Erosion And Not Oil Leak Are Major Cause Of Louisiana Coastal Damage

From "Determining oil spill's environmental damage is difficult" by David A. Fahrenthold, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, July 5, 2010:

But Paul Kemp of the National Audubon Society said he flew over the same area and saw a different picture: The oil's damage was relatively small, at least in comparison with the marsh's existing problems.

"Here, we have a patient that's dying of cancer, you know, and now they have a sunburn, too," Kemp said. "What will kill coastal Louisiana is not this oil spill. What will kill coastal Louisiana is what was killing it before this oil spill," including erosion and river-control projects that have reduced the buildup of new land, he said.