[StBernard] LRA Board Member Applauds Congress for Passing WRDA, Urges President to Sign the Bill and Provide Fu

[Westley Annis]

LRA Board Member Applauds Congress for Passing WRDA, Urges President to Sign the Bill and Provide Funding for Critical Hurricane Protection Projects in Louisiana


BATON ROUGE, La. (September 26, 2007) - Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Board member Chet Morrison issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate's vote to approve the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) earlier this week. The U.S. House of Representatives previously passed similar legislation. WRDA now awaits President George W. Bush's signature to become law.

"Earlier this week Congress made another significant commitment to Louisiana's recovery by approving WRDA, which includes more than $3.6 billion in critical hurricane recovery projects for Louisiana. By authorizing funds to establish the Louisiana's Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration (LCA) project, expedite closure of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), establish Morganza to the Gulf and other projects that will enhance protection for our wetlands, navigation routes and our seafood rich coastal communities, WRDA can easily be described as one of the most important pieces of legislation passed by Congress in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

"We thank leaders in the House and Senate, especially members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation, for their leadership on this, as the passage of this legislation gives new hope and confidence to the people of Louisiana that more than two years after the worst natural and man-made disaster in US history, our long-term recovery needs have not been forgotten."

"We urge President Bush to follow Congress' lead, sign this bill into law and renew the commitment he made in Jackson Square to 'do what it takes' to help citizens throughout Louisiana and the Gulf Coast to rebuild their communities and their lives."

The WRDA bill, which was passed by the US House of Representatives earlier this year and approved by the US Senate earlier this week by a vote of 81-12., includes 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.

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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