WASHINGTON, D.C., September 21, 2011—Since the Gulf Coast spill occurred, Ducks Unlimited has been urging Congress to support legislation that ensures penalties paid by the parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Clean Water Act are directed back to the Gulf Coast region. Today, the Senate will move one step closer towards this goal when the Committee of Environment and Public Works considers the RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act of 2011. Provisions within this bill would direct 80 percent of Gulf spill-related penalties paid under the Clean Water Act toward the long-term health of the Gulf region's coastal ecosystem and economies. 

"Ensuring that penalties paid by the parties responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Clean Water Act are directed back to the Gulf region is essential to restoring vital waterfowl habitat," DU Director of Public Policy Barton James said. "DU is pleased to see that the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is moving forward with this legislation. To guarantee that this region is properly restored, Congress must work together to pass meaningful legislation." 

Not only is coastal Louisiana one of the most significant areas for waterfowl in North America, but outdoor recreation also generates significant revenue for our country. On average, hunting and fishing are an $80 billion a year industry. "Restoring coastal wetlands provides positive benefits for America's strong hunting tradition and our economy," explained James. 

Coastal Louisiana provides prime migration and wintering habitat for millions of ducks and geese. However, the Gulf Coast is experiencing staggering wetlands loss. In Louisiana alone, an area of wetlands the size of a football field is lost every 38 minutes. To protect this vital habitat, DU has been working to promote long-term wetlands restoration in the Gulf Coast region for decades. To learn more about DU's public policy efforts, visit www.ducks.org/publicpolicy. 
 
Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres, thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Visit the DU website, www.ducks.org for more information.

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