A Conversation with Rep. Garret Graves

October 4, 2020

One of the most important coastal leaders in America.

On this episode of The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank interviews Representative Garret Graves. Rep. Graves has a long history working for coastal restoration and resilience, most notably in leading Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and currently as Congressman. On the podcast, he talks about new laws that allow FEMA money to be spent on Army Corps projects, why investing in resilience should be done before a storm, and how the Army Corps of Engineers is improving and where he'd like to see the Corps go. He also shares why he wanted Cajuns listed as an endangered species and how the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State is like the Coastal Louisiana wetlands.

Show Transcription
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Derek Brockbank

Derek Brockbank is Executive Director of Coastal States Organization (CSO), which represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues. With two decades of experience in Washington DC on coastal adaptation policy and organizational development, Derek is connecting state coastal management programs with federal agencies and resources in order to address the greatest coastal challenges facing society. He previously served as executive director for the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) where he led the strategic planning and outreach, government affairs, and development goals of the nation’s leading organization advocating for beach and coastal restoration. Prior to starting with ASBPA, Derek worked as campaign director for a coalition effort to restore the Mississippi River Delta and Coastal Louisiana, and was part of a gulf-wide campaign to pass the RESTORE Act, securing billions of dollars for Gulf Coast restoration. This followed up on his work with National Wildlife Federation on climate adaption. Derek grew up in New York City and got his coastal education from an early age playing on the beaches of Long Island, and kayaking and fishing in Peconic Bay.