Today is the final day of the legislative session. The House was resistant to breaking the spending cap, but they have agreed to raise the cap, but at the same time the plan is also to allocate millions of dollars towards paying down state retirement debt. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin…
cut 12 (14) “…..both of those ideas”
The legislative session must be completed by 6 PM tonight.

LDWF has confirmed that two Northern Snakehead fish, native to Asia, were observed in a video that was taken in Concordia Parish. Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Rob Bourgeois says they could impact our native fisheries.
Cut 3 (10) “…the concern.”
Northern Snakeheads closely resemble Louisiana’s native Bowfin species. They were originally released into the wild through fish markets and aquarium trade. Bourgeois says they likely migrated from Mississippi or Arkansas.

The Louisiana Department of Health is urging residents to avoid waterways with blue-green algae. There’s a significant algal bloom in Lake Pontchatrain. State health officer Doctor Joe Kanter says some algae are harmless, certain types can produce toxins harmful to humans…
cut 15 (11) “….from hthere”
Residents can help prevent harmful algal blooms by properly using fertilizers and maintaining septic systems.

A bill sent to the governor incentives Louisiana restaurants to recycle oyster shells by providing them with a tax credit of one-dollar per 50 pounds Shell recycled. The recycled shells can help in the fight against coastal restoration. Tyler Bosworth is the advocacy director at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana…
cut 6 (12) “…program going”
The Oyster Shell Recycling Program has returned more than 13 million pounds of shell to the water since 2014.