coastal desk

Plaquemines Parish surrounds the last 70 miles of the Mississippi River, making it susceptible to saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico, something that's becoming more common as climate change plagues the region with more frequent drought.

Coastal Desk

As saltwater flows up the Mississippi River for a third year, the region looks for permanent solutions

Eva Tesfaye

A salty river is a public health crisis, contaminating drinking water for thousands in southeast Louisiana.

Workers shore up a temporary levee across Main Street in Grafton, IL on May 29, 2019. The Mississippi River reached its second highest crest ever at 35.17 ft 9 days later.

Coastal Desk

Mississippi River towns pilot new insurance model to help with disaster response

Delaney Dryfoos (The Lens)

Mayors along the Mississippi River have watched for years as intensifying rain storms and flooding wreak havoc on their communities.

Louisiana leaders broke ground on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project on Aug. 10, 2023, but construction on the project has been delayed. Two separate lawsuits are challenging the impacts it could have on the state’s coastline. Louisiana is in danger of losing the more than $2 billion allocated for the project if it doesn’t commit to seeing it through.

Coastal Desk

Louisiana could be out billions of dollars if controversial coastal restoration stalls

Terry L. Jones (Floodlight)

The feds threaten to withhold $2.2 billion from the massive effort to save and restore the state’s diminishing coastline if leaders don’t act soon.

An aerial view of broken wetlands in Plaquemines Parish. Projections by Climate Central indicate that the parish could lose another 100,000 acres of wetlands by the end of the century.

Coastal Desk

Louisiana voters want federal money from offshore wind to go toward coastal restoration

Eva Tesfaye

Louisiana’s coastal restoration fund could get a boost from offshore wind revenues.

Residents attend a public meeting on the Louisiana’s Office of Community Development's Action Plan Amendment and Sustainability Plan for the New Isle.

Coastal Desk

Former Isle de Jean Charles residents express frustrations with housing at resettlement site

Eva Tesfaye

The mostly Native American community of Isle de Jean Charles made international headlines when it underwent a first-of-its-kind resettlement program due to coastal land loss and other climate change impacts. Now that residents have relocated, the state is focused on helping them stay there. But after hearing its sustainability plan at a recent meeting, residents expressed frustration over the new homes they received from the state.

Antonique Smith performs on stage during Climate Revival launch event during Congressional Black Caucus at New Bethel Church on September 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Coastal Desk

Antonique Smith launches gospel tour in ‘Cancer Alley’ to raise awareness before election

Halle Parker

Smith kicked off her first gospel concert tour in one of the country’s largest hotspots for toxic air last week: Louisiana’s chemical corridor.

St. James Parish activists and residents Barbara Washington, Gail Lebouef and Shamyra Lavigne (left to right) hold a fist up after their groups filed a lawsuit against their local government on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 outside of the U.S. District Court of Eastern Louisiana in New Orleans.

Coastal Desk

'Cancer alley' residents ask federal court to revive lawsuit over new chemical plants

Halle Parker

Federal appeals court considers lawsuit aimed at pausing new chemical plants in St. James Parish.

Barbara Washington, co-founder of Inclusive Louisiana, speaks with other activists at the National Press Club after meeting with White House officials about environmental discrimination on Sep. 18, 2024.

Coastal Desk

An international body asked US to fix discrimination in 'Cancer Alley.' It hasn't.

Halle Parker

Two years after an international body asked the U.S. to consider a pause on new industrial plants and protect cultural sites from heavy industry in Cancer Alley. It hasn't.

The Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, a man-made navigational channel connecting the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans, is deemed a critical protection asset for the greater New Orleans area, and in 2017 was added to the list of restoration projects identified by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

Coastal Desk

As funding dries up for Louisiana’s coastal restoration program, advocates are strategizing to sustain it

Terry L. Jones (Floodlight)

A coalition of environmental groups is pushing 18 projects to protect Gulf Coast communities from land loss and storm damage.

Gov. Jeff Landry declared a statewide emergency at a news conference on Monday ahead of Tropical Storm Francine.

Coastal Desk

Gov. Landry declares a state of emergency for Louisiana ahead of Francine

Halle Parker

Gov. Jeff Landry placed all of Louisiana under a state of emergency on Monday as Tropical Storm Francine churns in the Gulf of Mexico.