Jindal won't reappoint 2 levee officials who support lawsuit against oil companies

Gov. Bobby Jindal won’t reappoint two regional levee officials who supported a lawsuit seeking damages from oil and gas companies, even if an independent committee that began meeting Friday re-nominates them, Jindal’s top coastal aide said.

The decision widens a political divide between the administration and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, and is likely to irk environmentalists and other groups who have accused the administration of meddling with the independence of the levee authority.

Garret Graves, chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said Friday that Jindal “will not” reappoint Tim Doody, president of the levee authority, and Vice President John Barry. Both Doody and Barry, whose terms officially expired June 30, have faced attacks from the Jindal administration, which opposes the levee authority’s controversial lawsuit demanding that 97 energy firms repair wetlands damage or pay to repair the damage.

Jindal is to appoint members for three authority seats, including those of Doody and Barry, from a list of nominees sent to him in October by a nominating board made up largely of engineers and academics. That board began meeting Friday, but Graves made it clear the governor would not pick Doody and Barry if they end up in the list of nominees.

More at http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/09/jindal_wont_reappoint_2_levee.html#incart_most-comments .