Environment

By Eileen Fleming

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – Democratic Senator Landrieu held a news conference on Capitol Hill with Republican colleagues who supported the bill. Nine of the ten senators from Gulf states affected by the spill are co-signers. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas has not joined in the effort. But Landrieu says a healthy Gulf of Mexico is essential to the nation, which gets 30 percent of its commercial fish supply from the region.

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu and Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby have introduced legislation designed to keep 80 percent of BP fines for Clean Water Act violations in the Gulf region. Without that designation the funds would be sent to the federal treasury. Landrieu says restoring the Gulf is a national issue.

By Eileen Fleming

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – Governor Jindal says the projects include restoring oyster habitats, fisheries and barrier islands. The money will come from $1 billion BP offered in April as part of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment process that will take years to complete. He says Louisiana deserves most of the money.

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – The Gulf Restoration Network along with the Florida Wildlife Federation filed a federal lawsuit last year to force the EPA to release the ingredients of Corexit and other dispersants. More than 2 million gallons were applied to the surface as well as at the wellhead to break apart the crude oil.

By Eileen Fleming

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – The administrator of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility is investigating if non-profit organizations can be part of the process. The move stems from a summit in New Orleans where Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu asked claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg if non-profits who responded quickly to the disaster could be reimbursed.

By Eileen Fleming

By Eileen Fleming