 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
A Cooperating Organziation of:
|
|
| How is the public being educated about the issue? |
DID YOU KNOW?
During each of her first two years in office, Governor Blanco named February 2nd as 'America's WETLAND Day' in Louisiana. |
America's WETLAND: Campaign to Save Coastal Louisiana, launched by the state of Louisiana, is a continuing national and statewide public awareness effort that focuses on the world ecological significance of the area and the impact this strategic area has on the nation's economy and energy security.
Through research and focus groups held while developing the campaign, it became clear that people outside the state of Louisiana view this as a national issue and a federal responsibility, and they expect Congress to take action and to spend the funds necessary to save this area so vital to the future of our nation.
Through historic public-private collaborations, the best minds from science and engineering have been working on a solution, one that can serve as a world model for coastal restoration and sustainability.
A continuing dialogue established between state and federal officials keeps the issue a priority. Executive roundtables with White House officials and federal leaders, agency briefings and requests to the President for action highlight the risk to Louisiana and the nation if America's WETLAND is lost. In Louisiana, the state legislature has made this issue a priority, passing legislation to address the problem and to make commitments for the state's share of the costs. A call to action by Louisiana's Governor and every member of the Louisiana Congressional delegation urges companies, governmental agencies, organizations and citizens alike to join the fight and turn back the rising tide.
A steady stream of Congressional Members and staffers, White House officials, and representatives of national environmental and governmental organizations have visited Louisiana and flown its coastline to see the land loss, first-hand. Such trips are a continuing strategy to raise awareness and to educate policy and decision makers about the issue.
National media attention to the issue has greatly increased over the past two years. Stories have been published in newspapers across the country, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and L.A. Times, and stories have been aired on CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS and National Public Radio. National Geographic Magazine included an 18-page article on Louisiana's land loss crisis in its October 2004 edition and a Discovery Science documentary is scheduled to air in May 2005.
Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco has made rehabilitating Louisiana's coast a top priority, meeting with President Bush on the issue, hosting trips to the coast, and reaching out to national news organizations. An op-ed piece by Governor Blanco was published in the Washington Post in December 2004. She recently asked the governors of the other coastal oil and gas producing states to join her in securing for their states a fair share of OCS revenues.
Local government officials have also gotten involved through such organizations as Parishes Against Coastal Erosion (P.A.C.E.) which brings together the Parish Presidents and Mayors of the parishes and towns of coastal Louisiana as advocates for policies and programs that support the restoration of the state's productive, yet disappearing coastline.
|
|
|
| < Previous Page |
|