By Gerry Bethge – Outdoor Life – June 28, 2012

It’s been seven years since Hurricane Katrina devastated southern Louisiana, and two since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion threatened to throw a knock-out punch to North America’s most fertile waters and wetlands. At long last, it seems as if recovery help is on the way thanks to the unified voices of Vanishing Paradise, a coalition of more than 700 national, state and local hunting and fishing organizations led by the National Wildlife Federation. The United States Senate and House conferees agreed yesterday on a Transportation Bill package that includes the RESTORE Act, which dedicates 80% of the Clean Water Act penalties from the Deep Water Horizon oil spill to Gulf Coast restoration, mostly for the Mississippi River Delta region. Both chambers of Congress are expected to approve the bill, as is President Obama. For full blog post, click here.