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TODAY: Melancon to Meet with Parish Officials at BP Facility in Houma |
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Will Attend Briefing on Response Plans for Terrebonne & Lafourche Parishes
May 5, 2010
WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) will travel to BP’s facility in Houma today for a briefing on Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes’ response plans to the oil rig disaster. Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph and a representative from Terrebonne Parish will detail their plans for boom deployment and other protective measures to prevent the oil sheen from damaging their coastal marshes.
Congressman Melancon represents Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes and most of coastal southeastern Louisiana in the U.S. Congress. Yesterday, Congressman Melancon toured by boat the coastal marshes in St. Bernard Parish with parish officials and viewed the efforts of local fishermen to deploy boom.
Last Saturday, Congressman Melancon also traveled to St. Bernard Parish to meet with commercial and recreational fishermen involved in the oil leak containment and clean-up work. While there, Congressman Melancon also met with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro, St. Bernard head of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness John Rahim, and other local, state and federal officials to evaluate current efforts to minimize damage to Louisiana’s fragile coastal marshes and fishing grounds.
Congressman Melancon has been leading efforts in Louisiana to coordinate the federal and local response to the oil leak caused by the April 20th explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform. Last Saturday he traveled to St. Bernard Parish to meet with commercial and recreational fishermen involved in the oil leak containment and clean-up work. He also met with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson and St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro to evaluate current efforts to minimize damage to Louisiana’s fragile coastal marshes and fishing grounds.
Last Friday, Congressman Melancon traveled to lower Plaquemines Parish to meet with NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco to discuss how to minimize the impact of the oil leak on Louisiana’s vital fishing industry. Earlier this week, the Congressman contacted the Secretary of Commerce and the head of NOAA’s Fisheries Service urging them to prepare to direct disaster funding to Louisiana’s commercial and recreational fishermen. In his letter, Congressman Melancon noted that the oil intrusion resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster would likely damage the fragile habitats on which Louisiana’s fishermen, oystermen, and shrimpers depend.
Also last Friday, Congressman Melancon also toured by coast guard plane the oil sheen in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster with two Cabinet secretaries and the head of the EPA. Following the tour, the officials met with the head of BP and state and local officials involved in the response effort.
The administration visit followed a Wednesday request from Congressman Melancon that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar immediately review the current response and containment efforts to the oil rig leak. In his letter, Congressman Melancon urged the Cabinet secretaries to evaluate how the containment and clean-up efforts could be accelerated in prevent the oil from damaging Louisiana’s fragile coastline and fishing grounds.
The Deepwater Horizon platform was located 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana’s Third Congressional District.
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