skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Making Sure Gulf Coast Restoration Funding is Used for Intended Purpose

play audio
Play

Wednesday, December 18, 2013   

PORT MANSFIELD, Texas - As plans are put in place to allocate restoration funds from the massive BP oil spill, Texans who depend on the Gulf Coast for their livelihood say its health is an economic priority.

Once the dollars are distributed, said Mike Sutton, a saltwater angler who owns Getaway Adventures Lodge in Port Mansfield, it's vital that state lawmakers invest them properly "and that the funds do get spent for the purpose that they're intended once they're received and not get diverted to projects like, for example, infrastructure projects or other development projects here in Texas. While they're critical needs, the funds are received for this purpose."

Under the Restore Act, 80 percent of the fines collected from BP will go back to individual states for use in restoration projects.

The long-term benefit of returning a healthy ecosystem to the Gulf of Mexico, Sutton said, is not only the positive impact on water and wildlife but also to strengthen the region's main economic engines.

"The fishing industry, the tourism industry and all that," he said, "both the short-term and the long-term benefits are that that healthy ecosystem supports a healthy economy, both short term and for our children and our children's children."

Sutton said the oil and gas industry along the Gulf Coast also will benefit from wetlands restoration by providing a natural buffer against any possible catastrophic weather events.

"To help moderate the effects of hurricanes and storm surges and to help protect that infrastructure; and to moderate the damage that would occur if a big storm surge did come though and damage one of these large refineries," Sutton said. "That would be another enormous environmental disaster."

The Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010 was the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, sending more than 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Information on the Restore Act is online at treasury.gov.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …


Medicaid has covered more than $28.6 million in claims for dental services since expansion began, according to state data. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021