Friday, December 17, 2010

Is Bobby Jindal's Coastal Berm Project Turning Into A Long Term Success

During the BP oil spill the money and time spent on coastal berms to protect the wetlands was subject of SEVERE criticism. A lot of people weighed in.

I did not discount the criticism but most of it appeared to me among folks that disagreed with funding priorities on how to correct the problem of coastal erosion. That is they were worried about the direction the Jindal administration was taking perhaps.

Also crucial to this criticism was the berms would not work. They would not work to catch the oil and in the end they would just wash away.

Dr Sadow has a good post that examines both of these questions here. What caught my eye was newspaper article he links. See Berms may become Islands.

THAT ARTICLE SOUNDS ENCOURAGING!!! Let me also say I am not buying the Jindal administration was perhaps looking to future as to these berms beyond the oil spill.

The erosion and disappearance of the barrier islands lays a part in the national emergency of Louisiana Coastal erosion. It is not the only or primary solution. But it does a play in the overall plan.

If these berms become functional barrier Islands then the critics should give Jindal his due.

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