Federal Gov’t Halts Sand Berm Dredging - New Orleans News Story - WDSU New Orleans
UPDATE:
This link has more information that the one above:
Jindal and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said federal authorities want the state to move a dredging site farther from the Chandeleur Islands, a sensitive chain of barrier islands.
However, the Interior Department said the order was issued because the state was pumping sand from a sensitive section of the island chain and had failed to meet an extended deadline to install pipe that would tap sand from a less-endangered area.
The two Louisiana officials argue dredging should continue.
The dredging area includes the Chandeleurs and other barrier islands that are sensitive nesting grounds for species such as the brown pelican, which has been hit hard by oil washing up from the BP well 40 miles southeast of the mouth of the river.
Interior Assistant Secretary Tom Strickland said the berms are important in protecting marshes and wildlife. “But the berms have to be built right so they don’t compromise the barrier islands, which serve as a first line of defense against storm surges and hurricanes,” he said.
“We will continue to work closely with the state of Louisiana to move the project forward as we fight to protect Louisiana’s coasts, communities and wildlife from the BP spill,” Strickland said.
Strickland said the state originally agreed to take sand from an area in the northern Chandeleurs, but had been been pumping from a more sensitive area in the middle part of the chain. He said earlier this month the state asked for a week’s extension on its agreement to run pipe to the more desired area but did not meet the deadline. “All we are trying to do is hold them to their own agreement,” Strickland said.Matthew Hinton, The Times-Picayune
Sand dredging operations near the Chandeleur Island were photographed Tuesday.
In a letter to President Barack Obama, Nungesser urged Obama to let the dredging continue.
Jindal said about 450,000 cubic yards of sand has been dredged in the area.
He said it would take about 5 days to build the pipeline federal authorities want to access the new dredging site. “It took so long to approve this project. We don’t want to be tied up in more red tape,” he said.