After inspecting thick oil-covered wetlands in Plaquemines Parish on Wednesday, Gov. Bobby Jindal renewed his plea for approval of an emergency dredging plan that could keep the oil out of Louisiana’s marshes. “This isn’t oil sheen or tar balls we’re seeing,” Jindal said. “This is the heavy oil we’ve all been worried about. Let me be clear, it’s here.”
A visibly frustrated Jindal said he has asked the U.S. Corps of Engineers to expedite its approval process for an emergency permit that would allow an aggressive dredging project to begin.
The plan calls for dredging sand and using it to fill gaps in the barrier islands, which Jindal said serve as a natural protection for the wetlands. “I would much rather clean up a beach than the wetlands,” he said.
