Current:Home > ScamsLawsuit seeks to protect dolphins by limiting use of flood-control spillway near New Orleans -Summit Capital Strategies
Lawsuit seeks to protect dolphins by limiting use of flood-control spillway near New Orleans
View
Date:2025-04-15 17:45:19
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Opening a spillway as a flood-control measure in 2019 sent polluted fresh water from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico and killed bottlenose dolphins that live in saltwater, according to a new lawsuit.
Several local governments and business groups on the Mississippi Gulf Coast filed the federal lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The lawsuit argues that the Marine Mammal Protection Act requires federal agencies, including the Corps of Engineers, to obtain a U.S. Department of Commerce permit when their actions may disrupt the behavioral patterns of an animal such as the bottlenose dolphin.
“The massive volumes of polluted fresh water diverted through the Bonnet Carré Spillway and into the Mississippi Sound caused direct and indirect mortality of resident bottlenose dolphins,” the lawsuit says. “Many of the dolphins that did survive developed extremely painful and debilitating skin lesions.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order that would require the Corps of Engineers to comply with any obligation to obtain a permit before any further opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway — something that could slow down use of the flood-control structure.
The Associated Press sent an email Wednesday to the U.S. Department of Justice, which represents the Corps of Engineers, seeking comment on the lawsuit. The department did not immediately respond.
The Bonnet Carré Spillway is upriver from New Orleans. Opening the spillway diverts Mississippi River water to Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne, after which it flows to the Mississippi Sound in the Gulf of Mexico.
It is rarely used. But when the river is high, opening the spillway eases pressure on the levees that protect New Orleans.
However, opening the spillway also carries pollutants and nutrients into the Mississippi Sound and reduces salinity. The result can be damage to oyster, fish and crab habitats, and algae blooms that affect marine life and beaches.
Opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway has caused conflict between leaders in Louisiana, who want to protect the state’s largest city, and those in Mississippi, who want to protect fisheries and other commercial interests that rely on the Gulf of Mexico.
The new lawsuit is similar to one that some of the same coastal Mississippi governments and business groups filed in 2019 against the Corps of Engineers. The earlier lawsuit said the corps was required to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service before opening the spillway.
In January 2023, U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of Gulfport, Mississippi, ruled in favor of those who sued. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling in June.
veryGood! (29942)
Related
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Bird flu risk to humans is low right now, but things can change, doctor says
- Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafrenière fuel Rangers' comeback in Game 3 win vs. Hurricanes
- Mother's Day 2024 deals and specials for fast food, brunch and dining
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- A gay couple is suing NYC for IVF benefits. It could expand coverage for workers nationwide
- Spending on home renovations slows, but high remodeling costs mean little relief in sight for buyers
- ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ in development with Andy Serkis to direct and star
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Mother's Day 2024 deals and specials for fast food, brunch and dining
Ranking
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Trump says he wouldn't sign a federal abortion ban. Could he limit abortion access in other ways if reelected?
- Israeli Eurovision contestant booed, heckled with 'Free Palestine' chants in rehearsal
- Oprah Winfrey Shares Biggest Regret After Being Steadfast Participant in Diet Culture
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- In Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley,’ Excitement Over New Emissions Rules Is Tempered By a Legal Challenge to Federal Environmental Justice Efforts
- Bird flu risk to humans is low right now, but things can change, doctor says
- Virginia school board votes to restore names of Confederate leaders to 2 schools
Recommendation
'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
Civil War General William T. Sherman’s sword and other relics to be auctioned off in Ohio
Solar storm is powerful enough to disrupt communications: Why NOAA says not to worry
Diss tracks go beyond rap: Some of the most memorable battles date back more than 50 years
Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
Liam and Olivia are still the most popular US baby names, and Mateo makes his debut on the list
Mom goes viral for 'Mother’s Day rules' suggesting grandmas be celebrated a different day
Bucks veteran Patrick Beverley suspended by NBA for throwing ball at fans