The Puerto Rico Planning Board has formally objected to the federal government’s plan to dispose of millions of cubic yards of dredge waste in five ocean sites around Puerto Rico without further environmental studies. The board did not find the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to be sufficient for preventing harm to coral reefs, which play a role… Read More
The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has granted almost $39m in funds to 12 marine highway projects across the country. Under the America’s Marine Highway Programme (AMHP), the grants will help extend marine highway services on navigable waterways to cut down congestion as well as address supply chain challenges and enable the movement of goods… Read More
Voters in Arcadia Township will be asked in the Nov. 8 election to consider a five year 1 mill increase for the purpose of maintenance and improvements to the Arcadia Lake/Lake Michigan channel. Township officials brought the request to the voters which would raise an estimated $81,245.35 in the first year because they feel keeping that channel dredged… Read More
Amtrak has once again suspended train service along the second-busiest rail corridor in the country due to the human impact on coastal erosion. Pacific Surfliner service between San Diego and Los Angeles has been severely impacted, with canceled trains and replacement bus service between Irvine and Oceanside due to coastal erosion in San Clemente where… Read More
With the first full dredging of Leyden Glen Reservoir since 1988 complete and coming in nearly $250,000 under budget, the city began the refilling process last week. “Now that we’ve removed organics that accumulate over time and reduce water capacity and require more treatment, the reservoir should be good to go for another 20 to… Read More
Large cliffs have been carved out on several beaches at the Jersey shore after the storm that drenched our area for several days. The waves have taken a toll in North Wildwood. “Unfortunately, the berm in front of the dunes is completely gone, so every high tide is washing right into our dune system. At… Read More
The drought in the Southwest has bottomed out major reservoirs on the Colorado River and raised alarms among cities and farms that rely on the water. But it’s also a threat to the environment in one of the world’s most recognizable wonders: the Grand Canyon. As KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, a longstanding program of artificial… Read More
A proposed $100 million settlement in a lawsuit against energy company Freeport-McMoRan over alleged damage to the coast continues to unravel, most recently with St. Mary Parish refusing to sign on to the deal. The St. Mary Parish Council voted 10-0 in September against a resolution authorizing 16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhe to sign… Read More
Many of Louisiana’s efforts to rebuild portions of its rapidly eroding coastline are being overseen by Rudy Simoneanux, the chief engineer for the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. A graduate of LSU, Simoneaux has been working for the authority for nearly 20 years, helping design and oversee numerous projects, including the half-finished, $87 million,… Read More
In 1567, a Spanish navigator named Álvaro de Mendaña y Neira set sail for an ill-fated voyage to Oceania. His mission was to find a stopover for the famed Manila Galleons, ships carrying supplies and looted resources between the Spanish colonies in the Philippines and Peru. Where he landed was an undiscovered island in the… Read More
Not only was the Flagler Beach pier heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian, but almost all of the dunes on Flagler County’s coastline are gone and all of the beach walkovers were damaged, Flagler Beach City Manager William Whitson said. “The question becomes how expensive is the damage,” Whitson said on Monday, Oct. 3. A coastal engineering… Read More
It might be Baton Rouge’s most popular recreational feature, but lately, the look—and smell—of the LSU lakes suggests its long-awaited improvements are coming not a minute too soon. By late summer, algae blooms had spread over most of the surface of City Park Lake, the six-lake system’s second largest body of water. In University Lake,… Read More
Southwest Louisiana will receive an additional $46 million for coastal hurricane protection through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act co-authored by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy. The funding will elevate about 200 structures in Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermillion parishes to the 100-year flood plain. Cassidy, who initially received criticism from fellow Republicans for supporting the… Read More
During the Coastal Studies Institute’s first Science on the Sound lecture series since the COVID-19 pandemic, CSI Executive Director Dr. Reide Corbett told those gathered that while beach nourishment is both a short-term and expensive solution to significant and worsening erosion issues, it remains an effective response to the problem. The Sept. 29 presentation, at… Read More
Photos reveal that Kaanapali Beach in West Maui has almost completely disappeared, and the concrete boardwalk and coconut trees that line the hotel district are falling into the ocean. Tiare Lawrence, who is from West Maui, shared photos and drone images she took of the erosion with Spectrum News Hawaii. “The damage has been occurring… Read More