The latest coastal news, events and more from the Barataria and Terrebonne Basins...

Coastal Master Plan Moves Forward
From CPRA: BATON ROUGE, LA - The state's revised 50-year comprehensive master plan to protect and restore Louisiana's endangered coast was approved by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority ( CPRA) Board at its April monthly meeting, along with the Fiscal Year 2018 annual plan for project expenditures in the upcoming state fiscal year. Both plans have be submitted for legislative consideration.
 
Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast includes 124 projects that build or maintain more than 800 square miles of land and reduce expected damage by $8.3 billion annually by year 50, which equates to more than $150 billion over the next 50 years, and are expected to pay for themselves three times over the course of implementing the plan. The diversity of projects in the plan reflects the need to construct projects that build land and reduce risk in the near term, while also investing in projects like sediment diversions and structural protection projects that provide long-term benefits.

 
"Since entering the legislature, one issue that has remained outside of partisan politics is our coastal master plan. Citizens across Louisiana, from Bastrop to Cameron and Shreveport to Chalmette, all share a similar commitment to invest wisely in our coast because it is critical to our economy and our culture," said Senator Blade Morrish. "It's a tremendous privilege to champion the 2017 Coastal Master Plan this session and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to approve this plan so that we can continue our critical work to protect and restore our coast."
 
Equal funding of $25 billion is allocated to restoration and risk reduction projects, and project selection was based on a project's effectiveness in providing near- and long-term land area or risk reduction benefits. More than two thirds of the investment in restoration is directed to marsh creation projects, while structural protection projects receive the largest investment of risk reduction funds. Sediment diversions from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers also remain a foundational part of the overall restoration strategy and a much more developed and defined "nonstructural" program is included, which recommends potential projects such as elevating homes and flood-proofing businesses in areas that are at risk or will become most at risk in future decades.
  
While the 2017 Coastal Master Plan looks out over 50 years and outlines the best projects to implement, building them requires funding, engineering and design, and environmental and feasibility assessments. The Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Plan approved was sent to the legislature as the funding request for expenditures in the coming fiscal year to Master Plan projects that are in the process of moving toward construction.  To view both approved plans, go to 2017 Coastal Master Plan and Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Plan.
 
For the state's 2018 fiscal year ( July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018) CPRA plans to implement $664 million worth of restoration and protection projects and initiatives. This includes $383 million for construction projects, $136.8 million for planning, engineering and design of projects to be built in coming years, $47.2 million for operations, maintenance and monitoring of previously constructed projects, $45.9 million for ongoing programs and initiatives, and $31 million for operating costs.
 
"With more projects working their way toward construction, and with more revenue coming as a result of the BP oil spill, we expect expenditures to top $1 billion by fiscal year 2020,"  CPRA Executive Director Ellis reported to the CPRA Board.

Presentations for other topics covered during the meeting can be found on the CPRA's calendar at are  www.coastal.la.gov.
ROR Annual Meeting Set

A new CEO, a new vision, and a new direction for The Water Institute of the Gulf, Justin Ehrenwerth will be our keynote speaker on Friday, May 26 to  address where the Institute is and where it wants to be in regards to working with NGOs, industry, and universities now into the future.

Click here to register online
Coastal News
Coastal Calendar

May 9-11: National Adaptation Forum, Minneapolis, MN (ROR to present on panel)

May 11:  Master Plan to be heard in Senate Natural Resources

May 17:  CPRA Monthly Board Meeting, LaSalle Building, Baton Rouge

July 9 - 14: WETSHOP at LDWF Marine Research Lab, Grand Isle, LA
Click here for more info
 
Restore or Retreat, Inc | 985.448.4485 | www.restoreorretreat.org
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