RSS Feed

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday authorized use of seismic air guns to find oil and gas formations deep underneath the Atlantic Ocean floor, reversing Obama administration policies and drawing outrage from critics who say the practice can disturb or injure whales, sea turtles and other marine life.
The National Marine Fisheries Service said it has authorized permits under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for five companies to use air guns for seismic surveys in the mid-Atlantic, from Delaware to central Florida.
The surveys are part of President Donald Trump’s bid to expand offshore drilling in the Atlantic.
The plan has drawn opposition from East Coast lawmakers and governors, who say it could hurt commercial fishing and tourism.
Seismic surveys have not been conducted in the region for at least 30 years.
Seismic air guns fire intense blasts of compressed air into the seabed every 10 to 12 seconds, for weeks or months at a time. The blasts reflect back information about buried oil and gas deposits, as well as potential seafloor hazards and sand and gravel resources for beach restoration.
The blasts are so loud they can disturb or injure endangered whales and other marine mammals and increase the risk of calves being separated from their mothers, environmental groups say.
Industry groups counter that seismic surveys have been conducted in the U.S. and around the world for decades, with little adverse impacts.
Administration officials said that under terms of the law that protects marine life, the permits would allow “harassment” of whales and sea turtles but would not allow companies to kill them.
Survey vessels will be required to have observers on board to listen and watch for marine life and alert operators if a protected species comes within a certain distance, officials said, and acoustic monitoring will be used to detect those swimming beneath the ocean surface.
Surveys will be shut down when certain sensitive species or groups are observed and penalties can be imposed for vessels that strike marine animals, officials said.
None of those precautions were enough for environmental groups and East Coast lawmakers who decried the surveys as cruel and unnecessary. The Trump administration’s call for offshore drilling has generated widespread, bipartisan opposition from states up and down the Atlantic seaboard.
“Seismic testing risks injuring and killing critically endangered species, severely disrupting economically important fisheries and threatening the Jersey shore,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat who is set to lead the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee in January.
Pallone called an environmentally sound coast critical to New Jersey’s economy and said lawmakers from both parties “will work tirelessly to fight this reckless decision by the Trump administration.”
Diane Hoskins, campaign director at the environmental group Oceana, said approval of the seismic surveys “flies in the face of massive opposition to offshore drilling and exploration from over 90 percent of coastal municipalities in the proposed blast zone.”
The Obama administration rejected the permits last year because of the known harm seismic air gun blasting causes, Hoskins said.
“President Trump is essentially giving these companies permission to harass, harm and possibly even kill marine life, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale — all in the pursuit of dirty and dangerous offshore oil,” she said, vowing ongoing opposition.
The American Petroleum Institute, the largest lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, hailed the administration’s action and said seismic surveys are just “one of many steps along a rigorous permitting process” that helps to ensure that any future drilling in the Mid-and South Atlantic would be properly managed and conducted to have minimal impact on the marine environment.
The surveys are needed to ensure oil and gas companies “can make the discoveries of resources that our economy will need for decades to come,” the group said in a statement.

BATON ROUGE (AP) — After months of speculation, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy announced Monday he won't run against Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2019, a decision that removes a formidable opponent from the Louisiana governor's race and leaves Republicans scrambling without a well-known contender.
The announcement, made in a press release, came as a shock.
The Republican senator, a political figure for three decades, has long eyed the governor's seat, and suggestions he would challenge Edwards began nearly as soon as he was elected to the U.S. Senate two years ago. His popularity with voters and prodigious fundraising skills would have made him a strong challenger as Republicans try to unseat the Deep South's only Democratic governor.
But Kennedy, 67, has quickly raised his profile in Washington, giving him more of a footing in Congress than would have been expected. Also, Edwards maintains high approval ratings in the state, so the race would have been a tough competition. A recent poll showed both Edwards and Kennedy with approval ratings around 60 percent.
In his statement, Kennedy said he decided against entering the race because he thinks he can best serve Louisiana in Washington.
"I love being in the United States Senate. I will not be a candidate for governor in 2019," Kennedy said. "I will, however, continue to work hard every day in D.C. and Louisiana for jobs, economic growth, cheaper health insurance, a stronger military and an end to government waste."
Edwards panned the lengthy is-he-in-or-out drama.
"For Sen. Kennedy, this was never about the people of Louisiana. This was about focusing the spotlight on himself," the governor said in a statement. "Now that this is behind us, my hope is that he will make it a priority to work together with me and the entire congressional delegation to get things done for the hard working families of this state."
Kennedy's decision leaves wealthy Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone as the lone Republican challenging Edwards' bid for a second term. He's said he's willing to put at least $5 million of his own money into the contest. Other GOP officials considering the race include U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, who's said he's leaning toward running.
Few people seemed to know in advance of Kennedy's plan to skip the race.
Though he's been in elected or appointed political office most of the time since taking a job in 1988 as Gov. Buddy Roemer's special counsel, Kennedy has long operated as a political loner. He spent many of his 17 years as Louisiana state treasurer quarreling with governors and other officials over financial policies, whether they were in his party or not, and proudly building his reputation as an outsider — a reputation that bolstered his approval ratings with voters.
He ran for the U.S. Senate three times before winning the seat, first as a liberal Democrat in 2004 and then as a conservative Republican in 2008 and in his 2016 victory to fill the seat vacated by Republican David Vitter. The speculation that Kennedy would be vying for governor without completing his first term for a job he repeatedly sought raised complaints he was office-hopping.
Instead, Kennedy said he would stay put in Washington, where he's managed to attract national attention quickly.
During his brief tenure in the U.S. Senate, Kennedy has become a favorite interview for news outlets, because of his outspoken, folksy responses and his quickness with a quotable sound bite. He's mostly provided a safe Senate vote for Republicans, and he's been a strong supporter of President Donald Trump.
He's raised his profile with his position on the Judiciary Committee, where he eviscerated one of Trump's judicial nominees, but praised the credentials of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after sexual assault allegations were raised during Kavanaugh's nomination hearings.
Though he projects the image of a Southern country lawyer, Kennedy has an imposing academic pedigree, with an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, a law degree from the University of Virginia and a bachelor of civil law degree from Oxford University, where he graduated with first-class honors.
As state treasurer across five terms, Kennedy drew new notice to the job as the state's banker, getting into high-profile clashes with Republican and Democratic governors.
He's repeatedly clashed with Edwards over his tax packages, spending plans and criminal sentencing law changes. And despite his move to a Washington-based position, Kennedy has continued to embroil himself in issues back home, which raised expectations for a run against Edwards.
___
Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte

Franklin’s “Christmas Under the Lamposts” was the night the city turned on the lights of the tree on the St. Mary Parish Courthouse square and along Parc sur la Teche. A huge crowd lined Main Street for the many events held Saturday evening, with the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus aboard a Franklin Fire Department fire truck among many of the guests participating. More photos of the evening in Wednesday’s edition of The Banner-Tribune.
The Banner-Tribune/ROGER EMILE STOUFF
See our Facebook page for more photos.
https://www.facebook.com/franklinbannertribune/?eid=ARDDC3WRda3bisN0N4vy...

Written experiences related to water and how it has affected your life, the lives of your family members and your community are being sought by the Jeanerette Museum prior to its hosting of “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum on Main Street program.
The “Water/Ways” exhibit is a core component of the Smithsonian Think Water Initiative, which explores the relationship between people and water from both a scientific and cultural perspective to raise awareness of water as a critical life resource.
The Jeanerette Museum board of directors is collecting stories and poems detailing the culture and history of Bayou Teche, the city of Jeanerette and local life as it relates to water. Stories and poems must be submitted with the release form available online at www.jeanerettemuseum.com or requested by email from jeanerettemuseum@yahoo.com. The deadline for submission is Feb. 1, 2019.
There are many stories that can be written about your family’s experiences during the flood of 1927 or other floods and hurricanes or about life on our water ways such as a favorite fishing or recreation activity on Bayou Teche or Lake Fausse Point.
Stories about Jeanerette’s past, such as stories about the saw mills, riverboats, agriculture and boating industry or more are also sought. The public is invited to be creative in stories and poems, and think of unusual topics where water played a part in their life.
Stories and poems may be mailed with the release form to Smithsonian Project, P.O. Box 249, Jeanerette, LA 70544 or delivered to the museum at 500 E. Main St. For more information on this project call 337-380-9057.
The Jeanerette Water/Ways exhibit is also in collaboration with the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities made possible through funding from the Walton Family Foundation, along with several national/state and local partnerships.
“We are pleased to have been chosen as a host site for this important exhibit,” said Gail Garcia, local project director. “Our community understands the importance of water and preserving a way of life that has made our area what it is today. From sawmills, to sugar cane fields and fishing, our community depends on the waterways of Bayou Teche and the Atchafalaya basin.”
“Water/Ways” explores the endless motion of the water cycle, water’s effect on landscape, settlement and migration, and its impact on culture and spirituality. It looks at how political and economic planning has long been affected by access to water and control of water resources.
Human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways of protecting water resources and renewing respect for the natural environment.
Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Water/Ways” will serve as a place to begin conversations about water’s impact on American culture.
History talks, film viewings, and book discussions, oral history projects along with a variety of programs revolving around the theme of water have been developed for the Acadiana region community. The exhibit and related programing is being held free.