Wednesday, April 30, 2014

John Barry keeps sending me emails. Oil & Gas Industry wants to settle with Louisiana!
https://twitter.com/Editilla
Always watching, never wavering.

Dear Editilla,

Two important pieces of news:

First, last week Louisiana’s Attorney General Buddy Caldwell made public something I've hinted at in my talks: there are on-going conversations about a statewide settlement. On the Jim Engster radio show last week (listen 
here), Caldwell announced that because of the SLFPAE lawsuit, major oil companies have come to him seeking a statewide settlement. 

We've always hoped that the lawsuit would spark a statewide deal. Conversely, we’ve recognized that if the legislature kills the lawsuit, there's no reason for the oil companies to compromise. There is a solution if the state would simply seal it. The governor has turned his back on that possibility. As citizens, lets make sure the legislature does not.

Which brings us to the latest news from Baton Rouge:

You almost did it! 

Thanks to your engagement, we were today on the verge of crushing SB 531—a huge victory—in Senate Judiciary Committee A, when its sponsor,  Senator Bret Allain (R-Franklin), asked that it be deferred. He knew he didn't have the votes—had there been a roll-call vote, we’d have beaten SB 531 by a vote at least of 5-2 and possibly 6-1.

Rather than accept defeat, Sen. Allain did something highly unusual. He gutted an entirely different (and as yet unknown) bill currently scheduled to be heard on Thursday, May 1, by the Senate Natural Resources Committee—and substitute in its place what he couldn’t get passed by Judiciary-A.  It's even possible that our old friend Senator Robert Adley will use one of his bills as a vehicle for this Trojan horse.

At of this writing, we do not know which bill to target—we’ll let you know as soon as we do—nor do we know what the language of the bill will be. That's hardly my idea of sunshine in the legislature.

All we know is that it will be called up in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday, May 1.

Please contact the members of this committee. Tell them, “Let the courts decide.” Let the roughly one million people within the jurisdiction of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority keep their rights to go to court. 

 

Name ADDRESS EMAIL PHONE
Senator Gerald Long (Chairman) P.O. Box 151
Winnfield, LA 71483
longg@legis.la.gov (318) 628-5799
Senator Rick Ward, III (Vice-Chairman) 3741 Highway 1
Port Allen, LA 70767
wardr@legis.la.gov (225) 246-8838
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain, II 600 Main Street
Suite 1
Franklin, LA 70538
allainb@legis.la.gov (337) 828-9107
Senator "Jody" Amedee 2109 S. Burnside Ave.
Suite A
Gonzales, LA 70737
amedeej@legis.la.gov (225) 644-1526
Senator Norbèrt N. "Norby" Chabert P.O. Box 2417
Houma, LA 70361
chabertn@legis.la.gov (985) 858-2927
Senator Jean-Paul J. Morrell 6305 Elysian Fields Ave.
Suite 404
New Orleans, LA 70122
morrelljp@legis.la.gov (504) 284-4794
Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish 119 W. Nezpique Street
Jennings, LA 70546
morrishd@legis.la.gov (337) 824-3979
Senator Page Cortez (Interim Member) 101 W. Farrell Road
Bldg. 5, Suite 100
Lafayette, LA 70508
cortezp@legis.la.gov (337) 993-7430


You’ve defeated this bill once. Let's beat it again. As I’ve said before, history doesn't just happen. 
People make history. 


Let's make some history. Let's take back control of our state. Let's demonstrate that no one is above the law—not even the oil industry in Louisiana.

Thanks,
John Barry
Restore Louisiana Now
Still Parading: Second-line shooting survivor returns to the route ~Nancy Parker, WVUE

Inmate advocates want Gusman held in contempt over fire safety shortfalls at OPP ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

Mayor Mitchmo seeks special riverfront tax district to pay for decrees and pensions ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

French Quarter bar cited for having crime cameras, flood lights ~Paul Murphy, WWLTV

Fair Grounds pledges upgrades for license renewal ~Ted Lewis

West Bank levee authority to get new director ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate

May is American Wetlands Month!
https://twitter.com/EDF_Louisiana/status/461547414068166656/photo/1
~Hat Tweet fo'da fine pic @EDF_Louisiana

Morganza levee project inches forward in Congress ~Amy Wold

Agrico Sales announces expansion in New Orleans ~AP, via The Modesto Bee

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2014/04/30/3316626/agrico-sales-announces-expansion.html#storylink=cpy

An Operational Check-List for Flying UAVs in Humanitarian Settings ~Patrick Meier, iRevolution

Terminally ill man, on last visit to Jazz Fest, throws a wake for himself in New Orleans ~Mark Waller

Monday, April 28, 2014

Restore Louisiana Now: Stop SB 531!
Dear Editilla,

SB 531 is in Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee A and will be brought up for a vote on Tuesday, April 29, at 9 AM. If approved, it will be a first step in stopping not only the New Orleans Flood Authority lawsuit against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies, but also granting the industry virtual immunity from prosecution in Louisiana -- for violations of state and federal law! 

PLEASE CALL THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TODAY!  

If we stop SB 531 in Judiciary A, it will signal a victory for our entire cause and change the political landscape in Louisiana. We can't do it without your help.

Name Address EMAIL PHONE
Senator Ben Nevers (Chairman) 724 Avenue F
Bogalusa, LA 70427
neversb@legis.la.gov (985) 732-6863
Senator Dan Claitor (Vice-Chairman) 7520 Perkins Road
Suite 160
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
claitord@legis.la.gov (225) 765-0206
Senator Conrad Appel 721 Papworth Avenue
Suite 102A
Metairie, LA 70005
appelc@legis.la.gov (866) 946-3133
Senator Jack Donahue 3030 East Causeway Approach
Mandeville, LA 70448
donahuej@legis.la.gov (985) 727-7949
Senator Daniel "Danny" Martiny 131 Airline Highway
Suite 201
Metairie, LA 70001
martinyd@legis.la.gov (504) 834-7676
Senator Edwin R. Murray 1540 N. Broad St.
New Orleans, LA 70119
murraye@legis.la.gov (504) 945-0042
Senator Rick Ward, III 3741 Highway 1
Port Allen, LA 70767
wardr@legis.la.gov (225) 246-8838

Thanks for all that you do. Only together can we stop this bill and ensure that the lawsuit goes forward.

John Barry,
Restore Louisiana Now 


CABL opposes anti-levee board legislation ~The Advocate
Tornadoes kill 16 in Arkansas, 1 in Oklahoma

Slight risk of severe weather through Tuesday for southeastern Louisiana ~Mark Schleifstein

Trial to begin for family of inmate suing Sheriff Gusman ~Meg Gatto, WVUE

Diocese accepting bids on 9th Ward senior complex ~N.O. City Business

Good Eggs! 
~Good Eggitilla!~ Looking forward to my 1st delivery!