Proposed wetland protection rollbacks and other water policy news

​​​​​Here are the latest news stories in local and national water policy for January. Don’t forget about our new sections, including WATER FUNDING + FINANCE NEWS and Q&A. Scroll to the end to see these sections.

Also, Propeller is accepting applications for the 2019 PitchNOLA Water Challenge! Apply today or share with a friend.

In The News

Proposed Regulations Could Mean Fewer Protections For Some Louisiana Wetlands 
WWNO
The Trump Administration’s proposal to roll back Clean Water Act regulations could impact Louisiana wetlands, according to Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy Director Mark Davis. By narrowing the EPA’s definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS), only wetlands that are adjacent to a major body of water or connected to a major waterway would be federally protected. This could mean that impounded wetlands, or wetlands behind levees (such as Bayou Sauvage), would no longer be protected under the Clean Water Act. The proposed change is currently open to public comments. 

Supreme Court Refuses Hurricane Katrina Damages Appeal
Times Picayune
The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from landowners in St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward seeking compensation for flood damages during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that the Army Corps of Engineers failed to maintain the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, effectively “taking” property values in areas affected by the subsequent flooding. In deciding not to hear the case, the Supreme Court ended one of the last efforts to receive compensation from the federal government for the flood damages sustained after Katrina.

Ocean Warming Is Accelerating Faster Than Thought, New Research Finds
New York Times
A recent analysis has found that the ocean temperatures are warming an average of 40% faster than estimated in the 2014 UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. The rate of the rising temperatures is worrisome, given the impacts on sea level rise, hurricane strength, marine ecosystems, and fish populations.  

National Flood Insurance Program Extended Until May 2019
The Advocate
Congress reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five months, until May 31, 2019, providing some breathing room for long term reforms as lawmakers consider the program’s affordability and growing debt. For more information, visit FEMA’s NFIP portal.

More Water Headlines

• Why Detroit Residents Pushed Back Against Tree-Planting
• FEMA resumes flood insurance coverage during government shutdown
• State begins coast-wide effort to sustain fisheries hit by wetland erosion, restoration projects
• Should New Orleans have a drainage fee? City Council member is wary
• New Orleans officials pledge speed-up in road, drainage work in the new year
• Darlington Reservoir, other projects under consideration as Corps begins new flood study
• Sewerage & Water Board seeks $40 million bond for drainage system
• New Orleans S&WB struggling to pay its bills, director says; some contractors may quit
• Oil spill money could be used for birds off Louisiana coast 
• Once derided, ways of adapting to climate change are gaining steam

Water Funding & Finance

• EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants. Due February 15, 2019.  More information.
• Keep Louisiana Beautiful Healthy Communities Grant. Letter of Intent due February 12, 2019. More information.
• NFWF and Wells Fargo Resilient Communities Program.  Due February 19, 2019. More information.
• Finance News: Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Releases Draft 2020 Annual Plan, Detailing $783M in Projects. Read more. 

Water Events

• Apply for Propeller’s PitchNOLA Water Challenge. Early applications (by February 6) will receive feedback; final deadline February 18. Propeller will award $10,000 to entrepreneurs and small businesses tackling social and environmental disparities. Apply here.
• Cook-off for the Coast: Wild Game Edition. February 9, from 2 pm – 6 pm. Attend here.  ​
• Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship. Two years of unrestricted funding to pursue the innovative research and unique collaborations that move coastal science forward. Applications due February 20, 2019. More information here. 
• Gulf Research Program’s Science Policy Fellowship. First-hand professional experience working alongside decision-makers at agencies across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida. Applications due March 6, 2019. More information here.

Q&A