ROR Logo Small
April 2012
The Conveyance Online
Restore or Retreat's E-newsletter
In This Issue
ROR Annual Meeting
Two Year Spill Anniversary
NRDA Funding
In Other News
Restore or Retreat Executive Committee

 

Mike Plaisance, President

Plaisance Dragline and Dredging

 

Ted Falgout,VP

Ted M. Falgout and Associates

 

Robert Naquin, Treasurer

Capital One

 

Henri Boulet, Secretary

LA 1 Coalition

 

Tim Allen

Apache Louisiana Minerals

 

Charlotte Bollinger

Bollinger Shipyards

 

Berwick Duval

Duval, Funderburk, Sundbery, Lovell and Watkins

 

Dr. John J. Jones, Jr.

Jones Dermatology

Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers are needed for a beach sweep collecting trash on Elmer's Island.

The cleanup, on May 12 from 8 a.m. to noon, is hosted by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.

 

Elmer's Island, which includes a public beach near Grand Isle, is known for excellent fishing, swimming and bird watching.

 

To sign up or for more information, visit volunteer.btnep.org or contact Joseph Dantin at 985-228-0358 or [email protected].

Calendar

2012 Louisiana Legislature Regular Session

March 14- June 4

Baton Rouge, LA

  

April 25

CPRA

La Belle Room, La Salle Building

Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge

 

April 26

USACE/State

Mississippi River Delta Management Public Meeting

St. Bernard Parish Council Chambers

 

May 16

CPRA

La Belle Room, La Salle Building

Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge

 

June 6

Governor's Advisory Commission

Galvez Building, BR

 

June 25-27

State of the Coast Conference

Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

Quick Links
ROR is now on Facebook-
Like Us Today!

ROR Hosts Annual Meeting with Congressman Scalise

The annual gathering provides an update on the organization and its daily activities. 

Congressman Scalise addresses the audience at ROR's Annual Meeting.

Houma, LA-- Restore or Retreat (ROR) hosted their annual gathering of members and stakeholders this month, and guest speaker Congressman Steve Scalise provided several updates on important federal coastal legislation.

 

Executive Director Simone Maloz presented an organizational update to the audience of 75, including updates on current priorities, projects, and legislation. 

 

"There is no time or money to waste," said Maloz.  "We will continue to work with State and Corps to expedite planned and potential projects for the Barataria and Terrebonne Basins, advocate for already existing and planned projects such as Bayou Lafourche and Davis Pond, continue to be a resources for the State and our community, and participate in local, state, federal planning process."

 

Congressman Steve Scalise was first elected to Congress in a special election in May of 2008.  He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2008 and again in 2010 to continue serving Louisiana's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Due to redistricting following the 2010 census, parts of Terrebonne and Lafourche are now included in the First District.

 

As a champion in Congress for coastal restoration, Scalise has spearheaded a number of legislative initiatives to protect and restore our fragile coast.  He continues to lead the effort to pass the "RESTORE Act" in the House, which dedicates BP Clean Water Act fines to the Gulf Coast to fully restore our coastal ecosystems and economies in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. His RESTORE Act amendment passed the House of Representatives earlier this year with overwhelming support and was recently passed as part of the transportation bill extension.  He also has numerous other coastal restoration victories, including authoring and passing his amendment to provide funding for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) program.  

 

Click here to see link to Courier Article.

Marking the Anniversary of the Oil Spill

Two years ago, the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing 11 men and unleashing the worst oil spill in our nation's history. 

 

Senator Mary Landrieu featured Restore or Retreat Executive Director Simone Maloz, Houma-based business owner Lori Davis of Rig Chem, and Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson in an op-ed and video released to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the oil spill.

 

Column: An unbowed Louisiana two years after spill by Senator Mary Landrieu, The Times-Picayune

 

Video: RESILIENCE: Six stories after the spill & the need to RESTORE the Gulf Coast  

 

Other commemorations of the anniversary:

Vitter Remarks on BP Oil Spill Two Year Anniversary

Landry Statement on Anniversary of BP Spill

 

Gov. Jindal Statement on Second Anniversary of Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Spill 

NRDA Funding Announced 

Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Trustees Announce Major Progress in Gulf Restoration Effort
 

An estimated $60 million in early restoration projects soon will begin along the Gulf Coast following the nation's largest oil spill, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee Council announced this week.

 

With finalization of the "Deepwater Horizon Phase I Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Assessment" (ERP/EA), eight restoration projects will be implemented. The projects provide for marsh creation, coastal dune habitat improvements, nearshore artificial reef creation, and oyster cultch restoration, as well as the construction and enhancement of boat ramps to compensate for lost human use of resources.

 

The ERP/EA is the first early restoration plan under the unprecedented April 2011 agreement with BP to fund $1 billion in early restoration projects. The funding enables the trustees to begin restoration before the completion of damage assessment activities.

 

The trustees are working to move the next phase of early restoration forward. The selection process for future early restoration projects will proceed along the same lines as the first. After reaching preliminary agreement with BP on proposed projects, the trustees will seek public comments before finalizing any future plan.

 

The Phase I projects, including two each in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, were the focus of 12 public meetings held throughout the Gulf states and in Washington during the months of January and February 2012.

 

In addition to speaking at meetings, hundreds of citizens filed comments by mail and online. Following the meetings, more than 500 people and organizations submitted comments, which were gathered and carefully evaluated. The comments, as well as trustee responses to them, are included in the Phase I plan, which can be reviewed at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/. The NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration site also provides additional information about restoration planning and a status update on the ongoing damage assessment.

 

"These projects allow us to begin implementing restoration of Louisiana's natural resources quickly, rather than waiting years for the completion of the full assessment," said Louisiana trustee Garret Graves, chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. "But we continue to be focused on pursuing additional projects with BP. Nearly two years after the start of the oil spill, we hope that BP moves quickly to approve future restoration for the Gulf Coast."

In Other News

 




Mississippi River Creates "Free" Diversion- Fox 8 New Orleans
Thank you for your continuous support for our organization!
 
Sincerely,

Simone Maloz

Executive Director

Restore or Retreat, Inc.