Red Tide & Corps' appeal of ruling

Spring breakers will be heading to the Gulf Coast. H0owever, toxic red tide algal blooms have put beachgoers and residents on alert. In the Gulf of Mexico, red tide is caused by a microscopic organism called Karenia brevis. It has been detected in 172 samples along Florida's Gulf Coast last week, according to officials. Dead fish and other marine life are washed ashore on beaches. Red tide occurs when microscopic algae multiply to higher-than-normal concentrations. Red tide produces toxins, and when people or animals are exposed, they can get sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to red tide may cause respiratory and eye problems and other health issues. Red tide is a problem along the west coast of Florida, predominantly from algae overgrowth, and it can cause respiratory symptoms, according to Dr. Arveen Bhasin, a Mayo Clinic allergist. She recommends people take precautions. (NOLA.com 03/22/23) Is red tide dangerous? What to know about the harmful algae. | Environment | nola.com

USACE appeals Bonnet Carre Spillway decision

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has appealed a federal judge's ruling from January that the agency must consult with government fisheries experts before opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway. The spillway control site, between Norco and Montz, protects New Orleans from Mississippi River flooding. Opening the spillway diverts river water to Pontchartrain and Borgne lakes, after which it flows to the Mississippi Sound and into the Gulf of Mexico. It's rarely used but when the river is high opening eases pressure on New Orleans' protective levees. However, it also carries pollutants/nutrients into the sound that reduces salinity. The result can damage oyster, fish and crab habitats, and cause algae blooms that affect marine life and beaches. Coastal Mississippi governments and businesses sued the corps over its 2019 openings saying the agency must by law consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service before opening the spillway. U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of Gulfport, Miss., agreed. The corps filed a notice of appeal March 20 at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Robert Wiygul, an attorney representing coastal Mississippi interests, said Guirola's decision would not preclude the corps from opening the spillway should high water threatened New Orleans. He said the judge’s order meant the corps must discuss ways of mitigating the damage to fish habitat caused by opening the Bonnet Carre. (The AP 03/22/23) Bonnet Carre Spillway ruling appealed by Corps of Engineers | Courts | nola.com