[StBernard] Louisiana Continues To Wait For Fed Approval On Oil Removal Actions

[Westley Annis]

Louisiana Continues To Wait For Fed Approval On Oil Removal Actions
Source: Governor of Louisiana 
Posted on: 2nd July 2010
Gov. Jindal Calls on Feds to Stop Obstructing, Join the War to Protect
Louisiana's Coast.

Governor Bobby Jindal traveled to Barataria Bay and East Grand Terre Island
- both off the coast of Grand Isle - where he viewed substantial oil impact
in the marshes and repeated his call to the federal government to approve a
containment plan put together by coastal leaders that will help stop the oil
from further damaging the coastline.

As more oil continues to rush towards the Louisiana coast, local officials
have been waiting for weeks for final approval from the federal government
to complete their rocks and barges plan to block oil from damaging interior
marshes.

Governor Jindal said, "Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish together with the
towns of Grand Isle and Lafitte have been pushing for weeks to get approval
to place rocks in western Barataria Bay passes. Their plan calls for
narrowing the passes by up to 70 percent with rocks, rigid pipe boom or
other measures then placing barges with vacuum trucks and sorbent operations
in the remaining gaps.  This plan will help us fight the oil before it gets
into our interior marshes with these plans.

"We continue to wait for federal approval for this work and urge the Army
Corps of Engineers to approve these oil removal actions immediately. Weeks
ago, the President came here and said we would get a call within hours. To
date, we still do not have the federal approval we need. This is a war and
we need the federal government in this war to win it. I want to be clear -
losing this battle is not an option for Louisiana. We will win this war -
and we will do it with them or without them.

"On Monday, we flew about three miles offshore Grand Isle and Grand Terre
islands.  There was oil as far as you could see. Today, we boated in
Barataria Bay, and once again, oil covered these waters. The Coast Guard
pulled our barges out of Pass Abel and we did not see a single skimmer
operating on Monday. The reality is that sand berms and gap closures will
help protect our coast 24 hours a day in rain or shine.  We need the federal
government to recognize the vulnerability that continues to exist and to
work with us rather than obstruct us from protecting our citizens."

ISLAND AID ANNOUNCEMENT

Earlier today, Lt. Governor Scott Angelle announced that the state is
allocating $125,000 from the BP tourism grant in support of the "Island Aid"
benefit concert in Grand Isle. Island Aid is being held in place of the
Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo that was cancelled because of the BP spill. Money
raised at "Island Aid" will go towards the Grand Isle Alive Promotion Fund
to assist in the rebuilding of the fishing community and tourism industry of
Grand Isle.

MEETING WITH SECRETARY MABUS

Earlier this week, Governor Jindal met with Ray Mabus, Secretary of the
Navy, who has been charged by President Obama with developing a long-term
recovery plan for the Gulf Coast. The Governor noted the specific request he
made to Secretary Mabus, an immediate commitment of federal funding to match
the state's commitment to coastal restoration and hurricane protection.
Governor Jindal plans to meet with Secretary Mabus again next week when he
visits Louisiana, where the Governor will show him firsthand the state's
coastal erosion problems and also ask the Secretary to expedite work to
restore Louisiana's coast.

Governor Jindal said, "We made it clear to Secretary Mabus that Louisiana
does not need any more plans or studies for coastal restoration or hurricane
protection - we have enough of those. What we need is immediate action on
the estimated $9 billion in projects that have been authorized by Congress
for construction.

"Specifically, I told Secretary Mabus that we need an immediate commitment
of federal funding to match our state's commitment to coastal restoration
and hurricane protection in Louisiana.

"We simply do not have the 40 years that it would take to complete these
projects through the Corps of Engineers - according to their usual
timeframes. Even in this emergency situation, it took us nearly a month to
get approval and funding for our sand berms as oil continued to hit our
shore day after day - that is ridiculous.

"We are also planning to meet with Secretary Mabus again next week when he
returns to Louisiana - so we can show him coastal erosion going on here
first-hand, and ask him for a commitment to expedite work to restore our
coast. We certainly don't have time for more years of studies."

The Governor added, "The President's moratorium on deepwater energy
production will not just hurt jobs in Louisiana.  It also delays energy
revenue sharing that is due to the state under the Gulf of Mexico Energy
Security Act. Senator Landrieu and our congressional delegation have been
working on legislation to expedite the sharing energy revenues rather than
delaying it.  I strongly support those efforts.  Our Constitution requires
that every penny of these revenues be dedicated to projects to restore our
coast, provide hurricane protection and address other impacts from energy
production."

UPDATE - PROACTIVE STATE ACTIONS

In Lafourche Parish, permit approval was granted to emplace six miles of
single strand Tiger Dam. The Louisiana National Guard is proceeding with
getting material and resources on site and they will conduct 24 hour
operations at the site.
At Pelican and Scofield Islands, the Louisiana National Guard continues to
work on a total of 14 gaps.  The 8 gaps on Pelican Island are complete and a
total of 3,300 sandbags were dropped there.  LANG continues surging
helicopter operations on Scofield Island and 4 of the 6 gaps are complete
there - with approximately 11,820 sandbags emplaced on Scofield Island to
date; and about 30 million pounds has been filled into these gaps in total.
In Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana National Guardsmen are currently
reinforcing the back levee at 15 sites. Work is completed at 2 sites and
ongoing at site #9 - which is now 57 percent complete and site #7 - which is
now 34 percent complete. Previously, Guardsmen completed emplacing small
sandbags in 6 locations in the same vicinity. All 6 sites were completed
with over 4,900 sandbags.
As a result of high winds, wave action, and beach erosion primarily at Grand
Isle, Port Fourchon and Cameron Parish, LANG is repairing and reinforcing
damage to containment systems.