NEW GRN VIDEO: Long Road to Recovery
As the nation's attention moves on, coastal restoration and recovery becomes the focus of the BP response, even as more oil shows up in coastal areas. The White House has created the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Taskforce, chaired by EPA Administrator (and NOLA native) Lisa Jackson. Yesterday, GRN attended the inagural meeting of the Taskforce, held in Pensacola, FL. Not much was done, and it's apparent that the Taskforce will need a more significant commitment of funds in order to actually jump start any restoration.
Our video tackles these ideas and themes, and featured interviews with Rosina Phillipe (Atakapa Ishak Tribe, Grand Bayou Community, LA), Rick Steiner (professor of marine ecology and oil spill expert, Anchorage, AL), Robert Wiygul (environmental attorney, Biloxi, MS), Patty Whitney (community organizer, BISCO, Thibodaux, LA), and Paul Nelson (Commercial fisherman & president, South Bay Communities Alliance, Coden, AL). Featuring music from Helen Gillet, the New Orleans Bingo! Show, and Clint Maedgen. Narrated by Brian Denzer and Tim Robbins.
Written and directed by Aaron Viles, Edited by Gino Kalkanoglu (NOLA Image Works) and Jared Serigné. Produced by Jared Serigné.
Ongoing series by the Gulf Restoration Network documenting the environmental and community impacts of the BP disaster
Created with the generous support of the Vitalogy Foundation and the Wallace Global Fund.
Aaron Viles is an advisor to the Gulf Coast Fund as well as the campaign director of the Gulf Restoration Network, a 16 year-old environmental advocacy group with an exclusive focus on the health of the Gulf of Mexico.