1. Inside EPA: From Science to Policy to Enforcement
Join EPA's current assistant administrator for water and one of its former top cops for a frank discussion on the inner workings of EPA. Everything's on the table, from how science and R&D are used (or not used) to help make policy, and how and why these policies are or aren't enforced.
Moderator: Dan Fagin, Environment Writer, Newsday, and President, Society of Environmental Journalists
Speakers:
Tracy Mehan, Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director, Environmental Integrity Project, Rockefeller Family Fund
Location: Grand Ballroom D, Second Floor

2. FOIA Breakfast Workshop
Join members of SEJ's 1st Amendment Task Force for a lively, interactive, practical discussion of how the changing FOIA landscape affects environmental journalists. Learn what you can do to help keep the information flowing. If you liked Friday's FOIA panel, don't miss this follow up!
Moderator: Ken Ward Jr., Reporter, The Charleston Gazette
Speaker: Patrick McGinley, Professor, College of Law, West Virginia University
Location: Grand Ballroom C, Second Floor

Concurrent Sessions 3
9:00 - 10:15 a.m.

THE COAST:
Bringing the Gulf Coast's Dead Zone to Life...What Will It Take?
The Gulf Coast's infamous "Dead Zone" — an annual rite of spring/summer — appears to be getting bigger each year, with Texas waters now sharing Louisiana's low-oxygen (hypoxia) woes. Scientists are getting better and better at measuring — and even forecasting — its scope. But beyond understanding it, what more is being done to understand and explain its implications and significance? And what is likely to be done about actually controlling it? Four experts explore the depths of the Dead Zone to bring the issue, if not yet the phenomenon itself, to life.
Moderator: Bud Ward, Editor, Environment Writer
Panelists:
Doug Daigle, Lower River Program Director, Mississippi River Basin Alliance
Nancy Rabalais, Professor, Louisiana University Marine Consortium Department
Diane Regas, Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Don Scavia, Chief Scientist, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Location: Astor III, Second Floor

THE CITY:
Gov. Leavitt's Environmental Record
The nomination of Utah Governor Mike Leavitt as the next EPA administrator occurred just as our program booklet was going to press. This panel of Utah-based environmental players will examine Leavitt's long and varied record on the environment. Please check the addendum for details.
Moderator: Seth Borenstein, National Correspondent, Knight Ridder Newspapers
Panelists:
Judith Fahys, Environment Reporter, Salt Lake Tribune
Jason Groenewold, Director, Healthy Environment Alliance Utah and Families Against Incinerator Risk
Dianne Nielson, Executive Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Bill Williams, Vice President for Technical Services, Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation
Location: Grand Ballroom D, Second Floor

THE LAND:
TRI at 12: The Economics of Environmental Regulation
The Toxics Release Inventory, a 12-year-old federal law that requires companies to publish the amount of pollutants they release into the air, water and land, doesn't require them to reduce the releases but that's what's happened. The panel will look at the effects of TRI on industry emissions, what changes it has fostered, how industry views it and how the law might continue to promote pollution control in the future.
Moderator: Don Hopey, The Land and Environment Reporter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Panelists:
Dan Borné, President, Louisiana Chemical Association
James Dutcher, President, Dutcher Communications
Paul Templet, Professor, Environmental Studies, Louisiana State University
Location: Bienville, Second Floor Mezzanine

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH:
GMOs: Panacea or Pandemic?
Fish, trees, crops. We're at an interesting juncture with genetic modification. Biotechnology offers a new strategy, but also a range of complicated questions, issues and implications. This background panel will not debate the issues but provide an orientation to FDA and National Institutes of Health concerns about genetic modification in fish, conservation and industry discussions about "super trees," and offer investigative reporting insights for stories about genetics.
Moderator: Debbie Schwartz, Freelance Reporter
Panelists:
Steven Burke, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, North Carolina Biotechnology Center
William Muir, Professor, Animal Sciences, Purdue University
John Nichols, Washington Correspondent, The Nation
Location: Iberville, Second Floor Mezzanine

THE GLOBE:
Emerging Global Issues: What the Radar Screen is Missing
Oceans, kids, national security and you...this panel will look at some emerging issues you will be covering soon, with new perspectives and data to share. Ocean exploration is yielding new information on environmental impact, children may be our canaries in the mine, and resource scarcity coincides with increased security issues. We'll hear some startling new information on the convergence of science, security and the environment.
Moderator: Phil Bailey, Freelance Writer
Panelists:
Eric Dannenmaier, Director, Tulane Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, Tulane University
Craig McLean, Director, NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration
Joanne Rodman, Acting Director, Office of Children's Health Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Location: Astor II, Second Floor

THE CRAFT I:
The State of Environment Reporting in the South
An effort to assess the state of the environment reporting across the country has been underway for the past three years by academic members David Sachsman, James Simon and JoAnn Valenti. Recently completed surveying in the South suggests regional differences in the beat. Data from New England, the Mountain West and the Northwest will be compared to findings in the South. A panel of journalists will respond to the report.
Moderator: JoAnn Valenti, Emerita Professor, Brigham Young University
Panelists:
David Sachsman, West Chair of Excellence & Professor of Communication, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Mike Salinero, Capitol Bureau Reporter, The Tampa Tribune
Charles Seabrook, Environment Reporter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Location: Astor I, Second Floor

THE CRAFT II (Interactive Workshop):
Radio and the Environment: Using Sounds and Words to Get the Story Across
People have eyelids, but not ear-lids. It's a reality that provides radio with unique access into the heads and hearts of listeners. The best radio reporters know this, and use that access to weave compelling stories for the ear, using natural sounds and solid writing. Bring your best tape and join our panelists for a hands-on discussion on how best to craft your stories.
Moderator: Dale Willman, Executive Editor and President, Field Notes Productions
Panelists:
Brenda Box, Reporter/Anchor, WTOP-AM, Washington, DC
Michael Fields, Southern Bureau Chief, National Public Radio
Location: Burgundy, Second Floor Mezzanine

Coffee Break
10:15 - 10:45 a.m.
Location: Grand Gallery, Second Floor

Concurrent Sessions 4
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

THE COAST:
Overfishing the Gulf — and the Globe
You could once harpoon New England swordfish from shore. Now they are hunted far at sea. Their average weight dropped from 250 pounds to 90. Has overfishing passed the point of no return? As the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy prepares to issue its sweeping report, hear from the lead author of the groundbreaking study showing that fishing fleets have removed 90 percent of the oceans' large fish. Another researcher tells how recreational fishing affects the ocean ecosystem, while a Fishery Management Council member explains how catch levels are determined. Finally, author-activist David Helvarg reveals what's on his "Blue Plate Special." (Hint: It ain't swordfish!)
Moderator: Robert McClure, Staff Reporter, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Panelists:
Maumus Claverlie, Member, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Felicia Coleman, Research Scientist, Biological Science Department, Florida State University
David Helvarg, Author/Activist, Ocean Awareness Project
Ransom Myers, Killam Chair in Ocean Studies, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University
Location: Astor III, Second Floor

THE CITY:
From Formosan Termites to Zebra Mussels: How Invasive Species Impact Our Infrastructure and Economy
With the advent of globalization and ever-expanding trade links, invasive species — bugs, plants, mammals and aquatic creatures — have become one of the most intractable global environmental problems. Governments have been slow to grasp the scope of the challenge, and new invasives are constantly emerging. As the problems grow worse, invasives are increasingly impacting human activities and worming their way into the woodwork of everyday life. (Louisiana is a kind of national laboratory for invasives, with Formosan termites, zebra mussels, nutria and a host of other pests.) What are some of the new challenges they pose? What are their hidden costs? What makes the best kind of invasive species story?
Moderator: John McQuaid, Special Projects Reporter, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Panelists:
Gregg Henderson, Professor of Entomology, Louisiana State University
Alysia Kravitz, Invasive Species Specialist, Center for Bioenvironmental Research, Tulane and Xavier Universities
Phyllis Windle, Senior Staff Scientist, Invasive Species, Union of Concerned Scientists
Location: Burgundy, Second Floor Mezzanine

THE LAND:
Endangered Forests: Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and the Pine Industry
The red-cockaded woodpecker has been described as the spotted owl of the South. But new research and agreements with landowners are taking the issue in a direction away from confrontation. Research has found that some pine trees need to be cut down to restore longleaf pine habitat for the woodpeckers. Military bases, national forests, timber companies and private landowners are taking steps to halt the woodpecker population decline and restore its remaining habitat.
Moderator: Bruce Ritchie, Growth and Environment Reporter, Tallahassee Democrat
Panelists:
Gary Boyd, Manager, Conservation Partnerships
Ralph Costa, Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Frances James, Emeritus Professor of Biological Science, Florida State University
Patrick Parenteau, Professor, Vermont Law School
Location: Bienville, Second Floor Mezzanine

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH:
Bhopal at 20: Contract Workers, Explosions and Chemical Plant Safety
The 20th anniversary of history's worst industrial disaster — a chemical release in Bhopal, India — is approaching next year. Despite precautionary measures inspired by that incident, chemical plant safety remains a contentious issue. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has identified more than 150 serious accidents over the past 20 years involving reactive chemicals — the type involved at Bhopal. The board's investigation found most of these accidents involved substances not covered by current federal rules, and it is recommending expanded regulation. Meanwhile, Congress has been considering whether to mandate new safety measures at chemical facilities.
Moderator: Bill Dawson, Independent Journalist
Panelists:
Glenn Erwin, Health and Safety Coordinator, Paper Allied-Industrial Chemical and Energy Workers International Union
Dorothy Kellogg, Director, Plant Operations Team, American Chemistry Council
Gerald Poje, Board Member, Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Location: Iberville, Second Floor Mezzanine

THE GLOBE:
The Under-Reported Local Story: Why is Population Growing in Certain Areas?
What are projected trends for population growth and population movement in the U.S.? To what degree does population growth affect urban sprawl? What are the chief factors driving population growth in the U.S.? How effective are land use laws, zoning and other regulations in addressing urban sprawl? What are the chief challenges of reporting urban land use and population issues? What percent of environmental reporting connects problems to population growth? Why do reporters avoid this connection? What has become of population growth as a public concern?
Moderator: Mike Maher, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Communication, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Panelists:
Roy Beck, Executive Director, NumbersUSA Education and Research Foundation
Mike Salinero, Capitol Bureau Reporter, The Tampa Tribune
Stephen Villavaso, CEO, Villavaso & Associates, LLC
Location: Astor II, Second Floor

THE CRAFT I:
Stayin' Alive: Reporting Live from Harm's Way
Journalists can find themselves covering fast-moving, deadly events in a flash. And while war is on everyone's mind, many of those dangers are right here at home. Wildfires, domestic terrorism, hurricanes, riots — as reporters and photojournalists head to the frontlines of trouble, being prepared not only means greater safety, but better storytelling (as well as avoiding potentially devastating emotional trauma afterward.) This panel brings together top experts in reporter safety to discuss the industry's latest tools and commitment in keeping today's newsroom employees alive, healthy and effective while on the hazardous assignment.
Moderator: Jim Moscou, Contributor, Editor & Publisher
Panelists:
Tim Crockett, Risk Management Consultant, AKE Ltd.
David Handschuh, Photographer, New York Daily News, and Past President, National Press Photographers Association
Carl Prine, Investigative Reporter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Chris White, Co-Founder, The Anchor Point Group
Location: Astor I, Second Floor

Lunch and Plenary Session
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Environmental Policy Debate
With the completion of Republican control of Congress, and both Congress and the media focused on war and terrorism, the Bush Administration has devoted key resources to pushing its ambitious environmental agenda. We'll hear two top Congressional leaders square off over the costs and benefits of this agenda.
Moderator: Susan Feeney, Senior Editor, National Public Radio
Speakers:
Steven Hayward, F.K. Weyerhaeuser Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Congressman Mark Udall, D-CO
Location: Grand Ballroom C & D, Second Floor

Computer Workshop
2:15 - 5:30 p.m.
Space is limited. Sign up at the SEJ Membership table beginning Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The workshop will take place in the Library Instruction Classroom on the second floor of Loyola's Monroe Library. Attendees will gather near the SEJ Membership table at 2:00 p.m. and take vans to Loyola University.
An interactive workshop at Loyola University's state-of-the-art computer laboratory. Discussion will include some how-to tips for freelancers, how to research and write about international compliance standards for industry and some pointers on navigating your way around the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's web site. The session will include some show-and-tell of the digital voice recording gizmos that were discussed recently on SEJ's listserv. Bring your laptop if you have one. Ten personal computers will be available, plus there will be 20 connections for laptops.
Moderator: Tom Henry, Environmental Writer, The Toledo Blade
Presenters:
Victor Dricks, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Amy Gahran, Editorial Consultant
Jay Perkins, Professor, Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University
Location: Library Instruction Classroom, Monroe Library

Mini-Tours
2:15 - 5:30 p.m.
Logistics: Space is limited on each tour. Sign up at the SEJ Membership table beginning Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Check your registration packet for tour details. All bus tours will depart in the order they're listed below from the Astor Crowne Plaza's Canal Street Exit around 2:15 p.m., and will return to the hotel around 5:30 p.m. The aquarium, streetcar and termite tours have different departure logistics. Again, check your registration packet for details.

1. Garbage and Wildlife Refuges (bus tour)
Good neighbors? Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban national wildlife refuge in the country. Its 23,000 acres lie entirely within the city limits of New Orleans. Five threatened and/or endangered species can be found at the refuge including the bald eagle, Arctic peregrine falcon, brown pelican, Gulf of Mexico sturgeon, and American alligator. Right next door is a huge landfill and illegal dumping is a major problem. The refuge is closed at night and unguarded, making it a magnet for stolen cars. The tour of Bayou Sauvage will include a look at native and invasive species, and a discussion of the problems of managing a wildlife refuge near an urban setting.
Tour Leaders:
Brenda Box, Reporter/Anchor, WTOP-AM, Washington, DC
Kim McGuire, Environment Reporter, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Ted Scripps Fellow
Speakers:
Byron Fortier, Supervisory Park Ranger, Education and Outreach, Southeast Louisiana Refuges
Douglas Hunt, Manager, Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

2. Mississippi River and the Port of New Orleans (bus tour)
This is a chance to see the nation’s fourth-largest port and the gateway to one of the most important commercial transportation arteries in the world. The tour begins at the port’s headquarters tucked on the edge of downtown New Orleans on the east bank of the Mississippi River. We’ll go through the new $101 million Napoleon Container Terminal, the most technologically advanced dock facility in the country. Next, we get to see the Nashville Multi-Purpose Terminal, which was completed in the mid-1990s to handle everything from copper ingots to bags of coffee beans. We’ll get a waterside view of the port along the mighty Mississippi as we return to the port’s headquarters on the agency’s main patrol vessel. Along the way, we will hear about port operations, security issues and environmental cleanups.
Tour Leaders:
Keith Darcé, Business Writer, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Peter Lord, Environmental Writer, The Providence Journal
Speakers:
Paul Dauphin, Communications Chief, Port of New Orleans
Catherine Dunn, Deputy Director, Port Development, Port of New Orleans
Cmdr. Vern Gifford, U.S. Coast Guard
Lt. Joseph Labarriere, New Orleans Harbor Police
Lt. Brett Thompson, U.S. Coast Guard

3. Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species (bus tour)
The Audubon Nature Institute is becoming a leader in the effort to provide alternatives to both capturing wild species for zoos and returning endangered species to the wild from zoo populations. Their efforts are now focusing on in vitro fertilization of those species, including the birth last year of an African wildcat, using a domesticated cat as a surrogate mother. We visit the laboratory where it's done, and discuss the ethics of endangered species research versus habitat protection.
Tour Leader: Bob Thomas, local naturalist, and Director, Center for Environmental Communications, Loyola University New Orleans
Speakers:
Betsy Dresser, Director, Audubon Center for Research in Endangered Species; and
Other researchers from ACRES

4. Environmental Justice and Neighborhood Buyouts (bus tour)
The Agriculture Street landfill was used by the city of New Orleans for garbage disposal through the 1950s and closed. In 1965, it was reopened briefly for disposal of waste from Hurricane Betsy. Two residential developments — the Gordon Plaza subdivision of single-family homes, and the Press Park duplex apartments for low-income residents — were built in the area between the late 1960s and the early 1980s. The developments, and Moton School, were built atop the Agriculture Street Landfill, which had served as the city's main garbage dump from 1909 to 1958. Tests by the federal Environmental Protection Agency in the 1980s and 1990s found 149 chemicals, including lead and arsenic, in soil beneath the homes. The EPA refused to declare the site eligible for inclusion in the Superfund program in 1986, but, using different standards that gave more weight to soil contamination, added it to the list in 1994.
Tour Leaders:
Phyllis Sides, Diversity and Culture Reporter, The (Racine) Journal Times
Leslie Williams, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Speakers:
Kenneth Ducote, former AICP, New Orleans Public Schools
Peggy Grandpre, Marketing Manager, Port of New Orleans
Ursula Lennox, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wilma Subra, President, Subra Company Inc.

5. Hurricanes and Floods (bus tour)
A look at the levees that protect New Orleans and the pumping system that keeps the city dry, most of the time.
Tour Leaders:
Christy George, Oregon Public Broadcasting
Mark Schleifstein, Environment Reporter, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Speaker: Asbury Sallenger Jr., Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies

6. Urban Combat: Boxstore Wars (bus tour)
New Orleans' eclectic neighborhoods have been going through two major fights: Whole Foods grocery story was forced to downsize plans to take over a historic register streetcar barn and its parking after neighbor complaints, and now neighbors are having even more parking problems. We'll ask the developers why they opted out of a brownfield program. And when a huge low-income housing project was razed in the name of progress, a combination of low-moderate homes, upscale homes and a huge Wal-Mart have resulted in a similar fight as part of a $400-million redevelopment plan of 70 urban acres.
Tour Leaders:
Francesca Lyman, "Your Environment" columnist, MSNBC
Greg Thomas, Business Writer, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Speakers:
Eddie Boettner, Chief Administrative Officer, Historic Restoration Inc.
Bill Borah, Director, Smart Growth for Louisiana
Neal Hixon, Developer, Sarpy Hixon Development LLC
Darryl Malek-Wiley, Chair, New Orlean’s group, Sierra Club
Sara Orton, Research Analyst, The Urban Conservancy
Wade Ragas, Director, Real Estate Market Data Center, University of New Orleans
Chris Sarpy, Developer, Sarpy Hixon Development LLC
Camille Strachan, Attorney/Activist, and Trustee Emeritus, National Trust for Historic Preservation

7. Backstage at the Aquarium (walking tour)
Haven't found Nemo yet? At the Aquarium we'll introduce you to the hidden life of clownfish, sea stars, turtles, rays and sharks. Led by ocean author/activist David Helvarg and a host of Aquarium researchers, ichthyologists, and fish-tank cleaners — this is your chance to see how one of the nation's leading aquariums operates on both sides of the looking glass. Learn about the capture, breeding and research going on around fish and other marine wildlife at the New Orleans Aquarium. Just don't ask about the previous tour incident with the shark tank.
Tour Leaders:
David Helvarg, Author/President, Blue Frontier Campaign
Bevil Knapp, Freelance Photographer
Speakers:
James Arnold, Aquarist for Life-Support Systems; and
Other Aquarium staff TBA

8. A Streetcar Named Progress (streetcar tour)
New Orleans eliminated most streetcar lines and chopped up the cars in the '60s in the name of progress. Now, they're restoring two major streetcar lines in the name of environmental progress. But unlike other cities, all the streetcars are being built here, and will look like the ones running on St. Charles Ave., many of which are nearing 75 years old. We look at the plans as we take the streetcar to tour the manufacturing facility. At the manufacturing site and along the way, we'll talk with guest speakers about urban transportation issues.
Tour Leaders:
Frank Donze, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Chuck Quirmbach, Environment Reporter, Wisconsin Public Radio
Speakers:
Elizabeth Davey, Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Affairs, Tulane University
Jim Harvey, Director of Planning, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
Pat Judge, New Orleans RTA
Ed Melendez, Co-Founder and Co-Principal, The Urban Conservancy
Mantill Williams, Triple-A

9. Termites and Historic Buildings (walking tour)
Formosan termites, brought back to New Orleans from the Far East with returning troops and equipment after World War II, have grown huge nests throughout the area, and especially in the French Quarter, costing about $300 million a year in damage and pesticide treatments. We're going on a walking tour of the Quarter to see how they've disrupted tourism and families, and how an experimental USDA program is trying to reduce their damage, using new, "friendlier" pesticides. Stops will include the Cabildo, where the documents finalizing the Louisiana Purchase were signed 200 years ago, a house whose owner has fought against the termites for a generation, a stretch of railroad tracks whose cross ties are being treated for infestations, and other sites.
Tour Leaders:
Perry Beeman, The Des Moines Register
Lynne Jensen, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Speakers:
Ed Bordes, Director, New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board
Gregg Henderson, Entomologist, Louisiana State University
Alan Lax, Microbiologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Evening Reception: A Taste of Carnival at Mardi Gras World
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
We'll depart from the Canal Street exit of the Astor Crowne Plaza promptly at 7:00 p.m. for a bona fide march down Canal Street to the ferry. Revelers should gather near the main exit of the hotel prior to 7:00 p.m. Stragglers, turn left on Canal Street outside the hotel exit. You'll run into the ferry in about five easy blocks. Shuttles will be available at the hotel and on the other side of the Mississippi to transport attendees who don't want to walk. At Mardi Gras World there'll be music and dancing, food and drink, and lotsa beads inside the cavernous warehouses where many of the huge Mardi Gras floats are built and stored. Get a real inside look at the soul of New Orleans, and a few surprises, too. Preregistration required. Walk-ins as space allows ($25 fee required upon sign-up — check the registration table). The shuttle will make continuous loops between Mardi Gras World and the ferry until 10:30 p.m. Last ferry departs at midnight.

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Sunday, September 14: Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species and bonus Post-Conference Tour
14001 River Road
New Orleans, LA 70131
If you're driving, please check at the membership table for directions.

Logistics: Buses depart the Astor Crowne Plaza at the Canal Street exit at 9:00 a.m. Box breakfasts and drinks will be handed out while you board. Attendees needing to go directly to the airport from the Sunday program must bring their luggage with them and board bus number one. Attendees coming back to the hotel must board bus number two. Post-conference tour attendees will board the special post-conference tour van.

Pre-registration is required. Walk-ins ($15 registration fee) will be accommodated as space allows. Please check at the registration table to see if space is available.

Endangered Species Tour
9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Before the panel session in the lovely facilities of the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, we will take a bus tour of the animal holding areas, sprinkled throughout the natural landscape, during which guides will explain present and future breeding programs for numerous endangered species.
Tour Leader: Bob Thomas, Director, Center for Environmental Communications, Loyola University New Orleans
Speaker: Betsy Dresser, Director, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species

Panoramas, Plagues, Pirogues and Pilots: Bringing the History of the Mississippi River to Life
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Three noted historians will apply the lessons of their work on the Mississippi River to 21st century audiences. From the "discovery" of its source at Lake Itasca to the Corps of Engineers' projects to tame the river, rich tales of America's iconic river will be told.
Moderator: Mark Neuzil, Chair, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of St. Thomas, and Author, "Views on the Mississippi: The Photographs of Henry Peter Bosse"
Speakers:
John Anfinson, Vice Chair, Friends of the Mississippi River, and Author, "The River We Have Wrought"
John Barry, Tulane Center for Bioenvironmental Research, and Author, "Rising Tide"
Douglas Brinkley, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, University of New Orleans, and Author, "The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation," with Co-Author Stephen Ambrose
Location: The Conference Room

12:30 p.m. SEJ's 13th Annual Conference ends. Buses depart for airport and hotel. Be sure to board the right bus.

Post-Conference Tour: A Coast on the Cusp of Collapse
Logistics: Van will depart the Astor Crowne Plaza at 9:00 a.m. Sunday, join the Sunday morning program at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, and then depart for points south. The bus will return to New Orleans by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and drop attendees off at the airport and downtown. Preregistration is required.
First stop will be a short trip into the coastal marshes where a river diversion has been running for several years to see what has happened. Then we travel south of New Orleans to the tiny communities that are the front line in the fight against coastal erosion in Louisiana. We'll meet with scientists at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in Cocodrie, where research is being conducted on a wide variety of issues, including the Dead Zone (hypoxia), the importance of wetlands as nurseries for the largest fishery in the Lower 48, rates of subsidence in coastal wetlands, and the effects of hurricanes on barrier islands. A boat trip to those barrier islands will show how they're being rebuilt and what happens when a hurricane hits.
Tour Leader: Mike Dunne, Senior Reporter, The (Baton Rouge) Advocate
Speakers:
Christopher Hallowell, Director, Undergraduate Journalism, Baruch College, and Author, "Holding Back the Sea"
Chuck Villarrubia, Program Manager, Coastal Restoration Division, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

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