September 2, 2014
Ocean Roundup: Great Barrier Reef to Stay Clear of Dredge Spoil, Louisiana Rapidly Losing Coastline, and More
– The Chesapeake Bay experienced their eighth-largest dead zone this summer since record keeping began in the 1980s, according to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Officials say this signals larger issues with Bay health, and that much more work is needed to reduce nutrient input and pollution. The Washington Post
– In great news for the Great Barrier Reef, port developers have submitted a new proposal to dump millions of tons of dredged sediment on land, rather than on the Reef. The original plan called for dumping this dredged sediment onto the Great Barrier Reef, which spurred an outcry from scientists and environmentalists. The Guardian
– A group of 3,000 United Nations delegates are meeting in Samoa this week to discuss methods for dealing with climate change. Leaders from several Pacific island nations have discussed ways in which climate change is already taking a toll on their countries, from causing overcrowding to affecting crop harvest. TVNZ
Long Read:
– At the heart of bayou country, Louisiana holds an iconic role in the Gulf for cultural and economic reasons. But over just 80 years, 2,000 square miles of coastal Louisiana landscape have disappeared, and the problem is only going to worsen with climate change. ProPublica
Op-Ed:
– With Labor Day just behind us, many Americans have wrapped-up their final trips to the beach for the year. A campaign director at the Sierra Club looks at how oil drilling on the East Coast not only threatens these pristine vacations, as well as seafood quality, beach aesthetics, and sea turtle nesting. The Huffington Post