Winter 2005 Gulf Currents Newsletter

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Inside this issue: The GRN in the post-Katrina/Rita Gulf; New water resources issues post-Katrina; Firsthand report on rebuilding in Mississippi; GRN and other groups issue guidelines for recovery effort; Flood Washington effort launched - Help the GRN demand a federal commitment to the Gulf's coast and communities.

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GRN NEWS
Volume 9, Issue 3 December 2005

THE GRN IN THE POST–KATRINA/RITA WORLD
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Gulf of Mexico region is facing an environmental crisis. The environmental damage from the hurricanes is unparalleled in scope: There are massive oil spills throughout the coast, millions of tons of debris litter the region, and hundreds of square miles of wetlands were destroyed by storm surges. Furthermore, the crisis is not restricted to the environment—it includes humanitarian, civic, and economic concerns. Throughout our history the GRN has worked on many issues that have now been thrust into the spotlight: coastal wetlands protection and restoration; the prioritization and effectiveness of Army Corps of Engineers projects, such as the New Orleans levees; the sustainability of Gulf fisheries and the communities dependent upon them; and the most fundamental of issues—clean and healthy waters. Although the GRN’s mission has not changed, many of the issues at the heart of our mission now capture the nation’s attention and provide new challenges and opportunities. For example, the current crisis has made it almost inevitable that we will see every kind of legislative foolishness proposed in the name of accelerating the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast or improving the nation's energy security. The present move by members of Congress to obtain waivers of environmental laws critical to the protection of public health and safety is equally predictable. In short, members of Congress are using, and will continue to use, hurricane recovery as a cover for ideas that could never stand on their own, and which do not fulfill Congress’s primary obligation—to rebuild Gulf coast communities safely and sustainably. The GRN is monitoring recovery efforts, and will work with its members to ensure that recovery efforts are not hijacked. The GRN believes that the best course of action in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is to make sure that the Gulf Coast rebuilds sustainably, and to ensure that actions taken in the name of recovery do not merely sow the seeds for future disasters. With this in mind, what follows in this newsletter are stories of the challenges we and our members face and the GRN’s plans for responding to those challenges in the coming year.
Image courtesy of www.nnvl.noaa.gov

Inside this issue:
New water resources issues post-Katrina Firsthand report on rebuilding in Mississippi GRN and others issue guidelines for recovery effort Help us demand a federal commitment to rebuilding Rebuilding commissions crib sheet

2 3

5 6 7

Special points of interest:

♦ Hurricane damage
poses a threat to water quality and public health.

♦ GRN opposes
Mississippi Department of Transportation’s plan for reconstruction in environmentally sensitive area.

♦ Important victory in
our campaign to stop open-loop liquefied natural gas.

THE GRN WATER RESOURCES PROGRAM: WEATHERING THE STORM AND LOOKING AHEAD
On August 29, 2005, at 6:10 AM, Hurricane Katrina, a residents. Many of our coastal wetlands were not Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds, made spared from the storms’ impacts either. According to landfall near Buras, LA. In the following days, the United States Geological Survey, Hurricanes communities throughout coastal Katrina and Rita converted approximately Louisiana and Mississippi were 100 square miles of marsh into open water in ravaged by the storm and Louisiana. floodwaters, effectively debilitating the entire region for weeks. As During these difficult times, it is more residents have begun to trickle in, important than ever that the GRN and its we are starting to evaluate some of members and friends work to protect and the impacts of Hurricanes Katrina restore water quality and wetlands and Rita on local water quality and throughout the Gulf region. We are as wetlands. devoted as ever to working with concerned citizens and communities in these states to Unfortunately, the effects on and the address many of the problems keeping our threats to the water bodies that we waters from being as healthy as they should depend upon for recreation, be. livelihoods, and drinking water are Aerial view of Murphy Oil spill. widespread, varied, and often severe. In the aftermath of this year’s hurricanes, we Chalmette, LA, September 5, 2005. The hurricanes caused many oil spills, will be monitoring the impacts to water including one at a Murphy Oil Refinery in Louisiana quality and wetlands and looking for ways to meet the in which aboveground storage tanks were ruptured and needs of communities affected by these storms. We over 1 million gallons of crude oil spilled into local will strive to provide the public with the tools it needs homes, wetlands, and water bodies. to recover and eventually restore the health of the Gulf upon which we all depend. We will especially focus Dealing with the millions of cubic yards of debris on those water resource problems that have the created by Hurricane Katrina also has the potential to greatest impact on the health of both the Gulf and its contaminate our water resources. For example, citizens. thousands of cubic yards of debris are being deposited into the Old Gentilly landfill in New Orleans, which is Even in the face of the new problems created by the unlined and not completely surrounded by a berm, hurricanes, we are still committed to pursuing the thereby allowing polluted runoff to flow directly into goals that we had set before the storms hit. Many of the surrounding wetlands. the issues that we have been monitoring, both nationally and regionally, will continue to pose threats Furthermore, damaged and overtaxed wastewater to the Gulf’s water resources. Therefore, we will keep treatment plants (WWTPs) are a threat to both public our members and friends informed and engaged on health and water quality. According to the Louisiana these issues. Department of Environmental Quality, it will take $5.85 billion to restore Louisiana WWTPs that were For example, we will continue to work to improve damaged by Katrina. The east bank New Orleans water quality in impaired water bodies throughout the WWTP just began secondary treatment of sewage on Gulf states by empowering citizens to advocate for November 15, 2005, and is operating at 30% capacity. strong water quality standards, to push for effective Additionally, less damaged areas currently may be watershed restoration plans, to address sewage (Continued on page 3) overtaxing their WWTPs due to the influx of displaced
Image courtesy of www.epa.gov

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DECEMBER 2005

WATER RESOURCES (CONT’D)
restoration efforts; to push agencies to properly address pollution problems, and to protect drinking water cumulative impacts; and to promote better application sources. Additionally, we will also continue to push of avoidance, minimization, and mitigation guidelines. for the federal and state actions necessary to eliminate We look forward to partnering with all of our members the unnatural zone of hypoxia off Louisiana’s coast. and friends as we protect and restore treasured Gulf We will also carry on our work to reduce or eliminate waters through ongoing and special post-storm efforts. Please contact Vicki Murillo ([email protected]) wetland losses in Gulf States attributable to Corps 404 permitting, navigation, and flood control projects or Matt Rota ([email protected]) for more by striving to obtain consistency between federal and information about our Water Resources Program. state agency permitting activities and coastal
(Continued from page 2)

UPDATE ON COASTAL REBUILDING IN MISSISSIPPI
By Cynthia Ramseur, Mississippi Field Consultant I am pleased to be working with the Gulf Restoration Network in south Mississippi to ensure effective participation of the conservation community in the rebuilding process; to work toward sustainable communities that are effectively protected from future storm damage; and to increase the capacity of citizens to be involved with issues associated with the rebuilding challenge. First, we wholeheartedly thank Governor Haley Barbour for his wisdom and leadership in establishing the Governor’s Commission for Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal. We also thank Jim Barksdale for stepping up to the plate from the private sector to lead and fund this important work! The Governor’s Commission hit a grand slam with the Mississippi Renewal Forums held in October and November. They brought architects, town planners, and transportation engineers to the cities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They met with city and county government and community leaders and gave us strong, viable recommendations for rebuilding our cities, celebrating their unique characteristics, and focusing on walkable, livable communities.
Volume 9, Issue 3

Our first task is to work with communities to support the findings from the Renewal Forums. This puts us directly in conflict with Mississippi Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) plans for oversized bridges and connectors—plans that will predetermine what and how communities can rebuild; that in all actuality negate the work of the Governor’s Commission and the Renewal Forum; and that encourage urban sprawl across an environmentally sensitive, ecologically functional coastal area. We are working hard in Mississippi to build a coalition to fight our out-of-touch and out-of-date department of transportation. We must persuade MDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to give us alternatives more in line with the findings of the Renewal Forum. If you would like to help, please contact me at (228) 282-5000 or [email protected]. For more information about the Governor’s Commission and copies of interim reports, visit www.governorscommission.com. To download plans for each coastal city and to understand more about new urbanism recommendations, visit www.mississippirenewal.com.
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LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS CAMPAIGN UPDATE
LNG Campaign Victory This summer brought an important victory for the campaign to stop open-loop Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The governors of three Gulf states have agreed to veto any future open-loop LNG terminals in the Gulf of Mexico. In her letter to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Governor Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana explained that “until studies demonstrate that the operation of the open-rack vaporizer will not have an unacceptable impact on the surrounding ecosystem, [she] will only support offshore LNG terminals using a closed-loop system having negligible impacts to marine life.” Governor Bob Riley of Alabama and Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi wrote similar letters. Under the Deep Water Ports Act of 2002, state governors have veto power over proposed LNG facilities in adjacent coastal waters. Governors must veto a proposed facility within 45 days of the final license hearings. While the Energy Policy Act passed this summer gives the federal government ultimate authority over the location of onshore LNG terminals, it does not apply to offshore facilities. The GRN would like to thank everyone who helped achieve this victory by sending letters to their governors, submitting letters to their local newspapers, or attending a campaign event. We will be keeping a close watch to ensure that the governors stick by their promises. Post-Katrina Status of Open-Loop LNG Applications in the Gulf Before Hurricane Katrina, all four of the pending applications for open-loop LNG terminals had been halted either due to questions raised by the EPA on the environmental impacts or because more information was needed by the Coast Guard.
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After Katrina, the Coast Guard issued a letter to all companies applying for offshore LNG terminals explaining that their applications would be halted until further notice. Adequate public participation is not possible due to the devastation, and most agencies are focusing their time and resources on clean-up and rebuilding efforts. Signs of a Turning Tide? ExxonMobil recently withdrew its application for its Pearl Crossing open-loop terminal, citing the approval it has received for two onshore, closed-loop terminals. The most recent off-shore LNG terminal proposal is for “Grand Port LNG,” proposed for 7 miles off Grand Isle, Louisiana. While it is still early in the development process, communication with the research and development team indicates that Grand Port intends to utilize Mustang technology’s “LNG Smart” forced air vaporization process, instead of an open-loop process. Recent Campaign Activities This fall, the GRN hired three Green Corps organizers to spend two months organizing student groups to get engaged in the campaign. The organizers also continued our outreach to area fishermen and fishing organizations. Their hard work generated over 700 calls to Shell’s Houston office during our Shell Call-In Day asking them to go closed-loop, and they collected 2000 postcards that were sent to Shell. We will be hiring two more Green Corps organizers this winter in Houston and in the New Orleans area. Green Corps was founded in 1992 to train the next generation of environmental leaders. Organizers learn skills through classroom training and gain experience through handson involvement in environmental campaigns. The GRN also filed the first brief in our legal challenge to Shell’s Gulf Landing LNG terminal permit. The brief outlines how MARAD violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the Deep Water Ports Act when they granted a permit to Shell to build an open-loop LNG terminal off the coast of Louisiana.
DECEMBER 2005

GROUPS URGE STATE TO ‘GO GREEN’
Working with an alliance of Louisiana groups, the GRN issued rebuilding “Core Considerations” that must inform the array of commissions, task forces, and committees charged with planning Louisiana's rebuilding, if the state is to build a sustainable future. With state legislators wrapping up a special session focused on hurricane rebuilding, Governor Blanco’s Louisiana Recovery Authority hosting a rebuilding conference with the American Institute of Architects, and Mayor Nagin’s Bring New Orleans Back Commission holding regular committee and subcommittee meetings, the groups will inform leaders at all levels of their concerns. “Our message to decision-makers guiding the process of rebuilding is clear: These fundamental principles must be the foundation of every plan moving forward,” said the GRN’s Executive Director, Cynthia Sarthou. “From a sustainable coast to protecting public health, our desire for a quick recovery can’t overlook the profound, long-term impacts these plans will have on Louisiana’s environment.” The GRN and the Sierra Club brought many organizations together to develop the Core Considerations. The Considerations range from placing priority on an integrated hurricane and flood protection program incorporating marsh restoration and protection of coastal forests with traditional levee systems, to urging an open, inclusive, transparent, and innovative decision-making process. Barbara Coman, Chair of the Sierra Club–Delta Chapter, noted, “We’re glad to see experts from a variety of disciplines and regions engaged in the planning process. Louisiana’s environmental history should read as a cautionary tale to those planning our rebuilding efforts, and we feel the inclusion of ideas from beyond Louisiana may help us avoid reestablishing the status quo.” The initial response to Hurricane Katrina from the Louisiana Congressional Delegation, an overreaching, expensive piece of legislation that included navigation projects of questionable value as well as unnecessary waivers of environmental and public health laws, has been widely disparaged. “Now is not the time for lobbyists to push for a laundry list of pork projects,” said Marylee Orr of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network. “Now is the time to bring communities together and determine a unified vision of a sustainable Louisiana. These Considerations represent the first step towards that vision.”

LOUISIANA RECOVERY AND RESTORATION—LIST OF CORE CONSIDERATIONS
For the complete statement of Considerations, please visit our website at www.healthygulf.org.

• • • • •

The decision-making process must be open, inclusive, transparent, and accountable. An honest and effective hurricane and flood protection program for coastal communities and urban centers must integrate an effective levee system with marsh restoration and protection of coastal forests. The government is obligated to protect the welfare of the people. Our government at all levels must prioritize public health over speed of rebuilding. Rebuilding provides a critical opportunity for community members to apply innovative ideas about design and infrastructure as they re-create their homes, businesses, and neighborhoods.

All Congregations Together • Alliance for Affordable Energy • Atchafalaya Basinkeeper • Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program • Baton Rouge Audubon Society • Black Bear Conservation Committee • Citizens Against Widening the Industrial Canal • Coalition for Louisiana Progress • Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana • Gulf Restoration Network • Holy Cross Neighborhood Association • Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation • Louisiana Audubon Council • Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) • Louisiana Wildlife Federation • Mississippi River Basin Alliance • Physicians for Social Responsibility – Louisiana • Pipeline Workers of America • Sierra Club, Delta Chapter • U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Gulf States Field Office
Volume 9, Issue 3 Page 5

GRN LAUNCHES EFFORT TO FLOOD WASHINGTON
Federal Commitment Needed to Rebuild New Orleans, South Louisiana, and America’s Wetland On September 15th, the President pledged to rebuild the Gulf Coast and do whatever it takes to make New Orleans and South Louisiana rise again. Since then, his administration and leaders in Congress have failed to follow that pledge with the action necessary to rebuild New Orleans and South Louisiana. The first step in any serious revitalization effort is a commitment to honest and effective storm protection for our communities and a vibrant and restored coast. Each day that passes without a federal commitment to Louisiana's coast and communities prolongs this tragedy. The need for this commitment is urgent, as residents and business leaders are relying on the federal government to ensure a safe place to rebuild. With over 300,000 Louisianans displaced, the GRN and other groups are working to flood Washington with an e-mail for each of them. Please take a moment to remind the President of his pledge and urge your friends to do the same. Visit our website at www.healthygulf.org to take action and help spread the word.

Founded in 1994, the Gulf Restoration Network is a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the resources of the Gulf Region for future generations. Board of Directors
Casi Callaway Mobile Bay Watch/Mobile Baykeeper Mobile, AL Mark Davis—Secretary/Treasurer Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Baton Rouge, LA Robert Hastings Alabama Natural Heritage Program Montgomery, AL Joe Murphy—Chair Sierra Club Tampa, FL Juan Parras TSU Law Clinic Houston, TX Bob Schaeffer Public Policy Communications Sanibel, FL Page Williams Sierra Club—Lone Star Chapter Houston, TX Robert Wiygul—Vice Chair Waltzer and Associates Biloxi, MS

GRN WELCOMES NEW STAFF MEMBERS
Matt Rota has joined the GRN staff as the new Assistant Director of our Water Resources Program. Matt previously served as Coordinator of the Trout in the Classroom program, a nationwide initiative supported by Trout Unlimited. He has a strong science background, with experience in teaching, research, and field work. Matt is a newlywed who recently relocated from New York City. Siobhán Flahive has joined the GRN staff as Director of Communications and Accounting. Siobhán was most recently an editorial consultant with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, and has a background in educational publishing and grant writing. Siobhán will be replacing our Director of Operations, Amy Gill, who relocated to Washington, D.C. after Hurricane Katrina. Amy worked with the GRN for four years, and we wish her all the best in
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Staff
Cynthia Sarthou: Executive Director Vicki Murillo: Water Resources Program Director Briana Kerstein: Director of Organizational Development Aaron Viles: Campaign Director Matthew Rota: Assistant Director, Water Resources Program Siobhán Flahive: Director of Communications and Accounting Marianne Cufone: Fisheries Consultant Cynthia Ramseur: Mississippi Field Consultant

DECEMBER 2005

REBUILDING COMMISSIONS CRIB SHEET
Rebuilding the Gulf Coast will take years, and billions of dollars, to complete. Louisiana and Mississippi have created a variety of commissions to lead this effort and direct the federal dollars expected to pour into our region. Here’s the quick lowdown on the key commissions, their roles, and how to contact them:
Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) www.lra.louisiana.gov

Created by Governor Kathleen Blanco on October 17, 2005, this 26-member board is charged with developing the shortterm and long-term plans to rebuild coastal Louisiana after Katrina and Rita. The board will also be lobbying Congress and the federal government to fund the priority issues and oversee the distribution of any funds received. Currently, there are no representatives from the Louisiana environmental community on this board. The LRA is chaired by Dr. Norman Francis of Xavier University. Twelve task forces have been created to work on specific issue areas. These task forces will include experts and others not on the LRA board, and will be chosen by the task force chairs. Visit the LRA’s website to sign up for announcements on their upcoming meetings and latest accomplishments. The board will be seeking public comment in a series of meetings across Louisiana in early December to identify needs and issues to address. The LRA will then develop a plan and will be seeking final public input in the first part of next year. Bring New Orleans Back (BNOB) Commission www.bringneworleansback.org

At the end of September 2005, Mayor Ray Nagin announced the creation of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission. The mission of the BNOB Commission will be to work with the mayor to create a master plan by the end of the year that rebuilds New Orleans culturally, socially, economically, and uniquely for every citizen. Mayor Nagin named 17 leaders to the BNOB Commission. Six committees will develop plans for specific issue areas. The fundamental goal of the commission is to advise, assist, plan, and help the City of New Orleans develop recommendations on all aspects of rebuilding. The commission is working with the Urban Land Institute to conduct interviews and town hall meetings with New Orleans residents in Louisiana and southern cities where many have temporarily relocated. While this commission is not directly linked to the LRA, the LRA has pledged to work with them and use the BNOB Commission’s recommendations to guide the plan for rebuilding New Orleans. Governor’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal www.governorscommission.com

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit, Governor Haley Barbour announced the formation of the Governor’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal to develop a vision for a better Gulf Coast and South Mississippi. The Governor’s Commission focuses on giving local leaders access to ideas and information that will help them decide what their region will look like five, ten, or even twenty or thirty years from now. The Commission is advisory in nature. The final decisions on implementation will be made almost exclusively by local officials and private investors, not by officials in Jackson or Washington. The Commission is chaired by Jim Barksdale and includes community leaders and public officials from the affected areas. A group of about forty commissioners, along with other local leaders, will help lead discussions in the many community meetings that will be held. We encourage everyone interested in the Gulf of Mexico to participate in the Governor’s Commission. Visit the Commission’s website to sign up for announcements or for additional information. Interim Reports from each of the issues committees are available online. The Governor’s Commission will publish final reports by the end of December. Interested persons may also visit www.mississippirenewal.com to see architectural recommendations and regional transportation plans recommended by the Commission’s city planning consultants.
Volume 9, Issue 3 Page 7

United for a Healthy Gulf

P.O. Box 2245 New Orleans, LA 70176 Phone: (504) 525-1528 Fax: (504) 525-0833 Website: www.healthygulf.org

The GRN would like to thank the following foundations for making this newsletter, as well as the work of the GRN, possible: The Ben and Jerry’s Foundation, The Booth-Bricker Foundation, The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation, The Holloman Price Foundation, The Joe W. & Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, the Regional Marine Conservation Project, and The RosaMary Foundation.

PLEASE JOIN THE GRN IN WORKING TOWARD SUSTAINABLE COASTAL RECOVERY & RESTORATION
As a member of the GRN, you will be supporting our efforts to obtain reconstruction plans for Louisiana and Mississippi that will • bring ecological and economic sustainability; • rebuild coastal communities so that they are better prepared for intense hurricanes, such as Katrina and Rita, and so that the impacts of those storms will be reduced; • include cleanup plans that are protective of human health, to protect people from pollution associated with debris disposal, oil, and chemical spills; and • combine a renewed commitment to effective levee systems and structural flood control with natural storm surge and flood protection, involving strategic conservation and restoration of wetland buffers. Yes! I want to become an individual member of the GRN and support its work in protecting and restoring the resources of the Gulf of Mexico. Mail to: GRN, P.O. Box 2245, New Orleans, LA 70176 Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ City: ______________ State: ______ Zip: ______ E-mail ____________________________________ __$15 __$35 __$50 __$75 __$100 __Other THANK YOU! Please make your checks payable to the GRN.

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