The official, Governor-appointed board which manages the levees and storm protection system for New Orleans has filed a lawsuit against nearly 100 oil and gas companies which have been linked to the destruction of wetlands between New Orleans and the Gulf.
This is an historic step, because while scientists have shown that at least 36% of Louisiana's catastrophic wetlands loss was caused by the oil and gas industry, no state leaders have ever held them accountable. Louisiana is losing an average of a football field worth of wetlands every hour, so this is a critical effort to bring some of the wealthiest corporations in the world to the table and make them fix what they have destroyed.
Unfortunately Governor Jindal strongly opposes the lawsuit. These wetlands make up important coastal lines of defense which help protect our communities, and can help buffer New Orleans' flood protection system. This is a critical issue, and only getting more urgent as sea levels and flood insurance rates are rising!
Join with us today, and urge the Governor to change his position, and side with the people, not the oil and gas companies that have destroyed Louisiana's coast.
Dear Governor Jindal,
We are confused by your response to the lawsuit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, which seeks to force the oil industry to pay to fix the wetlands they have destroyed. Wetlands scientists have shown that at least 36% of the unprecedented wetlands loss Louisiana experiences has been caused by the oil companies. As Louisiana continues to lose a football field of wetlands every hour, why shouldn't the wealthiest corporations on the planet help pay their fair share of the cost to fix what they have destroyed?
Your administration has developed and supported a Coastal Master Plan which will cost $50 billion dollars over 50 years to implement in order to restore wetlands and protect coastal communities which are more at risk every day due to rising seas and stronger storms. Your administration has admitted that they have nowhere near enough revenue identified to implement this important plan.
Please demonstrate true leadership, and put aside your knee-jerk support of the oil industry and opposition to working with the Flood Protection Authority and their legal team in order to do everything we can to save Louisiana's coast and communities.
