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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Knocking on Doors for a Clean Gulf Coast

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Wednesday, July 27, 2011   

TAMPA, Fla. - A year after the BP oil-spill disaster, the Gulf Restoration Network is working to engage community members in thousands of one-on-one conversations. The group believes it's one way to force the oil industry and the federal government to fix the damage done to the coast, and to invite individuals to do their parts to protecting the gulf's natural resources.

GRN's Florida director, Darden Rice, says the pro-oil lobby has its own creative game plan to protect its offshore drilling interest.

"The American Petroleum Institute even tried to pull off these astro-turf fake grassroots campaigns, and this was to give the perception that there was ordinary citizen support for a pro-drilling, anti-climate-change agenda."

Florida politicians and leaders have yet to take adequate action to ensure that the gulf is protected and restored, Rice claims. The oil industry responds that it has pumped millions of dollars into cleaning up the gulf's waters and coastlines.

GRN wants assurances that the state will give local communities a say in future oil and gas-drilling decisions that impact their lives and livelihoods, Rice says, adding that the group sees the need to counter demonstrations organized by pro-oil interests.

"The rally that was planned for Tampa, the Energy Citizen Rally, was organized by David Mica, who is the president of the Florida Petroleum Council and, of course, the brother of Congressman John Mica, one of the oil industry's strongest supporters in Florida."

Rice says many Florida households can expect GRN outreach associates to canvas their neighborhoods this summer, asking for support in the battle for a healthy gulf.

Information on the campaign is online at healthygulf.org.


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