[StBernard] CRITICAL HURRICANE PROTECTION PROJECTS

[Westley Annis]

LOUISIANA SPEAKS CITIZENS ACTION ALERT 
Tell Congress and President Bush to Authorize 
CRITICAL HURRICANE PROTECTION PROJECTS 

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate will soon meet to
craft compromise legislation to reauthorize the Water Resources Development
Act (WRDA), which could include nearly $3.6 billion in Army Corps of
Engineers projects authorized for Louisiana. 

Contact Congress and President Bush TODAY and express your support for
hurricane and coastal protection. 

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTACT INFORMATION FOR
LOUISIANA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND THE WHITE HOUSE
<http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/static.html?id=22> 


WHAT'S AT STAKE? The WRDA bill, including specific provisions to: 


*	Authorize funding for Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration
(LCA), about two dozen coastal wetlands repairs totaling nearly $2 billion
intended to stanch the erosion that has left the state more vulnerable to
storms sweeping in off the Gulf of Mexico. 
*	Expedite closure of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), the
canal, which has been identified by scientists and engineers as a key factor
that accelerated Hurricane Katrina's storm surge and flooding, especially in
St. Bernard Parish. Under current legislation passed by the U.S. Senate,
with bi-partisan support from Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator David
Vitter (R-LA), the Army Corps of Engineers could begin taking steps to close
the MRGO six months after the legislation is signed into law. 

*	Authorize $886 million for Morganza to the Gulf, which is a series
of levees, locks and other systems through Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes
that will, when complete, serve to protect more than 120,000 people and
1,700 square miles of land against storm surges such as those caused by
Hurricane Katrina.
*	Expedite the authorization of projects recommended by the
comprehensive coastal protection plan being conducted by the Corps of
Engineers in coordination with the State of Louisiana. This Corps plan is
set to be completed in December 2007 and will be based on the State's
Comprehensive Master Plan for Coastal Protection and Restoration
<http://lacpra.org/> . 

These projects are consistent with recommendations from the state of
Louisiana's proposed Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan
<http://lacpra.org/>  and the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan
<http://www.louisianaspeaks.org> . Funding for these projects is essential
to protecting Louisiana's coastal communities, and preserving Louisiana's
working coast, which serves as a portal for nearly one third of all the oil
and gas production in the U.S. 


WHAT CAN YOU DO? Contact Congress and President Bush TODAY and express your
support for hurricane and coastal protection. 

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTACT INFORMATION FOR
LOUISIANA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND THE WHITE HOUSE
<http://www.louisianaspeaks.org/static.html?id=22>