[StBernard] Jindal Announces $60 Million in Coastal Protection Projects

[Westley Annis]

Jindal Announces $60 Million in Coastal Protection Projects

Posted: Jul 20, 2011 7:39 PM CDT
THIBODAUX - Today, Gov. Bobby Jindal announced the dedication of $60 million
in Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) funds that will enable several
coastal protection and restoration projects in Southeast Louisiana to
proceed quickly. The funds being reallocated are left over from other CIAP
projects that came in under budget or that have been delayed by the Corps of
Engineers.

 

Governor Jindal said, "We have invested an unprecedented total of more than
$1.7 billion to date in coastal projects across our state, and we must do
even more to protect our people and our businesses from the threat of
coastal erosion and hurricanes. Rather than continue to wait on the Corps of
Engineers, we are pleased that we can now prioritize $60 million to
immediately begin work on new projects. After four hurricanes in three years
and the BP oil spill, it is imperative that we do everything we can to
restore our coast and get to work on hurricane protection projects that will
help lessen the impact of future storms."

 

Terrebonne Parish President Michel H. Claudet said, "This announcement sends
a strong statement to the residents and businesses of Terrebonne Parish that
we understand our coastal challenges and we are now proposing solutions.  I
want to thank the Governor as well as our legislative delegation for leading
the way on this and the many other projects that are critically needed to
restore our coast and protect our people."

 

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said, "The coastal announcement
today is another example of parishes coming together and Louisiana speaking
with one voice to protect our citizens and restore our coast.  I appreciate
Governor Jindal's leadership to improve the resiliency of our state."

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said, "St. Bernard Parish is
pleased to once again partner with the state in developing an expedited way
to address some of our most pressing coastal needs. With an anticipated lack
of federal funding for the MRGO Ecosystem projects this opportunity to
reprogram CIAP funds for immediate use is forward thinking and allows
critical projects to be achieved in St. Bernard Parish and along the
Louisiana coast."

 

Lafourche Parish President Randolph said, "When the Governor and state
coastal officials recognized surplus money in this coastal fund, they
immediately focused on the epicenter of coastal land loss - Lafourche
Parish. This allocation will allow for additional fresh water to flow
through Bayou Lafourche, providing a more secure drinking water source and
nourishing marshes along the way. We in Lafourche appreciate Gov. Jindal's
continuing efforts to address this very serious problem."

 

Executive Director Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Steven Peyronnin
said, "The reallocation of CIAP funding is a clear and appropriate reminder
that the programs, policies and projects needed to restore our coast must be
as dynamic as the landscape we are trying to restore."

 

Cynthia Duet, Director of Governmental Relations for the National Audubon
Society in Louisiana said, "The CIAP program shows that Louisiana and its
coastal parishes can quickly and effectively implement projects when both a
plan and funding are in place. We at the National Audubon Society are
especially pleased by today's announcement of funding for the Coastal Forest
Conservation Initiative, which will enable much-needed conservation of
Louisiana's precious but disappearing natural resources, and the Mississippi
River Delta Study, which will enhance the understanding of river dynamics to
help Louisiana design a safer, more productive future for its communities,
wildlife, ecosystems, and industries."

 

Keith Ouchley, Executive Director for The Nature Conservancy, Louisiana,
said, "We commend the state for reprogramming these CIAP dollars rather than
losing the opportunity to proceed with important coastal restoration
initiatives. We are especially pleased to see an additional investment in
the Coastal Forestry Conservation Initiative (CFCI). The first round of the
CFCI was a big success, with more applications than funding available.  We
also saw the value of conservation easements as a cost efficient tool,
allowing for many more acres to be conserved for the amount of funding
available.  We know that coastal forests provide a number of important
ecosystem services, including storm protection for coastal communities. It
makes good sense to conserve important areas rather than paying more for
restoration later. We also are encouraged by the investment in the
Mississippi River Study, which will hopefully put us in a position to take
advantage of the sediment and freshwater resources in the River, and be able
to use future high water events to rebuild our coast."

 

John Walther, Habitat Chairman for the Coastal Conservation Association of
Louisiana said, "We applaud Governor Jindal and his leadership team for
today's announcement and their work on these important and innovative
coastal projects.  Using alternative materials for habitat enhancement, reef
building and shoreline protection is a proven and effective method, and we
look forward to more projects like these in the future."

 

Governor Jindal announced $60 million in funding for six projects:

 

Living Shorelines and Shoreline Stabilization Demonstration - $26.5 million.
Up to 21 miles of bio-engineered oyster reef will be installed in the
coastal fringe marsh of St. Bernard Parish from Eloi Point to the mouth of
Bayou La Loutre around Lydia Point and Paulina Point - extending around the
southern shore of Treasure Bay.  Approximately $2.5 million will be used for
shoreline protection in Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish.  This project is
expected to mitigate wind-wave induced shoreline erosion while providing
additional fishery habitat.
 

Mississippi River Water Reintroduction into Bayou Lafourche - $20 million.
Bayou Lafourche was cut off from the flow of the Mississippi River in 1903
and partially reconnected to the river in the 1950s with the installation of
a siphon station.  Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were subject to
a boil advisory as a result of Hurricane Gustav's impact on the bayou.  This
funding allows for the phase two of the project to proceed.  The Bayou
Lafourche project will dredge the bayou and increase the flow of water into
the bayou at its old intersection with the Mississippi River at
Donaldsonville, directing additional fresh water to marshes located further
south in Lafourche and Terrebonne areas. This commitment is in addition to
the $24 million previously committed by Governor Jindal and the CPRA and the
$3 million in CDBG funds recently dedicated to pump refurbishment.
 

Mississippi River Delta Management Strategic Planning - $5 million. This
funding is for an evaluation of improved management for fresh water,
nutrients, and sediment resources of the Lower Mississippi River, from the
Old River Control Structure to Head of Passes. This evaluation will focus on
increasing the land building capability of sediments from the Mississippi
River while maintaining deep draft navigation of the river.
 

Coastal Forest Conservation Initiative - $4 million. This project involves
acquiring land rights on coastal forest tracts from willing landowners to
facilitate conservation, restoration and enhancement of forest
sustainability by implementing small-scale projects, and to facilitate
wetland assimilation projects that contribute to coastal forest
sustainability.  Coastal forests are an important natural barrier to
hurricanes. Governor Jindal previously committed another $16.2 million in
CIAP funds toward this initiative.
 

Falgout Canal Freshwater Enhancement - $3.3 million. This project will
include the addition of water control structures to serve as tidal and storm
surge back flow prevention measures. The structures will be constructed
through the proposed levee on the south side of Falgout Canal Road in order
to allow freshwater to flow unimpeded by the levee.  This project is part of
the Morganza system and will help to ensure that the Morganza to the Gulf
project protects the citizens of Terrebonne and Lafourche while allowing for
freshwater to continue to nourish the wetlands.
 

Atchafalaya Long Distance Sediment Pipeline (Feasibility Analysis &
Constructability Review) - $750,000. This funding will support the design of
a long distance sediment pipeline for moving sediments dredged from the Port
of Morgan City's Channel Maintenance Program (from the Berwick Bay Area of
the Atchafalaya River to the Atchafalaya River Bar Channel Area) and other
available sources from the Atchafalaya Basin eastward into the critical
sediment deficient marshes of central and eastern Terrebonne. The
Barataria-Terrebonne basin is sediment starved, and this project together
with the Bayou Lafourche project will help get sediment and freshwater back
into these areas.
 

Grant applications for the projects the Governor announced today must be
submitted to the Department of the Interior for approval before the CIAP
funds are released for each project. The state will soon begin a 30-day
comment period, which is required before submitting project plans to
Interior. The CIAP Plan will be available online and information for
submitting comments will be posted at Coastal.Louisiana.Gov.

 

The CIAP provides funding to oil producing states and their coastal
subdivisions to mitigate damage and negative impacts caused by oil and gas
production on the Outer Continental Shelf. CIAP will provide approximately
$496 million to Louisiana. Thirty-five percent of these funds go to 19
coastal parishes and 65 percent go to the state.  Projects funded with this
money include those for marsh rebuilding, the restoration of barrier
islands, and decreasing potential damage to fish, wildlife and other natural
resources.