Gulf Restoration Network

Coal Barge Pollution in the Mississippi River Healthy Waters / Dead Zone Monday, 08 April 2013 14:57

Pollution flowing from a coal barge in the Mississippi River on 8/25/12. Photo by GRN. Flight provided by SouthWings.orgLately we have been blogging about the impacts of coal terminals and exports in and along the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast.  (See past blogs:  How Coal Exports Scum up our Wetlands , Coal Terminals Expanding in the Dirty South, Bird's Eye View: Outrageous Dirty Secret They Don't Want You To See, and Polluting Louisiana's Last Hope?)  Well, it turns out that the barges that folks use to transport coal and pet coke also pollute our waters.

Recently there have been two barge companies, U.S. Maritime Services and CGB Marine Services, which have applied to renew their permits to wash the pollutants that they carry into the Mississippi.  Not only would they be washing coal and pet coke into the Mighty Mississippi, but also metals like copper and lead, and Dead Zone-causing pollutants like phosphates and nitrates.

Bayou Greenways 2020 Preserves the Bayou City's Best Ecological Asset Storm Protection / Coastal Issues Monday, 08 April 2013 14:36

Houston's nickname is the Bayou City and with the completion of a parks and trails project that unites all of its major bayous with green space, the nickname will fit even better.  That’s right—Houston--the town usually known for its freeways and traffic has approved a major bond initiative aimed at completing a 100 year old idea to unite its bayous with parks and trails. 

Bayou Greenways 2020 is the biggest parks project in the state, and one of the largest in the nation.  This unique project, made possible by Houston’s natural landscape of bayous, will elevate the city’s standing as one of the top “quality of place” cities in the nation.  It also demonstrates our commitment to our invaluable ecological capital in the midst of a very large metroplex. 

How Coal Exports Scum up our Wetlands Healthy Waters / Dead Zone Monday, 08 April 2013 08:24

 Eric de Place and David Kershner of Sightline.org have recently written a summary of how coal exports can scum up our wetlands. 

Just because spilled coal is not as bad as oil, doesn't mean it's not pollution--especially considered that Louisiana Coal terminals mix their coal with petroleum coke from the refineries upriver.

The black grit blocks out the sun's life-giving rays, clogs sensitive gills; the acidity alters the pH of our waters, and the coal itself can carry metals and PAHs into the homes and bodies of aquatic plants, shellfishes, fishes, and otters.

Bunnies and Brew Festivals and Events Wednesday, 03 April 2013 16:30

This past Saturday, GRN, NOLA Brewing and 425 of our friends took the Riverbend neighborhood by storm to track down the Easter Kegs.  The hunt began at Cooter Browns and hit Mahalia Jackson's childhood church, Brunos Tavern, and then led the teams to Plum Street Snoballs.  After that, they followed the clues to the old Carrollton Courthouse, the Toole-Hecker house, Carrollton Cemetery, and finally to the Maple Leaf.  The clues were tough this year and those who made it to the end were rewarded with live music from both Bonerama and The Quickening and had all the NOLA beer they could drink.

Cheers to all the crazy costumes and team names.  Here are the winners:

Best Team Name: The Passion of the Yeast!
Other names we loved: Smooth Hoperator, Ain't too Proud to Keg, Passobeer, and #JODO (Jesus only died once)

Best Individual Costume: 7th Street Wheatie

Best Team Costume: Beergoglio

Many thanks to NOLA Brewing for partnering with GRN to organize one of the largest Easter Keg Hunts yet!

Groups Gather in Weeks Bay, Alabama to Create a Vision For a Restored Gulf BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday, 03 April 2013 08:47

2013 Gulf Gathering AttendeesLast week, conservation, faith-based, civil rights and community organizations from across the Gulf Coast came together for the 4th Annual Gulf Gathering. This meeting provided a critical opportunity for GRN and other groups working with the Gulf Future Coalition to sit down and discuss our vision for how we would like to see our ecosystem, economy and communities recover from the BP disaster. As the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council is developing its comprehensive plan for restoring the Gulf, this was the perfect time to pull folks together to develop clear recommendations and establish a path forward for ensuring we have a say in what that plan will ultimately look like.

Gulfport Development Must Have EIS Healthy Waters / Dead Zone Friday, 29 March 2013 10:46

The Mobile District of the Corps of Engineers has required Ward Properties to complete a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for their proposed 383 acre wetland fill in North Gulfport. The Domain at Prime Center is a development project to build retail, commercial and warehouse space south of I-10 between Canal Road and U.S. Hwy 49. Gulf Restoration Network and the Steps Coalition Port Campaign attorneys both submitted comments. Click here for an article about our comments asking for an EIS that takes into account the cumulative impacts on wetlands in this part of the Turkey Creek watershed. The Corps agreed with the need for the document to study this proposal in the context of a comprehensive view of historic wetland loss and ongoing street and house flooding problems in nearby neighborhoods.

Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia on running a business that doesn't kill us (audio) General Thursday, 21 March 2013 15:36

Yvon Chouinard: Corporate Responsibility, Patagonia Style

audio: MP3 at 31.0 mebibytes

Recorded at the Tulane Environmental Law Summit 2013

Saturday, 22nd feb ,5:30pm 
Keynote Address Presented by Yvon Chouinard: Corporate Responsibility, Patagonia Style

Mr. Chouinard is the founder of the outdoor clothing and gear company Patagonia. The company is committed to being an outstanding workplace and an important resource for environmental activism. The company commits a percentage of profits to environmental activism, and strives to use environmentally friendly fabrics such as organic cotton. The company’s corporate responsibility and environmental initiatives put it on the forefront of the environmental movement. Mr. Chouinard has published three books, most recently The Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 40 Years.

http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsOrgs/tels/telc/summit.aspx?id=16031

Cleaning Up New Orleans Stormwater Storm Protection / Coastal Issues Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:53

Flooded street in Uptown New OrleansWhen rain water lands in New Orleans, it can pick up quite a bit of pollution from roads, parking lots, roofs, lawns, docks, and businesses.  Once this water is good and polluted it is pumped out of the city into Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi River, and other waterbodies.  It is the responsibility of the City of New Orleans, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, the Port of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the New Orleans Levee District, and Jefferson Parish to ensure that their stormwater doesn’t pollute these waters.

On Monday we asked folks to send an email to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to hold the entities in New Orleans accountable to cleaning up the stormwater through measurable goals and increased green infrastructure.  Many thanks to the over seventy residents of the New Orleans area that took the time to send an email to LDEQ regarding the draft stormwater permit they recently released.

In the meantime, GRN, with the help from the New Orleans Group of Sierra Club, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, and Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, drafted more technical comments highlighting the many areas where the draft stormwater permit could be stronger.  You can check out these comments here.  The comment period for this draft permit is currently closed, but many folks have requested a public hearing in New Orleans, so folks might get another opportunity to weigh in on the important issues that involve New Orleans’ intimate relationship with stormwater.

Matt Rota is GRN's Science and Water Policy Director

A Flood Less New Orleans Storm Protection / Coastal Issues Monday, 18 March 2013 16:11

Over the past few years, we have seen how important storm water management is to our city, our waters, and the wetlands that surround us.  Currently, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is requesting public comments on the Greater New Orleans storm water permit.  Pollution and storm water runoff knows no bounds and can impact surronding cities and parishes as well.  Please take a minute to tell LDEQ that we need a strong permit to help us on our way to a Flood Less New Orleans Region.

Not only does LDEQ need to hear that this permit has to be more protective and require concrete goals in reducing polluted runoff in the city, they should hold a public hearing so they can hear directly from you.  As of now, they have denied GRN’s request for this hearing, but if you want to speak up for better controls on our flood water, let them know now!

Now is the time to get LDEQ and the state to step up and hold storm water dischargers accountable for better managing their water and pollution.

http://grn.convio.net/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=521

Matt Rota is GRN's Science and Water Policy Director