A provision tucked into the spending deal passed by Congress last week exempts a Louisiana wetlands restoration project from federal protections for dolphins. The language gives NOAA Fisheries 120 days to issue a waiver for two sediment diversion projects along the Mississippi River, exempting them from provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act that prohibit the "taking" of dolphins by actions that could kill them, harm their health or disrupt their habitat. The law also states that "no rulemaking, permit, determination or other condition limitation shall be required when issuing a waiver." The move is backed by a coalition of local and national environmental groups who argue the restoration project is critical to protecting Louisiana's coast from sea-level rise, and could actually help local bottlenose dolphins in the long term.
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