[StBernard] Lafourche Parish Approves Adoption of Flood Elevation Guidelines

[Westley Annis]

Lafourche Parish Approves Adoption of Flood Elevation Guidelines

Vote Clears Way for Close to $5 Million in Recovery Funding

BATON ROUGE, La. (March 29, 2007) - The Lafourche Parish Council this week voted to adopt the Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFE) as recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and required by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), clearing the way for a total of almost $5 million to the parish for rebuilding and recovery efforts. 

"President Randolph and the Council have made a very smart decision on behalf of the good people of Lafourche Parish," said LRA Board Member Chet Morrison. "Their vote ensures we're going to rebuild safely and also makes a substantial amount of funds available for critical construction projects in our community. We are determined to do this the right way and protect our communities from being subject to the same kind of damage we saw after Katrina and Rita." 

Now that the parish has adopted the new guidelines, it is eligible to receive $3 million to help get flood-prone homes out of harm's way and to make critical infrastructure, like hospitals, police stations and emergency operations centers, more resistant to future storms by installing shutters, raising generators and fuel tanks, and using other storm-proofing techniques. 

"Lafourche now joins dozens of other communities in South Louisiana that have taken another big step toward rebuilding safer, stronger and smarter," said LRA Board Member Donald "Boysie" Bollinger. 

Lafourche will also be able to access up to $948,000 for building recovery projects in the parish and affected municipalities from the LRA's Long Term Community Recovery program. An additional estimated $930,000 will be available to the parish to cover their ten percent match for FEMA's Public Assistance program. 

Parishes that choose not to adopt the ABFE guidelines as recommended by FEMA will not be eligible for the cost sharing program or additional funds for hazard mitigation. 

The following parishes and municipalities previously adopted the ABFE guidelines: Plaquemines, Calcasieu, Lake Charles, Sulphur, Vinton, Westlake, Cameron, Iberia, Jeanerette, New Iberia, Jefferson, Grand Isle, Gretna, Harahan, Jean Lafitte, Kenner, Westwego, Golden Meadow, Lockport, Thibodaux, Orleans, St. Charles, St. Mary, Baldwin, Franklin, Morgan City, St. Tammany, Madisonville, Slidell, Tangipahoa, Ponchatoula, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Abbeville and Delcambre.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.

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