[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. SHEA PENLAND

 Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I wish to acknowledge Dr. Shea 
Penland, one of the leading experts on coastal restoration, for his 
dedicated service to Louisiana. I would like to take some time to make 
a few remarks on his accomplishments.
  Dr. Penland passed away suddenly at the age of 54 on Tuesday, March 
25, 2008. He was a respected professor in the Department of Earth and 
Environmental Sciences at the University of New Orleans and the 
director of the Pontchartrain Institute of Environmental Science. His 
investigations included the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, 
Alaska, the Great Lakes, the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and the 
North Sea. Dr. Penland had been an advocate for coastal protection and 
restoration in Louisiana and spoke passionately about how coastal 
wetlands and barrier islands functioned as natural storm surge barriers 
during hurricanes and tropical storms.
  Several years ago I sponsored and passed a bill to bring together a 
number of individuals and entities to coordinate efforts to clean up 
Lake Pontchartrain and promote the restoration of the Lake 
Pontchartrain Basin. Dr. Penland took a leadership role in this effort 
by helping to bring the university community together to prioritize and 
coordinate their research activities. The program has been very 
successful over the last several years, and Dr. Penland deserves a 
great deal of credit for helping to achieve that success.
  Dr. Penland's passing is a great loss to the State of Louisiana, and 
Wendy and I send our thoughts and prayers out to his family, friends, 
and coworkers. I am positive that Dr. Penland's work will continue to 
benefit Louisiana and coastal regions throughout the United States for 
years to come.
  Thus, today, I am proud to honor a fellow Louisianan, Dr. Shea 
Penland, and thank him for his dedicated and tireless service to our 
State and country.

                          ____________________