DEAD ZONE NEEDS MORE DOLLARS

It's a positive sign to see today's New Orleans Times-Picayune Editorial in favor of more funding to address the Dead Zone. It really is unbelievable that this 6,000 square mile area on the bottom of the ocean where fish, shrimp, and crabs can't live hasn't gotten more attention – and more money.

In their editorial, the Times-Picayune applauds Rep. Bobby Jindal for submitting an amendment into an Interior Department spending bill to increase funding for Dead Zone research and projects from $2.5 million to $5 million.

It has to be said, however, that if we are going to begin to make real progress on this issue, we will need a lot more money. Original estimates were that about $1.5 billion would be needed per year to really tackle the Dead Zone.

The Times-Picayune noted:

"Rep. Norm Dicks, chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee, was quick to accept Rep. Bobby Jindal's amendment to double spending on the dead zone. That's progress, considering that Rep. Jindal had expected a fight."

I think the fact that other members of Congress accepted the amendment quickly could also be a sign that the rest of the nation understands what a tremendous issue this is. In fact, the Chesapeake Bay watershed has received billions of dollars to address a smaller, similar issue. So, why aren't Louisiana's politicians asking for more money? Why isn't there more leadership from Louisiana. An additional $2.5 million for research is nice, but we still have a long, long way to go.

Some other bills to watch that could help with the Dead Zone include Rep. Kind's D-WI Upper Mississippi River Basin Protection Act, which would provide money to study runoff in the Upper Mississippi River Basin where much of the Dead Zone-causing pollution originates. Rep. Steve Kagen D-WI also introduced an amendment called the Discovery Watershed Program, which would provide a small amount of funding for farm demonstration projects that could reduce dead zone pollution.