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Delta Dispatches blog: www.deltadispatches.org

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DeltaDispatches

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New House Amendment Would Dedicate Gulf Oil Spill Fines to Gulf Restoration

Seven nonprofit advocacy groups praised an amendment in an updated oil spill response bill introduced Wednesday (Jan. 26) by U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Ma.) and other House Democrats that would implement a key recommendation by the bipartisan oil spill commission. The recommendation is for Congress to dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties to be assessed for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to Gulf Coast restoration.

The groups also lauded GOP Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise for introducing bipartisan legislation earlier this month to require at least 80 percent of the civil and criminal penalties charged to BP under the Clean Water Act be returned to the Gulf Coast for long-term economic and environmental recovery. That bill, the Gulf Restoration Act (H.R. 56), is cosponsored by four Louisiana GOP Congressmen – Reps. Rodney Alexander, Charles Boustany, Bill Cassidy and Jeffrey Landry – and one Louisiana Democratic Congressman, Rep. Cedric Richmond... (continue reading here).

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Strong Interest in Coastal Restoration Reflected at MRGO Public Meetings Across the Gulf

By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation

More than 100 people turned out in Waveland, Ms. for a public hearing Tuesday (Jan. 25) on the ecosystem restoration draft plan for the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) and to share their comments on it with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  In addition to local public officials and residents, influential sportsmen from around the country made the journey to speak about the importance of MRGO ecosystem restoration to wildlife and sportsmen throughout the nation.  Last week (Jan. 20), approximately 300 people came out for the first MRGO public meeting in Chalmette, La.  Check out our blog to read more about the MRGO public hearings in Chalmette and Waveland.

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Vanishing Paradise Unveils New Website, Educates Sportsmen on Importance of Coastal Louisiana Restoration

By Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation

In a joint effort to educate and unite sportsmen across the country on the critical need to restore coastal Louisiana, National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and Ducks Unlimited have unveiled a brand new website for Vanishing Paradise.

The updated website offers new giveaways, opportunities to take action, and enhanced educational resources for hunters and anglers interested in joining the cause to help revive and recover a region damaged by decades of mismanagement and, more recently, this summer’s Gulf oil disaster... (continue reading here).

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Meet Paul Harrison

Paul is senior director for the Mississippi River project at Environmental Defense Fund. In this role, Paul leads EDF’s Coastal Louisiana Restoration and Resilience team, working to secure restoration of the natural functioning of the Mississippi River Delta and wetlands complex. Additionally, Paul serves on the broader coastal Louisiana coalition’s steering committee, to which he brings almost 20 years of environmental experience and legal expertise... (continue reading here).