Coastal Desk

Hosted by Tegan Wendland, Travis Lux

Southeast Louisiana is sinking under the waves faster than any coastal landscape in the world. With so much at stake for Louisiana and the nation, New Orleans Public Radio has made coastal news a priority.

Since mid-2014 our Coastal Desk reporting team has been producing frequent news reports and in-depth features covering coastal erosion and restoration; hurricane protection; offshore energy and other coastal businesses; wildlife and fisheries impacts; and coastal communities and culture.

Support for the Coastal Desk comes from the Walton Family Foundation, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and local listeners.

Amid Rising Seas And Record Storms, Louisiana's Water Is Running Low

By Austin R. Ramsey (IRW) & Tegan Wendland • 16 hours ago

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana has a water problem. But it has nothing to do with its losing battle against rising seas, rivers that routinely spill their banks or increasingly violent storms that pummel its coast.

New Public Health Study Does Little To Allay Fears In Cancer Alley

By Tegan Wendland • Mar 4, 2021

A long-promised study on cancer in St. John the Baptist Parish was released by Louisiana State University this week, but it does little to alleviate the fears of residents there.

Attorney General Landry Agrees To Settle Oil And Gas Suit He's Fought For Years

By Tegan Wendland • Mar 4, 2021

After years of fighting lawsuits against oil and gas companies, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has agreed to settle one of them.

What New Flood Insurance Rates Could Mean For Louisiana

By Tegan Wendland • Mar 2, 2021

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to release new rates this fall, and it’s likely to result in an increase in premiums for Louisiana homeowners. One study finds rates would need to quadruple for the program to stay afloat.

Entergy New Orleans Shut Off Much More Power Than Was Necessary During Freezing Weather

By Tegan Wendland • Feb 23, 2021

Entergy New Orleans shut off 81 megawatts worth of power when only 26 megawatts were required during southern Louisiana’s unusual cold snap last week, John Hawkins, vice president of distribution operations for Entergy Louisiana, revealed to the City Council on Tuesday.