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Congress, Senator David Vitter, Senator Mary LandrieuA coalition of environmental, economic and social equity organizations yesterday praised the Senate introduction of a bipartisan bill to ensure that 80 percent of the Clean Water Act (CWA) penalties to be paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster will be used to restore the communities, economies and ecosystems of the Gulf region directly. Under current law, BP penalties for the oil spill will be deposited into the federal treasury instead of being used to help the people, environments and economies that suffered harm in the disaster.
The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunity, and Revived Economies of the Gulf States Act of 2011 (RESTORE Act) was introduced yesterday — six days before the BP oil disaster anniversary next Wednesday (April 20) — by Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and David Vitter (R-LA).
“The BP oil disaster was the latest assault in a long series of injuries to the environment and economy of the five Gulf states. Fines paid by BP and other parties responsible for this disaster belong in the Gulf, to help restore the environments and economies that were directly harmed,” said the joint statement by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Ocean Conservancy, Oxfam America, and The Nature Conservancy.
“We thank Senators Landrieu and Vitter for their leadership and for bringing Congress an important step closer to action in the Gulf. We look forward to working with the entire Gulf Senate delegation to make sure that these fines help the communities and environments that need restoration.”
The Gulf region is a vital part of the nation’s economy, and critical Gulf industries rely on environmental restoration:
- The Gulf currently supports a $34 billion per year tourism industry, and its fisheries support an estimated $22.6 billion dollars in seafood and commercial and recreational fishing-related activity. (Center for American Progress)
- The Gulf produces roughly 40 percent of all the seafood in the lower 48 states. (American Association of Port Authorities)
- The region is home to 10 of our nation’s 15 largest ports by tonnage. More than 25 percent of the nation's waterborne exports pass through Louisiana ports alone. (National Marine Fisheries Service)
- Nearly nine out of 10 poll respondents (87%) across the five Gulf states agree that the environmental health of the Gulf Coast region affects their state’s economy very much or somewhat. (Lake Research Partners and Bellwether Research and Consulting)
- Environmental degradation has caused tremendous damage to the Gulf ecosystems in recent decades. The region has lost nearly 50 percent of its wetlands, 60 percent of its sea grass beds, 50 percent of its oyster reefs, and more than 32 percent of its mangrove forests. (The Nature Conservancy)
Learning from the Dutch: “Living With Water” Part II
December 8, 2010 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Restoration Projects, Senator Mary Landrieu, The NetherlandsBy Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund
In our previous post about Senator Landrieu's Third Congressional Delegation to the Netherlands, Courtney Taylor from Environmental Defense Fund provided an overview of the trip, including where the delegation went, what they saw, and how they learned to "live with water." Many representatives from the non-profit sector attended, including staff from some of our coalition organizations.
The 4-day trip included site tours and meetings with Dutch officials and engineers. In one of the sessions, the delegation learned how the Dutch had diverted a river, restored the neighboring ecosystem, and taught the locals how to work with the river – not against it – in the "Making Room for the River Project" in Biesbosch. This project is directly applicable to our work in coastal Louisiana, where coastal erosion and sea level rise are threatening to wash away the region, and major diversion projects are necessary to rebuild a sustainable, working coast for current and future generations of Louisianans. Learning from the Dutch's successes (and failures), the delegation went home with a new knowledge of how people can live and work with water, whether it be the Rhine or Mississippi River.
Netherlands CODEL, Nov. 9 - 12, 2010 (photo credit: landrieu.senate.gov)
In addition to Courtney and Karla Raettig from the National Wildlife Federation, Dr. John Lopez from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) also made the trip across the Atlantic to travel and learn with Senator Landrieu. John is a coastal scientist who has been working on coastal Louisiana restoration for years, and currently serves as Director of the Coastal Sustainability Program at LPBF. Upon returning to New Orleans after the trip, John observed: "The Dutch have a complete top-to-bottom commitment to their economy and modern culture by providing a 'continuous improvement' mentality to their flood protection."
But not everything the Dutch have done has been a success. One example is the loss of fisheries and fisheries-based cultures in the Netherlands. While they have worked hard to live with the river instead of against it, "It has come at a very high price to their natural environment, which has been nearly completely lost," said Dr. Lopez. We can learn from the Dutch in this regard, and work with fisheries and other local industries to develop a comprehensive restoration plan for the Mississippi River Delta. A plan that incorporates environmental measures and the needs of local communities and industries will create a more robust and sustainable Louisiana coast.
No CommentsSenator Landrieu Leads Delegation to Netherlands to Learn How Dutch "Live With Water"
December 1, 2010 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Senator Mary Landrieu, The NetherlandsBy Courtney Taylor, Environmental Defense Fund
Senator Mary Landrieu led a delegation of representatives from various federal agencies, local governments, businesses and non-profits on a trip across the Netherlands from Nov. 9-13 to study how the Dutch “live with water." The delegation included representatives from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Walton Family Foundation.
Each day included meetings with high-level Dutch officials and informative tours and presentations. The delegation visited the oldest water board in the Netherlands, the newly-created Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management; Deltares, and the site of the 1953 flood in Zeeland.
The delegation also learned about the Dutch approach to protection and resiliency for the next 100 years, the Room for the River program, Rotterdam’s water and climate plan, and “building with nature.” In between these valuable sessions, the delegation members connected about their work in the Mississippi River Delta over bus rides, meals, coffee and pound cake breaks.
"It was an amazing learning experience and a great opportunity to get to know other people who care passionately about coastal Louisiana," said NWF's Coastal Louisiana Restoration National Campaign Director Karla Raettig.
Please check out the next issue of Delta Dispatches to learn more about some specific lessons learned from members of the delegation.
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