THE BIG RIVER WORKS: Building Cooperation to Sustain the Mississippi River System

September 5, 2012

THE BIG RIVER WORKS: Building Cooperation to Sustain the Mississippi River System

America’s WETLAND Foundation

• Established in 2002 by LA Gov. Mike Foster after comprehensive coastal study alerted nation on how loss of state’s wetlands would impact the nation.

• AWF serves as a neutral arbiter, bringing together diverse interests to ensure the sustainability of the Gulf coast.

• Yields information on the Gulf Coast’s critical environmental and economic benefits to the nation, particularly the 31 states of the Mississippi watershed.

Balanced Dialogue – Broadening participation on energy and environmental issues Executive Briefings & Public Events – Informing the Obama Administration, policy and legislative leaders at federal, state and local levels; engaging stakeholders and the public through information dissemination, media activities and high-profile events such as DELTAS2010 and DELTAS2013VIETNAM:World Delta Dialogues, and the Blue Ribbon Resilient Communities initiative. Response to Crisis – Creating a rational dialogue to support economic and energy sustainability while safeguarding the the ecological assets of a working coast.

America’s WETLAND Foundation

AMERICA’S ENERGY COAST

Unique Positioning

• Five Gulf States: Four energy producing states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, as well as Florida - collectively known as America’s Energy Coast.

• Diverse Task Force of over 100 major businesses and industries, national environmental and conservation organizations, scientists and researchers, landowners and other coastal interests.

• Network of local, state and federal elected and administrative leaders.

AMERICA’S ENERGY COAST National & Local Voices

• AEC Industry Council – consists of industry representatives from the Gulf Coast region.

• Honorary Leadership Council – a growing coalition of over 150 federal, state and local officials from the four states.

• AEC Task Force – comprised of over 100 leaders of government, industry, community, academia, NGOs, landowners from the region.

• Experts and Research Leaders – Best minds assembled to collect most relevant data.

• Elected & Administrative Officials – Non partisan elected representatives provide full participation.

America’s Energy Coast

Leadership Forums

A National Project of the America’s WETLAND Foundation

BLUE RIBBON

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

Regional Voice

Local Choice Benefits & Incentives

Emergency Rule

Red Tape, Conflicting Policy

Mitigation Correction

Beneficial Use of Dredge

Harbor Trust Fund Open

Beneficial Use of Carbon

Environmental Mitigation

No Net Loss of Wetlands

No Net Loss of Culture

Energy & Ecology United

FEMA Maps and Insurability

✓ Convene non-partisan, balanced regional dialogue on local coastal issues

✓ Identify specific vulnerabilities of communities who comprise America’s Energy coast from Texas – Florida

✓ Bring in unique expertise to address the issues

✓ Honor core values and build local pride

✓ Serve as a catalyst for empowerment of individuals and communities

BLUE RIBBON RESILIENCY Leadership Forums of Americas Energy Coast

Pre-Forum

• Environmental scan

• Meeting with local policy leaders

• Individual interviews with diverse stakeholders

• Focus group with diverse stakeholders

Forum • Research findings & expert presentations

• Working sessions

Post Forum • Solicitation of public input

• Report of Findings

• Follow-up on recommendations for action

BLUE RIBBON RESILIENCY Leadership Forums of Americas Energy Coast

AWF/ENTERGY GULF COAST Adaptation Study

AWF/ENTERGY GULF COAST Adaptation Study

AWF/ENTERGY GULF COAST Adaptation Study

BLUE RIBBON FORUMS

FINDINGS: Resilience Index

RECOMMENDATIONS

Seek Urgent Federal Action Resolve Conflicting Federal Policies & Practices

Contradictory rules, regulations and agency priorities impede coastal restoration by delaying projects and increasing costs. A more orderly, efficient process must be established to meet urgent needs.

1

RECOMMENDATIONS

Deploy Multiple Lines of Offense Decrease Regional Vulnerabilities Through

Cooperative Action

Short-term thinking has led to consequence planning defined by inadequate, piecemeal fixes — mainly in the wake of disasters. The focus must shift to a long-term vision for the future that emphasizes adaptation by using innovative, systemic approaches that incorporate non- structural and structural elements.

2

RECOMMENDATIONS

Allow Innovation & Enterprise to Flourish Support Strategies To Facilitate regional Stewardship

Bureaucratic barriers and a lack of smart incentives hinder the development of creative, efficient coastal restoration strategies. Unless policies and plans harness the power of new technologies, visionary research, market forces and local ingenuity, environmental degradation will continue to outpace restoration and protection efforts.

3

RECOMMENDATIONS

Revitalize Regional Strengths & Pride Empower Communities to Practice Self-

Determination

Coastal degradation and mounting vulnerabilities threaten entire communities, cultures and a valued way of life. Local citizens must adapt to changing circumstances to preserve their cultural heritage and build the foundation for a stronger future.

4

RECOMMENDATIONS

Sustain Action Based on Recommendations Communicate Regional Visions for Resiliency

The degradation of the Gulf Coast will continue to accelerate without a robust, coordinated response that enlists all interested parties and every level of government.

5

WORLD DELTA HOT SPOTS

MK

MS

AWF TIMELINE

GOALS

• Increasing Public Awareness of the River's National

Importance

• Providing a Balanced Forum for Diverse

Stakeholders

• Reconnecting the Delta with Upriver Interests

• Outlining Major Threats to Watershed Sustainability

• Identifying Key Opportunities for

Collaboration

STATISTICS • 3rd largest delta in the world

• 4th largest watershed in the world, covering 31 states

• $7 billion in agricultural and forest products flow down river each year

• Moves 500 million tons of cargo each year, including 60 % of nation’s grain exports, accounting for $8.5 billion in exports

• Generates billions of tourism dollars

• 60% of North American birds use the river as a migratory flyway

• 25% of all North American fish species live in the watershed

THE BIG RIVER WORKS New Orleans, LA - May 31, 2012 Focus: Connecting interests by identifying common purposes and shared goals.

THE BIG RIVER THRIVES Ducks Unlimited HQ – Memphis, TN – October 17, 2012 Focus: Sustaining vital ecosystems and habitats, such as flyways, fisheries and estuaries through improved awareness and systems management.

THE BIG RIVER LIVES St. Louis, MO – December 6, 2012 Focus: Improving water quality and quantity by outlining partnerships to manage river access and carbon and nutrient loads.

THE BIG RIVER PROVIDES Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – January 17, 2013 Focus: Connecting interests by identifying common purposes and shared goals.

THE BIG RIVER MOVES Chicago, IL – February 26-27, 2013 Focus: Keeping the river a viable passageway for commerce while sustaining critical environmental features by connecting navigation, flood control, the beneficial use of dredge materials and coastal restoration.

STEERING COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

THE HONORABLE PAT QUINN

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR

THE HONORABLE JAY DARDENNE

LOUISIANA LT. GOVERNOR

Joe Accardo

Executive Director, Ports Association of

Louisiana

The Honorable John Alario, Jr.

Senate President, State of Louisiana

Scott Angelle

Former Secretary, Louisiana Department

of Natural Resources

Phil Bass

Director, Gulf of Mexico Alliance

Dr. Donald Boesch

President, Center for Environmental

Science, University of Maryland

The Honorable John Breaux

U.S. Senator (LA) 1987-2005

Valerie Cahill

Chairperson of the Board, Port of New

Orleans

The Honorable Joel T. Chaisson, J.D.

Former Senate President & 29th Judicial

District Court Judge, (ret.)

Louisiana Legislature / St. Charles Parish

Zhongyuan Chen, Ph.D

Professor, State Key Laboratory for

Estuarine and Coastal Research

East China Normal University, Shanghai

Doug Daigle

Hypoxia Program Director, Mississippi

River Basin Alliance

Mark Davis, J.D

Director, Institute on Water Resource

Law, Tulane University

John Day, Ph.D

Professor, Coastal Ecology Institute,

Louisiana State University

Maj. Gen. Hunt Downer, ARNG, Ret.

Former Speaker of the House, Louisiana

Legislature

Sean Duffy

Executive Director, Big River Coalition

George Dunklin, Jr.

Chairman, Arkansas Game and Fish

Commission

C. Berwick Duval, II

Vice Chairman, Foundation for Louisiana

Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, Ph.D

Director, National Center for Earth-surface

Dynamics, University of Minnesota

Karen Gautreaux

Director of Government Relations, Louisiana

Chapter, The Nature Conservancy

Teri Goodman

Assistant City Manager, City of Dubuque, IA

Claude Griffin

Social Investment Manager – Environment,

Shell

Charles ‘Chip’ Groat, Ph.D

President & CEO, The Water Institute of the

Gulf

Dale Hall

CEO, Ducks Unlimited

Michael Hecht

President & CEO, Greater New Orleans,

INC

The Honorable Kip Holden

Mayor-President, City of Baton Rouge, LA

LT. Gen. Russel Honoré

US Army (Ret.)

Susan Kaderka

South Central Regional Executive

Director, National Wildlife

Federation

The Honorable Mitch Landrieu

Mayor, City of New Orleans, LA

Steve Mathies, Ph.D

America’s Great Watershed

Initiative

Irvin Mayfield

Artistic Director, New Orleans Jazz

Orchestra

Paul McIlhenny

Chairman & CEO, McIlhenny

Company (makers of Tobasco)

Doug Meffert, Ph.D

Vice President, National Audubon

Society

Dale Morris

Senior Economist, Royal

Netherlands Embassy

Chris Paola, Ph.D

Principal Investigator, National

Center for Earth-Surface

Dynamics, University of Minnesota

Sarah Pauley

Director, Missouri Department of

Natural Resources

Denise Reed

Laboratory Director, Lake

Ponchartrain Institute for

Environmental Sciences, University

of New Orleans

Randy Roach

Mayor, City of Lake Charles, LA

Sybil Seitzinger

Professor, Institute of Marine and Coastal

Sciences, Rutgers University

William Clifford Smith

Member-Designee, Mississippi River

Commission

The Honorable Mike Strain, D.V.M

Commissioner, Louisiana Department of

Agriculture & Forestry

James Syvitski

Executive Director, Community Surface

Dynamics Modeling System, University of

Colorado

Torbjorn Tornqvist, Ph.D

Director, NICCR Coastal Center, Tulane

University

Robert Twilley, Ph.D

Executive Director, Coastal Sustainability

Studios, Louisiana State University

The Honorable Jessica Upshaw, J.D.

Representative, Mississippi House of

Representatives

Wiliam Walker, Ph.D

Executive Director, Mississippi

Department of Marine Resources

Marcia Willhite

Bureau Chief, EPA Bureau of Water,

Illinois

Warner Williams

President, Gulf of Mexico Business Unit,

Chevron Corporation

Jerome Zeringue

Executive Director, Office of Coastal

Protection and Restoration, Louisiana

STEERING COMMITTEE

THE BIG RIVER WORKS

How you can be involved:

– Honorary Leadership Committee

– Serve on the Steering Committee

– Attend meetings: Jan. 17, 2013 especially designed for legislators and mayors

– Contribute testimony & research

THE BIG RIVER WORKS

Resources on website:

BIGRIVERWORKS.ORG

Contact us at:

brw@americaswetland.com

bigriverworks.org

VALSIN A. MARMILLION Managing Director

America’s WETLAND Foundation

americaswetland@mcopr.com