News Release

KERMIT GOES TO WASHINGTON:
JOINS CONGRESS TO SAVE COAST, CONSERVE WILDLIFE

BATON ROUGE, LA – Kermit the Frog is joining forces with members of Congress to help spread the word about Louisiana’s coastal crisis, the loss of 35 square miles a year of a unique ecosystem on the verge of collapse, and about federal legislation that could stop the dramatic loss of this national treasure.

Wednesday, May 12, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (EST), Kermit and several members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation will particiapate in a live satellite feed from the Senate Recording Studios in the U.S. Capitol building. Kermit, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA), and Rep.Chris John (D-LA) are focusing attention on the state’s dramatic coastal wetlands loss, the ecological and economic effect on the rest of the country, and pending Federal legislation that would share with Louisiana and all coastal states, funds for coastal impact assistance.

The bi-partisan effort that includes more than 70 co-sponsors on the House side, is called the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 and takes the classic American notion of reinvesting non-renewable resources (offshore oil and gas revenues) into renewable resources (coastal restoration and land, water, and wildlife conservation). The legislation would share federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas revenues for coastal impact assistance with all 30 coastal states, including the Great Lakes states, and would share funds for land, water and wildlife conservation with all 50 states.

Kermit is doing his part as well to help save Louisiana’s coast. He recently teamed up with some famous Louisianians - Harry Connick, Jr., Chef Paul Prudhomme, and Aaron Neville - to produce a series of public service announcements to help raise awareness of the crisis. The TV spots were released nationwide earlier this week.

Louisiana’s coast is truly a national treasure of irreplaceable value to the rest of the nation and the world. Its coastal wetlands are 40% of the salt marshes in the continental United States and provide:

• Protection for infrastructure that supports more than 80% of the nation’s oil and gas exploration and development;
• Estuaries and nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. More than 40% of the country’s seafood is caught off Louisiana’s shores;
• Wildlife habitat for many endangered species. Louisiana has recently brought back the Brown Pelican from the endangered species list and they now inhabit its barrier islands;
• Wintering habitat for more than five million birds each year that come down from Canada, Alaska and other parts of North America;
• Protection from deadly storms and hurricanes for more than two million people who live in the state’s coastal zone, including New Orleans;
• For more than 400 million tons a year in waterborne commerce, and one of the largest port systems in the world.

The cost to restore Louisiana’s coast is $14 billion over the next 30 years. The cost of doing nothing is more than $100 billion in infrastructure alone.

For more information on Louisiana’s coast or Kermit’s video tour, call the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Communications Department, 225-342-4844 or 342-8955.