First Day of Hurricane Season Used to Illustrate Lack of Congressional
Interest in Post-Katrina New Orleans and Increased Threat Caused by Loss of
America's WETLAND
NEW ORLEANS, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- On the first day of the Atlantic
hurricane season, Women of the Storm and America's WETLAND: Campaign to
Save Coastal Louisiana launched Storm Warnings II, a series of events in
New Orleans to dramatize the increased danger caused by the continuing loss
of Louisiana's coastal wetlands and illustrate which U.S. states have sent
Members of Congress to visit New Orleans post-Katrina and which have not.
Featuring, scientists, jazz musicians and school kids joined by leaders
of business, government and the environment, Storm Warnings II kicked off
in Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans' City Park, which was flooded by
hurricane Katrina.
"As hurricane season begins, Women of the Storm is renewing its call to
our nation's leaders to travel to Louisiana and view firsthand the
destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Anne Milling,
Founder of Women of the Storm. "While we thank the Members of Congress who
have visited and gained an understanding of our plight, we remain shocked
that 400 U.S. Senators and Representatives have not found the time to visit
the site of the worst natural disaster ever to strike our nation."
To date, seven states have yet to send a single member of their
Congressional delegations to the devastated region, while 21 states have
not sent a senator and 19 states have not sent a member of the House of
Representatives.
"With another hurricane season upon us, the time for action is now,"
said Sidney Coffee, Chairwoman of Louisiana's Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority and Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal
Activities. "Storm Warning II will help to inform citizens and government
leaders across the nation of the danger faced by the continued loss of our
coastal wetlands and the fact that, without urgent action, this national
treasure will be lost along with the benefits it provides to every citizen
of America."
On hand to emcee the event was Garland Robinette, radio personality and
host of the Garland Robinette Show on WWL 870 Radio. Robinette, who has
made it a priority to talk about coastal erosion and the national disaster
caused by the loss of Louisiana's coastal infrastructure, announced a media
partnership with the America's WETLAND Foundation to encourage people to
sign a petition urging Congress to provide a continuous revenue stream to
fund recovery and coastal restoration.
Additionally, members of the Coast Guardians, the Wetland Watchers and
the Soul Rebels Brass Band were on hand to lend their support to the day's
events.
On June 1 of last year, three months prior to Hurricane Katrina, the
America's WETLAND Campaign held a dramatization in New Orleans' famous
French Quarter, "flooding" a portion of the French Quarter by draping it in
blue to represent potential flooding caused by hurricanes. The warning
proved eerily prophetic three months later when Hurricane Katrina struck,
inundating many other parts of the city with water.
"Women of the Storm" is a non-partisan non-political alliance of
Louisiana women whose families, businesses and lives were impacted by the
hurricanes. Their mission will be served by providing educational tours,
data and personal stories about families whose lives have been impacted by
the 2005 hurricane season. For more information, please visit
http://www.womenofthestorm.net.
Louisiana's coast, an area known as America's WETLAND, hosts the
nation's strategic petroleum reserves and thousands of miles of pipeline
which provide 30 percent of the nation's oil and gas. The coastal wetlands,
which are of world ecological significance, protect critical natural
resources, are disappearing at an alarming rate, jeopardizing the nation's
economic and energy security.
America's WETLAND: Campaign to Save Coastal Louisiana, which is the
largest, most comprehensive public education campaign in the state's
history, was launched to raise public awareness of the impact of
Louisiana's wetland loss on the state, nation and world. The initiative is
supported by a growing coalition of world, national and state conservation
and environmental organizations and has drawn private support from
businesses that see wetlands protection as a key to economic growth. To
learn more about America's WETLAND, please visit
http://www.americaswetland.com.
SOURCE Women of the Storm
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Related links:
http://www.womenofthestorm.net
http://www.americaswetland.com
CONTACT:
Cliff Mintz of Marmillion + Company,
+1-202-416-6116, for Women of the Storm
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