Wetlands Art Tour & Presentations in the Marigny/Bywater: Sat. May 10th

The Wetlands Art Tour features art, film, fashion and more at 20 venues in Faubourg Marigny and Bywater Saturday, and there are events throughout the day. The project is designed to call attention to coastal erosion and preservation issues. 

The event is headquartered at Clouet Gardens (710 Clouet St.), where there is information, food, kids' activities and more. A bike tour to Bayou Bienvenue departs from the garden at 9 a.m., and at 6:15 p.m., Sarah Quintana performs. There's a panel of speakers at the Marigny Opera House (725 St. Ferdinand St.) from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and it includes historian John Barry, author of Rising Tide and one of the main proponents of the South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East's lawsuit against 97 oil and gas companies for damage to wetlands. Also speaking are Tulane University law professor Mark Davis, poet Moose Jackson and others. 

Many of the art shows are at galleries participating in St. Claude Arts District opening receptions from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. There's a party beginning at 10 p.m. at Michalopoulos Studio (527 Elysian Fields Ave.), with music by Soul Creole featuring Louis Michot of the Lost Bayou Ramblers. — WILL COVIELLO, Gambit

Online Stormwater Inspector Training Launched!


Announcing our new Online Stormwater Inspector Training
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Announcing our new Online Stormwater Inspector Training for Construction Sites

Part one is online and you can complete it at your own pace. Part two is a hands-on in the field training day. Once you have completed the course, you will be certified as a level one Stormwater Inspector for Construction Sites.

Cost is $245 for both parts (including the in person day). For a limited time, purchasing this course will also give you a one year membership through our upcoming paid membership. This will give you extra benefits such as discounts on future training, member-only resources, and more.

To sign up for this course, visit http://lusc.digitalchalk.com and make an account (which is free). Once you have signed up, go to the Catalog, where you will see the course. Add it to your cart, pay, and begin!

Please let me know if you have any questions, and look for more online courses coming soon!

Louisiana Urban Stormwater Coalition
www.louisianastormwater.org
louisianastormwater@gmail.com

Water Resources Bills in the Louisiana Legislature April 3, 2014

Thanks to Glo for forwarding the following! 
 
Dear Water Resources Commission members, Water Management Advisory Task Force members, and Interested Parties:

 

Please find below and attached a listing of bills in the Louisiana Legislature dealing in some capacity with the management of Louisiana’s water resources. The text and digests of the bills are available at:http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/home.aspx.

 

With regards,

 

MR

 

Matthew Reonas, Ph.D.
Outreach, Education, & Research
Louisiana Office of Conservation/Dept. of Natural Resources
Phone: (225) 342-1496     
Fax: (225) 242-3608

 

Current Water Resource Bills in the Louisiana Legislature, 4/3/2013
 
Highlights show current disposition; * indicates a new bill as of 4/1/2014
 
Coastal Issues
 
HB 148 Champagne – Requires monies received by the state associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill be deposited in Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund; pending House Appropriations

 

HB 850 Dove – Allows Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), with approval of CPRA Board, to contract for the study, investigation, and cleanup of, or response to, hazardous substances; scheduled for House floor debate, 4/10/2014

 

HB 855 Henry – Provides for a process for initiation or continuation of actions by local government subdivisions to enforce the coastal management program; pending House Civil Law and Procedure

 

HB 862 Robideaux – Provides for a process for initiation or continuation of actions by local government subdivisions to enforce the coastal management program; pending House Civil Law and Procedure

 

HB 881 Champagne – Requires parishes receiving RESTORE Act funds to provide certain information to the public; pending House Civil Law and Procedure

 

*HCR 49 Champagne – Urges and requests the CPRA to create a body of coastal parishes to aid in compliance with the RESTORE Act; pending House Natural Resources

 

*HCR 50 Champagne – Memorializes Congress to provide for certain aspects of the RESTORE Act; pending House Natural Resources

 

*HCR 62 Harrison – Urges and requests CPRA to study Lake Verret as an alternative drinking water source for Bayou Lafourche; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB 305 Chabert – Directs Coastal Louisiana Levee Consortium to be an advisory commission of the CPRA Board to facilitate communication and cooperation at state and federal levels; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB 345 Crowe – Dedicates certain Deepwater Horizon oil spill fines to provide elementary and secondary schools with full wireless digital technology capabilities for the classroom; pending Senate Finance

 

SB 469 Adley – Provides relative to the enforcement of the coastal management program; pending Senate Natural Resources

 

 

Ports
 
HB 133 Anders – Expands the Vidalia Port Commission to include all of Concordia Parish; pending final House passage

 

HB 426 Harris – Expands membership and authority of Alexandria Regional Port; pending House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works

 

SB 76 Morrish – Creates the Cameron Parish Port, Harbor, and Terminal District; subject to call-Senate final passage

 

Public Supply and Rural Water Systems
 
HB 223 Reynolds – Limits power of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to regulate non-profit water utility cooperatives wholly owned by water users; pending House Commerce
 
HB 224 Reynolds – Provides for the regulation of non-profit water utility cooperatives wholly owned by water users; pending House Commerce
 
HB 263 Geymann – Provides for applicability of regulations relative to water supplies (limits installation of backflow preventer and more than one water meter at certain residential properties; allows domestic well owners to decline connection to public supply); pending House Natural Resources

 

HB 892 Fannin – Requires the La. Public Service Commission to provide written notice to each rural water utility system required to file an annual report detailing the system's financial and operating conditions;pending House Commerce

 

SB 75  Morrell – Requires Department of Health and Hospitals to promulgate rules and regulations to maintain minimum disinfectant residual levels of free or total chlorine throughout public water systems; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB 421 Cortez – Requires Department of Health and Hospitals to promulgate rules and regulations requiring iron and manganese control for all community water systems; pending Senate Health and Welfare

 

SB425 Cortez – Provides additional enforcement for local governments and political subdivisions relative to private water supply or sewer system providers; pending Senate Local and Municipal Affairs

 

 

Surface Water and Groundwater Management
 
HB 782 J. Thompson – Deposits proceeds collected by the state for surface water withdrawals from certain water bodies into the Aquatic Plant Control Fund; pending House Natural Resources

 

HB 793 St. Germain – Provides for the membership of the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation Commission; pending Senate Transportation, Highways, and Public Works

 

HB 810 Harrison – Prohibits operating any freshwater diversion at a flow rate that negatively affects commercial and recreational fisheries; pending House Natural Resources 
 
HB 811 Hodges – Creates the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force; pending House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works

 

HB 905 Anders – Changes the boundaries of the Black River Lake Recreation and Water Conservation District and the composition of the board; pending House final passage

 

*HB 1117 Johnson – Provides for water remediation standards; pending House Natural Resources
 
*HB 1120 James – Determines that the Southern Hills Aquifer System is an area of groundwater concern and a critical area of groundwater concern and provides for limitations on groundwater removal from such aquifer system; pending House Natural Resources

 

*HCR 47 Broadwater – Urges and requests DEQ to report to the Legislature on needs for a clean-up of Capitol Lake; pending House Natural Resources

 

*HCR 52 Foil – Urges the Commissioner of Conservation to evaluate the appropriateness of restrictions on withdrawals from the Southern Hills Aquifer System; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB141 Long – Extends the time when the state may enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement for the sale of surface water; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB 430 Walsworth – Authorizes the transfer of certain state land in Union Parish to Union/Lincoln Regional Water Supply Initiative; pending House Natural Resources

 

SB 452 Chabert – Provides additional powers, duties, authorities, and functions for statutorily created fresh water districts which include more than one parish; withdrawn from the files of the Senate

 

*SB 634 Claitor – Provides relative to groundwater and surface water management; provides for a comprehensive Louisiana Water Code; pending Senate Judiciary A

Link to video of David Waggonner, Cedric Grant and Bob Miller at City of New Orleans Pubic Works Committee Meeting (12.12.13)

Spend time watching what is possible and the collaboration making it happen. The link below is to a Public Works Committee meeting that took place on December 12, 2013. Speakers include David Waggonner talking about the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan, Deputy Mayor Cedric Grant, Bob Miller of the S&WBNO, Robin Barnes of GNO Inc. and more.

Topics discussed include:

The Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan, The Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, Stormwater Management Task force, S&WBNO, DPW...

Good stuff! We can do this!

Water Challenge Day, Monday, March 24th at Gallier Hall during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week

Water is big business, and flows through virtually every aspect of the global economy. 

If we look at water through an entrepreneurial lens we see myriad opportunities to transform Louisiana into a globally influential water leader. To achieve this we need a statewide culture of innovation, in which every citizen is water-aware and able to connect their energy and ideas to systems that accelerate their passion for taking-on our water challenges. 

We hope you can join us at this year’s GNOF/Idea Village Water Challenge Day on Monday, March 24th at Gallier Hall during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week when we shine a light on innovation in Louisiana. Although online registration is closed, you can register on-site. The day starts with a focus on the rapidly growing financial systems supporting water innovation, so arrive early to allow time for walk-in registration.

We hope to see YOU at the Water Challenge!

GNOF/Idea Village 2014 Water Challenge
New Orleans Entrepreneur Week
Monday, March 24 at Gallier Hall
@SELAwater #WCNOEW