Office of Coastal Management
COASTAL PARISHES TO RECEIVE DNR GRANTS
Twelve coastal parishes in the state will receive grants this year to implement their local coastal programs. The Department of Natural Resources' Coastal Management Division announced this week that award monies to local governments for coastal management plans have been approved under provisions of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act.
COAST 2050 PLAN MOVING AHEAD—FINAL SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS SET
BATON ROUGE – Officials at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced a series of public meetings in four coastal regions to be held to finalize a draft of Coast 2050, a strategic plan for sustaining coastal resources with a vision of Louisiana's coast in the year 2050.
MINERAL BOARD EXTENDS LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN DRILLING BAN UNTIL 2000 CURRENT LEASE SALES MADE AVAILABLE
The State Mineral Board approved yesterday a recommendation of its Environmental Concerns committee to continue the moratorium on mineral leasing in Lake Pontchartrain for an additional two years through August 2000. According to Mineral Board member William Allerton, who chairs the committee, an ongoing study by the Louisiana Geological Survey should continue so that a clearer picture of past practices, environmental impacts and other assessments can be concluded. He said that consideration for future drilling in Lake Pontchartrain would depend on number of factors including revenue potential for the state, environmental concerns, and the desire and opinions of the community.
DNR WETLANDS DISPLAYS ATTRACT STUDENTS AND ADULTS —Featured at Bluebonnet Swamp's Birthday Bash on Sat. May 16—
BATON ROUGE—You're invited. It's the Bluebonnet Swamp's First Birthday celebration and the Department of Natural Resources' Office of Coastal Restoration and Management will feature two educational exhibits designed to inform the public on the functions and values of our state's wetlands and coastal areas. DNR has developed a pictorial display and a CD Rom available for viewing through the month of May at the Bluebonnet Nature Center in recognition of National Wetlands Month.
DNR GEARS UP FOR NEW APPROACH TO MARSH GROWTH
A major innovative marsh vegetation program aimed at coastal renewal will engage state and federal agencies for the next five years. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Jack Caldwell says DNR has signed interrelated interagency agreements with federal agencies and state universities to implement its multi-tasked Biomass Production Program at a projected cost of $641,888.
GO AHEAD GIVEN TO STATE'S COASTAL CONSERVATION PLAN -- NO NET LOSS POLICY APPROVED
Louisiana's coastal conservation plan has just received acceptance from several federal agencies marking an important milestone in the battle of coastal land loss, according to Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials. Governor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster and DNR's Assistant Secretary for the state's coastal program announced today that the Coastal Wetlands Conservation Plan has been approved by top officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The plan was produced through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, also known as the Breaux Act, with the goal of implementing a strategy to achieve no net loss in Louisiana's coastal zone through developmental activities.
CELEBRATE THE COAST WITH BEACH SWEEPS
Louisiana's Coastweeks will be celebrated for the twelfth year - September 20 through October 13. The featured event to be held on Saturday, September 20th, the great Louisiana Beach Sweep, kicks-off the annual celebration supported by the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), local zone coordinators, volunteers, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
COASTAL PROGRAM ACCELERATES WITH LAND AGREEMENT APPROVAL
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Assistant Secretary Katherine Vaughan's most recent accomplishment has been attaining approval from the House and Senate Natural Resources committees of the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's (LL&E) agreement to donate land to the state for a number of planned restoration projects. She said the approval marks the way for the state's coastal program to begin a $5.5 million reclamation project that will benefit 2,500 acres of marsh.
COASTAL PROGRAM ACCELERATES WITH LAND AGREEMENT APPROVAL
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Assistant Secretary Katherine Vaughan's most recent accomplishment has been attaining approval from the House and Senate Natural Resources committees of the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company's (LL&E) agreement to donate land to the state for a number of planned restoration projects. She said the approval marks the way for the state's coastal program to begin a $5.5 million reclamation project that will benefit 2,500 acres of marsh.
LOUISIANA WETLANDS UPDATE HEARD BY WHITE HOUSE STAFF
The state's coastal restoration and management leaders recently met with a White House working group to discuss past, present, and future coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. The Breaux Act Task Force chairman Colonel William Conner of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led the discussion as other federal agency representatives also participated.