La. won't wait for federal OK to erect sand berms

[The Straight Story]

La. won't wait for federal OK to erect sand berms

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says the state is not waiting for federal approval to begin building sand barriers to protect the coastline from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Jindal's defiant comments Sunday came as oil pushed at least 12 miles into the heart of Louisiana's marshes. Two major pelican rookeries are now awash in crude.

Jindal made his remarks on a boat at the edge of one of the pelican nesting grounds. He and officials from several coastal parishes say the berms would close the door on the oil still pouring from a deepwater gusher about 50 miles off the coast.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is studying the environmental impacts from the emergency barrier proposal. The Corps didn't immediately respond to e-mails and telephone messages.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/la-wont-wait-for-federal-ok-to-erect-sand-berms/

[Scurrilous]

1. NYTimes: Experts Express Doubts on Sand-Berm Proposal

<snip>

"State officials here are imploring the federal government and BP to build 80 miles of sand berms and plug holes in barrier islands in a desperate effort to stop oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill from destroying marshes, sounds and bayous.

But many experts say it is not at all clear whether dredging companies could build up the barrier islands quickly enough to save the marshes. They are also concerned that the kind of sand berms envisioned in the plan might wash away quickly after a couple of storms, wasting scarce sand in the region."

more

[The Straight Story]

2. Not like they have a lot of time for R&D on it

:)

[aquart]

3. Then maybe the geniuses should have started last month.

WTF has he been waiting for?

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. Let's see. Oil in rookeries because we sat on our asses,

or, build a sand berm and attempt to keep the oil out while endeavoring to find better solutions.

Tough decision.