Coastal News Roundup

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.

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

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.

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.

Coastal Desk

Former Water Institute Scientist Faces Federal Indictment

Tegan Wendland

The Water Institute is a Baton Rouge-based research institution that works with the state and the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority on issues…

Coastal Desk

Sinking Louisiana: Modeling For Change

Travis Lux

Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan is the state’s guide for restoring its disappearing coastline and defending cities from rising seas. It includes things…

Coastal Desk

Sinking Louisiana: Studying Subsidence

Travis Lux

We hear a lot about how the Louisiana coast is disappearing. The state has lost about 2,000 square miles of coastal marsh since the 1930s. One of the…

Coastal Desk

Mayor LaToya Cantrell Sees New Orleans As A Coastal City

Tegan Wendland

When Mayor LaToya Cantrell took office last year, she pledged to improve green infrastructure and reduce flooding in the city. One of the biggest…

Coastal Desk

Coastal News Roundup: State Releases New Plan For How To Deal With Flooding, Coastal Migration

Travis Lux

Living on the Louisiana coast means living with the threat of flooding and extreme weather. But a changing climate and disappearing coast make predicting…

Coastal Desk

Coastal News Roundup: Predicting Floods On The Mississippi River

Travis Lux

Towns along the Upper Mississippi River are dealing with some of the worst flooding they’ve ever seen. Busted levees. Flooded downtowns. What does that…

Coastal Desk

Coastal News Roundup: The Challenges And Opportunities Of The Mississippi River

Travis Lux

From flooding to commerce to recreation -- the Mississippi River poses all kinds of challenges and opportunities for those who live along its banks.Travis…

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig burned on April 21, 2010.

Coastal Desk

Coastal News Roundup: Nine-Year Anniversary Of The BP Spill

Tegan Wendland

Saturday is the nine-year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Today, we take a look at how offshore drilling safety…