Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us.

Because together we power lights.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall.

The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is an historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

With support from viewers like you.

Rebuilding Marsh to protect one of Louisiana's primary hurricane evacuation routes.

A community leader working to keep her community healthy.

Land a big national honor.

Louisiana's first wind turbine will soon be operational at Port Charlotte, and a sugary treat with history dating back to the earliest days of New Orleans is making a comeback.

All right, well, let's get started.

Let's get started.

In.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Karen LeBlanc, and I'm Keristen Sear.

Much more on those top stories in a moment on this week's edition of SWI.

But first, America's very first U.S. built offshore wind service operations vessel recently launched from the Port of New Orleans.

The project underscores findings and a new wind supply chain study that outlines Louisiana's competitive advantage in the emerging offshore wind energy industry.

In my continuing coverage, Winds of Change, I toured Port Fourchon, the operational base for Louisiana's first wind turbine.

To bring you up to speed on offshore wind energy efforts, you're looking at the site of Louisiana's first wind turbine at Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish, which aims to be a national leader service in the offshore wind energy industry.

So this is a 250 by 250ft block, and it will be set to the backside of the property.

Right.

And that'll be 187ft from the base all the way to the tip of the blade.

And that'll be that wind turbine that'll be used for data collection and studying, as well as the Port Commission, hoping to offtake the power of 200 to 300kW for our facilities here.

Gulf Wind Technology is assembling the turbine at its Avondale shipyard, which I recently toured for a behind the scenes look at the company's wind energy research, development, and workforce training efforts.

The wind turbine will sit in port for the Shawn's new Coastal Wetlands Park, 100 acres of marsh created from dredging new port developments.

So this coastal wetlands park, this is just the beginning.

We're going to build, a kind of an elevated lookout tower sort of thing that's going to have, displayed kind of panel boards of the type of habitat you see.

Right.

What bird you might see here, what fish you might see here, what type of plants and trees and shrubs.

One of Louisiana's first two offshore wind leases in state waters resides near Port Fish on the diamond offshore wind site spans approximately 6000 acres.

So where are we?

We are in slip sea right at the edge of the bulkhead, standing on the right of first refusal area that Crowley Wind has.

So this facility here, they have a rider first refusal on 2300 linear feet of waterfront with 43 acres associated with that waterfront.

So this could be, if that turns into a lease.

The first Gulf of Mexico offshore wind service facility specifically dedicated for offshore wind.

A new report commissioned by the Louisiana legislature examines the state's potential to capitalize on wind energy.

The report makes very clear that unique and special advantage that the state has when it comes to offshore wind.

Courtney Durham Shane is with the Pew Charitable Trusts, an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organization that conducted the wind supply chain study.

Over 450 businesses have strong potential, have the strong, capabilities to provide the goods and services necessary for the offshore wind industry across the United States.

15 Louisiana companies have already been a cornerstone of the early offshore wind industry in the United States.

The report finds over 60,000 workers employed in industries adjacent to offshore wind in the state have the type of transferable skills that, you'd want to see for the offshore wind industry, things like welders, mariners, riggers, many of the job types and skills that Louisianans have are applicable to the offshore wind industry.

Wind energy workforce training is picking up speed, with Nunez Community College in Chalmette launching Louisiana's first degree program in the wind energy industry.

Enrollment starts in fall 2024 for the community college's wind energy technology program.

By leveraging those existing assets that infrastructure, workforce business networks, Louisiana can become a leading player in the United States and potentially even globally for for offshore wind development.

And we're very hopeful that this new report can help to illuminate that pathway to help the state maximize on the potential of the offshore wind industry.

Meanwhile, improvements are underway at Port Future to service deepwater offshore wind turbines in the Gulf of Mexico.

The port plans to deepen Belle Pass.

That's the main entrance to the port to 50ft and build a bridge connecting to an island, a 900 acre development to service the offloading of equipment for the offshore wind market.

This is not an energy transition.

This is an energy addition, right?

We need more energy in our country.

In the world.

Port fusion services 100% of the Gulf of Mexico's deepwater assets that produce 18% of the domestic oil supply, managed by the only elected port commission in Louisiana.

Port Fushi is capitalizing on its geographical position, an experienced workforce to serve as the nation's demand station project for the potential of offshore wind energy.

From hashtags to headlines, here's a look at what's trending this week.

Well, Memorial Day is coming up, and we have a public service announcement and a wardrobe change because we're ready.

It is a boating safety week.

Now.

It's going to take me a longer time to put my nine second.

And so we are here to remind you to wear your life vest.

Super important whether you are in a boat or you're just in the water.

Maybe to be in a relaxing recreationally, right?

Yeah.

In fact, 82% of boating fatalities happen because people aren't wearing their life vest.

So while these definitely look goofy on set, they're a necessity out there on the water.

I actually think you wear it well.

And let's also return people.

Boating safety isn't just for boaters.

If you are in the water recreationally swimming, tubing, waterskiing, be alert.

Yes.

Okay, so now it is time for yet another wardrobe change as we move on to our next trending headline.

And that has to do with Saint Mary's Academy in New Orleans.

So they've been making headlines recently for two math superstars who use trigonometry, right?

Yes.

Kelsey Johnson and Kaia Jackson story was so inspiring that NBA legend Charles Barkley, he even made a donation to the school.

And I do want to point out that Saint Mary's Academy has a lot of stories like this.

Those kids go on to college, they get scholarships.

So these two kids are really just an example of the great stuff that goes on at that school.

And thank you to Charles Barkley, who donated $1 million to the school.

Yes, that's great news.

All right.

If you are a Disney fan, too, it's who is.

And listen up, Disney is about to launch a new Louisiana inspired ride.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure is set to open June 28th, and it's based on Leah Chase, who was one of the owners and chefs at world famous Dooky Chase's in New Orleans.

Yes, yes.

So I don't know if you've seen any of the animatronics for this ride, but it's really, really advanced.

It looks realistic.

And I went to Disney World last year and I got to see what the construction looks like.

It's replacing a very famous ride's Splash Mountain, so it's going to be exciting to see what they're going to do with the location, but I can't wait to see what it looks like.

As a mother with two children that frequently went to Disney, I am perfectly happy that it's replacing Splash Mountain that used to give me just terror on that ride and puts you in that second wet.

But yes, the ride is starting and, it's going to be a great I'm on to Louisiana.

Definitely.

And moving on.

Sharon Levine founded Ride Saint James, Louisiana, in 2018 to fight chemical plants from locating in her hometown.

Since then, her activism has gained national attention and made her organization a mouthpiece for all communities in Cancer Alley.

This year, she's been honored and recognized for her work.

Here's what she had to say.

The 85 mile stretch of land between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, nicknamed Cancer Alley, is facing some major changes.

The EPA updated emission standards to cut down more than 6200 tons of toxic air pollution annually.

The standards specifically target pollutants like ethylene oxide and chlorine.

Two known carcinogen, is used to make different types of plastics.

Louisiana activists living in Cancer Alley, like Sharon Levine, have fought for this moment for years.

This ushers in a new era in her activism, but it also highlights all the work she's done since 2018.

Just recently, Levine was honored in time magazine as one of times 100 Most Influential People in 2024, I caught up with her for an update on her activism and her new status.

Well, first, I want to start this interview by telling you congratulations!

You are one of times 100 Most influential people for 2024.

So I want to congratulate you.

How do you feel?

I feel good about it, but I didn't know what it was about.

I was so excited and my daughters were over overly excited, so.

But I didn't know they had something like 100 most influential people I didn't know.

They never dreamed that I would be on a red carpet, never in this lifetime I never ever.

It never came across my mind that I would be one of those posing on a red carpet.

You've been doing this work for five years.

You started Rise Saint James in 2018?

Yes.

Did you ever think that it was going to get the National attention that it's gotten over the past couple of years?

Not in a million years.

In my mind, I thought people knew about this area, and I was disappointed to know that people didn't know.

There are people over here dying and you being polluted.

I didn't know that.

So that took a whole different turn in my life and doing this work I didn't know.

You be, you begin to be recognized and you have a moment to rejoice so that that make it good, make me feel good inside because I feel like my work is not in vain.

There's someone brought it, brought it to the attention of everyone about the work that I'm doing and other people in my shoes.

It's doing the same thing that I'm doing.

So I thought it was wonderful.

This is not the same person I was talking to last year, months ago.

No, your entire mood has completely changed.

I'm still not happy because we are in the always put them in the black neighborhoods.

Why are we the dumping ground?

Why do they dump things on the black poor black people and brown people?

Why do they do that?

And it's all about greed.

These plants come in here and they they scope out the areas.

Where do you think the weakest people or they're not going to speak up?

And I guess our fifth district was the one for years, but I didn't know.

I didn't know what was going on back then.

But now that we know we are fighting back, did you feel like anything was going to change after that lawsuit had been tossed?

I feel like we have to fight even harder, and I feel like we have to reach President Biden.

That's the answer.

Once I reached President Biden, he won't change his mind.

And we want him to declare this an emergency, a health emergency or a climate emergency, whatever you want to call it.

But he can say about life, well, it seems you did reach him in a way.

In a way I did the EPA standards.

That's changed.

That's what I sure did.

I was so happy.

This isn't a complete elimination of everything that you want, but do you think that this is at least, you know, a step in the right direction?

I think it is a step in the right direction.

I think it's the beginning of the end for all of this pollution.

The beginning of the end?

Yes, with the beginning.

That's quite a statement.

Yes it is.

And I feel I believe in my heart that these plants that try to come in here, they're going to be hard for them to come in.

The standards are set so low, like, with the chlorine.

EPA gave them 90 days to clean up the mess.

So I think that's one step in the right direction to keep Formosa Plastics out.

And any other industry that tries to come in here.

So that's a plus for us.

That's a victory to me.

And and more to come and more to come and more to come.

Well let's talk about that.

More to come.

Yes.

All right.

So we've gotten these standards adjusted.

And you think that this could eventually be an avenue to keep other people from coming in and bringing more pollution into this area?

Yes.

But in the meantime, what's your next goal?

The ones that are here already, we want them to follow the guidelines of the EPA, and if they don't, we want them to be shut down.

And I feel that believe they want to try to go around the EPA standards.

I know they will.

They want to try, but they will not succeed because Administrator Regan came down with those rules.

And I think those rules are set in stone, even though people are going to try to sue and and find fault with it.

But I think that in the end we are going to win.

We're going to be able to breathe clean air might not be today, but it's coming.

What else do you want people to know about this effort, about this fight and about Saint James?

By receiving this award?

It makes me want to fight even harder for my community in other communities.

We want.

Right Saint James to branch out to other communities and help them.

Well, I appreciate you so much for taking the time to talk to us and good luck with all your other endeavors.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I appreciate you for coming to get my story.

It's so nice.

A wetlands restoration project is underway to help protect South Louisiana's primary westward hurricane evacuation route.

The Longbranch East Marsh Creation Project is building 1400 acres of wetlands around the Bonnie Kerry Spillway in Saint James Parish.

Here's an up close look at the project's progress.

An airboat ride along the Bonnie Kerry Spillway reveals an up close look at the work of rebuilding lost marshlands, dirt dredging from Lake Pontchartrain forms a series of containment dikes for marshland, building that works to protect the area from storm surges and restores wildlife habitat in the Lake Pontchartrain estuary and basin.

It's a very important project for the east bank of Saint Charles Parish.

we're sowing our marsh in the branch wetlands.

specifically, are some of the most visible marshes in all of Louisiana, especially this region, as I-10 passes right along this marsh line.

Critically important not only to the ecosystems and the health of nature outside of Lake Pontchartrain, but also for our levee system and protection for our residents.

The Bonnie Kerry Spillway runs through one of the most visible wetlands in the state, which has lost more than 6000 acres of marsh over the past 50 years.

Work is underway to create 1400 acres of wetlands, nourishing 148 acres of existing marsh.

We have, an area that's being, degraded, is converted to open water.

And we went in and we built containment dikes, which will be used to confine the material that we're pumping into the project area.

We installed dewatering structures to allow the water to leave the area.

And for the material to settle out and create emergent marsh, and that'll be followed.

We're in the process of constructing a sediment, pipeline to provide the material to the site.

And then we'll have a dredge boat out in the borrow area to, capture the material, and we'll pump it into the project area over a period of 2 or 3 months, and then it'll settle out and it'll create intertidal emergent marsh.

The project falls under the coastal wetlands planning protection and Restoration Act, referred to in shorthand as quick brown.

The federal state coastal restoration effort is funded by federal legislation enacted in 1990 for the design and construction of coastal wetlands restoration projects.

Well, we're looking at actually designed to create 1400 acres of new marsh while also providing nourishment for 148 acres of existing marsh.

South Louisiana has a coastline at risk.

We've got 40% of the nation's coastal wetlands, but at the same time, some of the most alarming land loss.

We lose about 25mi² of coastal wetlands per year, where I have a high rate of coastal land loss.

And that's everything ranging from environmental impacts that we've seen during industrial accidents, the development along the coastline, the fact that we have the highest level of sea rise.

So that's resulting that coastal land loss from that, we've seen opportunities where we can conduct coastal restoration to help reduce that land loss.

The project also creates a protective wetland buffer to the region's primary westward hurricane evacuation route.

The branch Marsh building is set for completion in mid 2025.

It sits next to an earlier marsh restoration project that together will form 2000 acres of contiguous emergent marsh.

So the first project of the Cooper program ever built was just to behind me here between Lake Pontchartrain and I-10.

and so it's great to see that was 30 years ago.

We're now here celebrating the construction of a second project, very similar, and another project that we know will be here for another 30 years.

The more land we can build along our coast, the more land we have between us and the Gulf of Mexico.

As a hurricane is approaching our coast, the better our field.

And so this is a big piece of that.

Beyond protection, the La Branch Marsh area provides quality of life perks for boaters, birders, and outdoor enthusiasts.

The venue is synonymous with South Louisiana, particularly New Orleans, but the sugar coated treat isn't the first of its kind.

The cola dates back even further.

A popular street food with an important history sold on the streets of May and the French Quarter before falling out of popularity in the 1940s.

But one man is looking to revive that tradition.

Take a look.

To a slave.

Financial literacy was the first step toward liberation.

Controlling your finances meant you could potentially buy your freedom, your humanity, from a master.

The process of gaining one's freedom was called manumission, and there was a legal framework to achieve it if one was so lucky.

In Louisiana, some slaves, especially ones that were women, found manumission opportunities through food.

The clause an old New Orleans delicacy.

You've probably never tasted a small, sweet rice fritter buried under confectioners sugar, made, sold and popularized by West African slaves in the heart of New Orleans.

Its past is largely hidden behind its modern culinary cousin, the veneer, but its historical impact is still here with us, especially those of us whose ancestors relied on it for survival.

It's a part of a tradition of phenomenal women who came to America as a part of that trans-Atlantic slave experience.

Brandon Pellerin is one such descendent of this lost recipe, desperately trying to revive its popularity.

Except he learned about color the old fashioned way.

His grandmother.

Did you understand the significance of what you were eating?

Oh, no.

I simply was just like, let me get some of that deliciousness.

I'll make time for all the other stuff later.

Of course, he did learn the history.

Eventually, the color originated in West Africa.

Some cultures, like the newts, called the dish crab, which translates to fried cake.

The recipe, along with its key ingredient rice, traveled westward during the transatlantic slave trade and landed in Louisiana around the 1700s.

But the name color was first documented in 1880.

The Tremaine neighborhood represents the lost.

Women represent this neighborhood, and the hard work that was done in the pursuit of freedom, and the outcome of that success.

Enslaved women sold color on Sundays, which is technically a slave's day of rest.

The women would stand outside churches in the French Quarter, or trim, waiting for white parishioners to leave.

They were easily identified by their signature looks turbans covering their hair, long skirts, and a basket with the collar atop their heads.

They would be outside of the cathedral, on a Sunday, knowing that there was a bunch of hungry people are waiting to exit the church.

And they took that as their opportunity to, you know, sell the tradition.

They would move about the French quarters with baskets on their head, were calling phrases of color, collar, bell, color, class, color to short.

And, they would sell this amazing, dish outside, around New Orleans and in fact, earned enough money to purchase the freedom.

What does that mean?

That means very hot in French.

So it was a way of communicating.

based on the time they were in, bell colors, beautiful colors, color colors, very hot colors, mood mongering yarn.

Most of the money was pocketed by the slaves, master, but sometimes slaves would keep a portion of the income.

If one was lucky, they'd save enough to purchase their freedom and possibly use the money as a source of income afterward.

When do you start to see that decline of the class?

Around what time period is that in the in the 1940s?

I think we had around that time, we may have had, about a colored purse in New Orleans.

around that time, and then the tradition has just kind of died off.

The entrepreneurial spirit of this dish is still alive and well in Brandon's kitchen.

He's opened up a cooler cafe right next to his home in Treme.

The business is an extension of Brandon's other company, Harvest Nola.

The goal is to fight food insecurity and revive the culture in the black communities it originated from.

Brandon's family dish is symbolic of a struggle he still sees in his community.

The main ingredient is cooked rice.

it was that additive, and that part of the tradition that not only, assisted in that pursuit of freedom and economic security, it also act as a form of, food security at the time, giving people sustaining the energy that they need it to go throughout, the workday while working in insecure food environment.

a final, my company, my line of work, has been in food security, first in the community garden setting, and then looking for adaptable ways, to, solve the problem of food insecurity.

Now, Brandon's put a small spin on his take of this historic dessert.

His are gluten free with a lemon sauce.

You can use a dip.

It tastes as good as it sounds.

Almost as good as a bean.

Yea, maybe even better.

I just want to make sure, the contributions of the people who occupied this neighborhood, who contributed, this significant, gifts of jazz, to not only knew Orleans, but the world at large.

A lot of the culinary cuisine that New Orleans benefits Louisiana and benefits from celebrating the culture Cafe is in the center of Treme, painted with colored women wearing their long skirts and signature turbans.

It's moving to see really, its history repeating itself in the purest way.

That's our show for this week.

Remember, you can watch anything LPB anytime, wherever you are with our LPB app.

You can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs you've come to enjoy over the years.

And please like us on Facebook and Instagram for everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

I'm Karen LeBlanc.

And I'm Kara sincere.

Until next time.

That's the state we're in.

Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us.

Because together, we power lights.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum.

Located in Jennings City Hall, the museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is an historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana.

And by Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.