Matt Rota

Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution is still a major problem throughout the area that drains into the Mississippi River and the Gulf – causing harmful algae blooms, fish kills, and the Dead Zone. In order to combat this pollution, the Mississippi River states all agreed to develop “Reduction Plans.” Unfortunately, Louisiana’s officials have drafted a long

Shell Oil is proposing a 200 mile pipeline that will span across rivers in Louisiana, block bayous in the Atchafalaya Basin, and directly impact more than 700 acres of wetlands, including 200 acres of cypress forest. The cypress forests in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin is the largest continuous bottomland forest and swamp in the United States,

Water Resources Commission Members During “Round Table” DiscussionYesterday, I attended a meeting of the Louisiana Water Resources Commission. This commission, formed by the Louisiana State Legislature, has been charged with the important goal of coming up with a “Comprehensive Statewide Water Resources Management Plan.” Given Louisiana’s history of floods, need for coastal restoration, diminishing aquifers,

GRN’s Campaign Director, Steve Muchie, giving public comment at the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Meeting in New OrleansLast week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council met in New Orleans to release their Initial Comprehensive Plan. The Plan did not include a prioritized list of restoration projects, which the Council chalked up to the lack

On scientists released their annual measurement of the Gulf Dead Zone, which measured 5,800 square miles – an area larger than the state of Connecticut. Despite voluntary measures promoted by EPA and the states to curb Dead Zone-causing pollution, this area where oxygen levels get so low that sea life must swim away or suffocate

Today scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium released their annual measurement of the Gulf Dead Zone, which measured 5,800 square miles, larger than the state ofConnecticut. LUMCON has been measuring the Dead Zone since 1985, and this year’s Dead Zone is above both the long-term average size and the average size over the last

It looks like we are going to have a whopper of a Dead Zone in the Gulf this year…approximately the size of New Jersey, barring any hurricanes that make their way into the Gulf around the end of July when the folks at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) take the annual measurement.This prediction comes

2011 view of Temple-Inland’s waste ponds. Notice proximity to Pearl River (bottom right). Flight courtesy SouthWings.comIn the summer of 2011, the Temple-Inland Paper Mill in Bogalusa, LA illegally discharged toxic “black liquor” into the Pearl River. Due to the paper mill’s illegal activity, over half a million fish were killed, including Federally Protected Gulf sturgeon.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to debate the Farm Bill. The outcome of this debate is incredibly important to the nation’s waters, soil, health, and nutrition. Please tell your Representative to make sure that farmers who receive crop subsidies implement basic conservation practices to ensure that pollution and topsoil don’t flow