Standing together for a healthy Gulf
In these trying times, we’re thinking about all the Gulf residents and people around the world who are suffering due the Covid-19 virus and associated economic disaster…
News
Disappointments and small wins: the 2020 FL Legislature
This was the year. The one in which the Florida legislature was going to get serious about fixing the state’s toxic algae crisis. Actually, I said that last year, when Florida’s elected officials convened on the heels of a devastating 15 months of blue green algae and red tide fouling waterways on both the Gulf …
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Florida residents say no to offshore fish farm
Two weeks ago, I attended a very spirited and well-attended demonstration and public hearing on the proposed Kampachi Farms offshore industrial fish farm’s water pollution permit. The project off the coast of Sarasota involves the concentrated cultivation of finfish in net pens, pods, and cages…
Across the Gulf, oysters are in trouble
[UPDATED] This original blog was posted in June 2019 before the collapse of Gulf oysters in the wake of historic flooding on the Mississippi River. That flooding led to the Bonnet Carre Spillway being opened twice in one season for the first time ever. Gulf oyster beds east of the Mississippi River were devastated along with fish and marine mammals all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
How about the gift of clean water?
The holidays are upon us, and I’m asking the Florida Legislature to give a gift to our state’s waterways and environment. It’s a gift of finally taking action to solve the problems of toxic algae, bacterial contamination, loss of forests and open space, and myriad other maladies that threaten the very essence of life in …
Help protect people and wildlife from toxic algae blooms
Toxic algae is getting worse in Florida’s waterways, putting people, pets, and wildlife at risk. Now there’s a chance to protect public health and the environment from these dangerous outbreaks. Join with fellow Floridians in demanding that Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) protect environmental and human health by including limits on blue green algae …
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Public has the opportunity to weigh in on coral protections
NOAA seeks input before final decision on plan to protect deep seal corals.
Bayou Bridge Pipeline: Field Notes
A spoil bank is the pile of soil and debris left behind by the excavation and dredging machines that dig a trench through the swamp. In coastal Louisiana, all of the pipelines are buried or submerged (as opposed to being built above ground). The method for burying the pipe, then, is to dig an enormous trench. The material from the trench is then dumped right next to the new channel, and suddenly a wall is created that cuts off water and organisms from each other that were connected before. Companies are required by law, according to their permits, to return these spoil banks to their natural state once constructions is complete. However, very few companies comply with this stipulation in their permit leading to a basin filled with spoil banks, limited access to bayous and less productive crawfishing harvests.
Antenna Art Gallery Partnership: Oil & Gas in the New Orleans Art Community
[[WRITTEN BY REX SIMMONS, HEALTHY GULF INTERN]] The Helis Foundation, which is the philanthropic entity of Helis Oil & Gas and the William G. Helis estate, frequently touts their contributions to public arts in Louisiana. Helis funds a master’s program at Xavier University for gallery and exhibition management, sponsor sculptures and murals, and even pays …
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Endangered species under attack by Trump Administration
Bald eagles, Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whales, and Louisiana black bears are just some of the species that have been protected by the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration is rolling back key protections under the Act to satisfy industry even as we are facing an extinction crisis. Take action to tell your members …
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