MEDIA ALERT
September 3, 2019
WE'RE PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE
OUR HEART HAS ALWAYS BEEN!
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lisa Noble
Phone: (504) 293-2610
MEDIA ALERT
ALIGNING LOUISIANA GOVERNMENT TO THE
NEW NORMAL OF SEA LEVEL RISE
CPRA, America's WETLAND Foundation and eRotary Coastal
Host Virtual Forum
WHAT:
Understanding and adapting to the new normal includes agencies at all levels of government. On this webinar, Chip Kline will share how CPRA is coordinating with all state agencies to work in concert on the most critical challenge we face now and in the coming years. This alignment across government is groundbreaking in that it will establish a model for local governments, the private sector and civic associations to recognize the ways that adaptation can strengthen local cities and towns.
 
The America’s WETLAND Foundation (AWF) will partner with eRotary Coastal and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to host a virtual Community Adaptation forum. The program will be offered online to help build consensus for moving from coastal resiliency to adaptation, addressing the need to adapt to the new normal of rising seas and greater storm impacts. The hour-and-a-half program is free of charge and is open for registration .

WHEN:
Thursday, September 5, 2019
9:00 am - 10:30 am CT

WHERE:
WHO:
  • Chip Kline, Chair, Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority
  • Charles Sutcliffe, Chief Resiliency Officer, Governor's Office of Coastal Activities
  • Entergy Rep TBD
  • Tyler Ortega, President, eRotary Coastal
  • Val Marmillion, Managing Director, America's WETLAND Foundation

WHY:
As communities across the Gulf Coast are dealing with the effects of rising coastal waters, storm episodes and the risks to environment, economies, communities and way of life, we must come to grips with moving from endless planning to taking actions to adapt to what is truly the new normal.

This virtual forum will allow people sitting at their desks across the state and country to participate in a discussion that is relevant to what we are experiencing right now - a threat to our unique way of life and the communities we have built and nurtured for generations.

AWF will host additional adaptation roundtables in the Lake Charles area and the New Orleans region. The events follow resiliency planning leadership forums held in eleven cities across the five states of the Gulf Coast in 2011 – 2012 and as a prelude to the Foundation launching a Sea Safe Community Certification program, which will establish criteria for a community to show progress toward adaptation and protecting their economic, environmental and community assets. 

The virtual forum is being held in partnership with eRotary Coastal, with support from Entergy, whose service territory includes South Louisiana.
The America's WETLAND Foundation manages the largest, most comprehensive public education campaign in Louisiana's history, raising public awareness of the impact of Louisiana's wetland loss on the state, nation and world. The initiative is supported by a growing coalition of world, national and state conservation and environmental organizations and has drawn private support from businesses that see wetlands protection as a key to economic growth. For more information, visit  www.americaswetland.com.