Blogging for a Healthy Gulf

Flood control alternatives, including the “One Lake” project for the Pearl River in Jackson, have been out of the spotlight, under technical review by the Army Corps of Engineers for nearly four years since scoping meetings were held in the fall of 2013. When the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and engineering studies are published late in 2017 or early 2018, it will signal the last practical chance for public comment/input until the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works makes a decision.

The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District (the District) offered four flood control alternatives in 2013 during project scoping: levees and floodwalls, non-structural measures, channel improvements, and a lake development. Among these alternatives, only the lake development has its own public relations campaign thanks to John McGowan’s non-profit Pearl River Vision Foundation which has consistently promoted dredging and damming the Pearl River to create...

Residents in East Biloxi continue to face unbearable living conditions due to a fiasco of a road project that has left over fifty miles of city streets torn up awaiting repair. East Biloxi residents have dealt with this situation for over three years and the project is expected to take years more to complete. What were once roads are now pock marked dirt trails.   

Driving through endless dust and potholes has become an unwelcome routine for the community in East Biloxi. The soil and dust from the road project is carried by wind and rain into people’s air conditioners, homes, cars and yards eventually ending up in local waters clogging and polluting them in violation of the Clean Water Act. 

Gulf Restoration Network has taken legal action  on the matter. GRN filed suit against the contractor, Oscar Renda , for storm water violations of...

Chef Ryan Prewitt of Peche set a new standard for seafood in New Orleans winning two James Beard Awards in 2014: Best Chef: South and Best New Restaurant in America. On a busy Saturday night, you can find Chef Ryan whizzing around the kitchen making sure every detail is handled. From filleting giant tuna collar and whole redfish to making sure every shrimp that leaves the kitchen is prepared to perfection, Chef Ryan’s respect for seafood is apparent in every dish. His passion for sustainability doesn’t stop at the dinner table. He dives deep into the world of local, sustainably sourced seafood by working with GRN to protect Gulf Fish Forever. 

Last November, Chef Prewitt traveled to D.C. with GRN to talk with congresspeople about the short-sighted Red Snapper Management Authority Act. This legislation would have ignored the best available science for rebuilding red snapper populations...

In the last couple of months, Gulf Restoration Network has been sad to say goodbye to some members of our team, and happy to welcome new folks.

In August, Jordan Macha, GRN’s Gulf Policy Analyst ended her time with the GRN. Jordan was lead on all things post-BP restoration. Although we will miss her, we congratulate her on becoming Executive Director of Bayou City Waterkeeper and look forward to working with her in that capacity! With the recent devastation of Hurricane Harvey, her work as a Waterkeeper in the Houston area is more important than ever.

We were also saddened by the departure in June of Shona Clarkson, GRN’s Communications Director. However, we are excited to welcome Dustin Renaud as our new Communications Director. Dustin was born and raised in...