Contact:
Danielle A. Viguerie
E-mail: daviguerie@cityofno.com
Office number: (504) 658-1063
Fielkow and Clarkson Survey Latest
Oil Spill Damage in Plaquemines Parish
New Orleans, LA – June 21, 2010 - City Council President Arnie Fielkow and Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson traveled with C-Span to Plaquemines Parish to speak with Parish President Billy Nungesser and survey the latest oil spill damage. The Councilmembers, who visited Grand Isle and the Barataria Basin two weeks ago, felt that the critical nature of the ongoing disaster necessitated a follow-up visit.
“New Orleans empathizes with its neighbors. We want to show our support to the people and businesses of Plaquemines and all the areas that have been directly impacted. They are not alone in this crisis. I speak for the entire New Orleans City Council when I say that we will do everything we can to hold accountable those responsible for this catastrophe. This important slice of America will not be destroyed. The wetlands of Louisiana are a unique and rich part of this country’s ecology, history and culture,” said Fielkow.
Fielkow, Clarkson and others on the trip, including Clarkson’s daughter, Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson, saw firsthand the devastation of this fragile area. Instead of a booming seasonal fishing business, they found marsh blackened by oil and pelicans trying to shake oil from their wings. A 35 minute video aired Sunday, June 20, 2010 on C-Span (click here to view the video), and a second video from the trip will air later this week.
“This disaster reaches much farther than the marsh we saw covered with oil,” said Clarkson. “It threatens our natural estuaries and wetlands, our state and regional economy, our natural protection from hurricanes, and a generational way of life for our residents. We must stand together as a region and convince the nation that this crisis will have far-reaching, nationwide effects and demands creative and effective intervention from the federal government and BP.”
