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1.) ** What’s the historical context for your issue? What have been important government and political developments in your issue? Important Supreme Court cases? Important actors—both in support of your issue and in opposition to it? Important laws? ** Coastal Restoration became a pertinent issue to the nation after the BP oil spill, but this has been an on-going problem before the oil spill in the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Coast supplies a third of the nation of fisheries and oil supplies. However, a size of a football field is lost every forty-five seconds. Coastal erosion does not only pose a threat to the coastal communities, but to the nation’s economy as well as the energy security. Senator and Representative from the Gulf Coast States have been proactive in gaining federal funding to their states. One recognizable supporter is Senator Mary Landrieu. She has helped raise awareness in Washington and gained federal money.

2.) ** What was the trigger? What got you hooked on this particular issue? ** Every since eighth grade science with Mrs. Robertson, learning about the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast, I became aware of the problem of the eroding coastline. The marsh serves as a protector barrier for the inland against hurricanes. However, the damaged caused by Hurricane Katrina whipped out our marsh land. This issue is personal, living here in New Orleans and experiencing Hurricane Katrina. Mrs. Robertson taught that with the levees came with a good and bad side: the land will never flood, but the sediment for the river will never be dispersed, which creates our coast line. This problem takes a lot of money and resources.

3.) ** What is your goal? What do you want to achieve? ** Collaborative way to create an effective and productive idea to restore the wetlands. A goal was to heighten awareness and education so funding will be provided businesses and entrepreneurs developing ideas for coastal restoration. A large part of this issue was to enlarge the problem and become a national problem. Losing the wetlands would not only threaten coastal communities, but it would also threaten the nation’s economy, but as well as energy security.

4.) **Who are the actors that can help your efforts both in and out of government? Which members of Congress are your allies? Which committees are most important to getting legislation passed in your issue area? Which interest groups are most active in your areas? Which members of the community are most likely to support you? What might trigger their support?** Environmental groups are large components to help support coastal restoration. Interest Groups such as Save our Coast and Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana are major activist for the wetlands. Senators and Representatives from the Gulf Coast States are also actors in this effort. Coastal restoration will fall under an Environmental Issues, so the environmental committee will review the legislation. The Gulf Coast citizens are threatened by the coastal erosion. Coastal erosion threatens the way of life and the economy in each region. The wetlands serve as a protective barrier from Hurricanes; therefore, with no wetlands the inland areas are threatened. The citizens will step up when they are educated and learn about the threatening situation. The wetlands provide everything from the economy to energy security, while protecting the land. The loss of marshes threatens losing the homes of the citizens.

5.) ** Who are the actors that might oppose you both in and out of government? Which members of Congress are most likely to oppose your efforts? Which interest groups stand in opposition to you? Which members of the community are likely to disagree with your goals? ** To be honest, there is really no opposition to the protecting and preserving the wetlands. Instead, it is a matter of receiving funding to do so. This issue is more pertinent to the citizens of the Gulf Coast, but the nation is also threatened by this disaster for the economy will collapse and hurt our energy security.

6.) ** This is the big one: What pathways of action will you use to achieve your goal? Why are you choosing these pathways of action? ** Election is an important pathway of action for the elected official will be the voice in Washington to promote protection and preservation of the wetlands. The elected official will mandate change and will be the main component to convince the government to receive federal grants to the area. Man made causes have deteriorated the wetlands, but now it will take man-made technology to preserve the wetlands. Lobbying can also be effective pathway of action, for persuading government officials to take action and, if successful, gain federal funding. Another pathway of action could be judicial. The government could sue British Petroleum and fine them the damages the oil spill has cost.

7.) ** How will you measure your success? How will you sustain your efforts? ** I don’t necessarily know to say when we receive money it will be a success, because “Louisiana Fast” is an oxymoron. Once progress has been made, and a creative and working idea has been produced to have a working way for to enhance the wetlands there will be success. 8.) ** What have you learned about the role and responsibilities of citizens in our unique democratic system of government? ** To have a functioning government, the voice of the people needs to be heard. The government was built on the idea that it is a people’s government. The citizen elect the officials, therefore the governmental officials represent the citizens opinion and views. It is important for the people to speak up and take an active role or else their voices are not heard. Work Cited Landrieu, Senator Mary. “Coastal Issues.” //Mary Landrieu//. 2010. Web. 5 May 2010. . Lopez, Dr. John. “Save Our Coast/Save Our Lake.” //Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation//. Magnolia Development Group, 2009. Web. 5 May 2010. < [] >. Lopez, Dr. John. “Save Our Coast/Save Our Lake.” //Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation//. Magnolia Development Group, 2009. Web. 5 May 2010. < [] >. McDonald, Sondra. “Coastal Wetland Planning Protection and Restoration.” //Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance.// Web. 5 May 2010. < [] de=form&tab=step1&id=0e41cac9bb74732a38d6c98e11eb902f>. “State and Federal Plans.” //Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana//. Web. 5 May 2010. . “Obama Administration Plan to Restore Coastal Louisiana.” //Environmental Defense Fund.// Environmental Defense Fund, 2010. Web. 5 May 2010. < [] >.

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