Regional Protection and Restoration Projects Moving Forward
Barrier islands and local levees were the big winners
|
|
Over the past few weeks, several big announcement have been made benefiting the Bayou Region, including funding for critical restoration and protection projects.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards first signed an agreement allocating a total of $41.7 million to both the North and South Lafourche levee districts for storm protection projects from both state GOMESA and surplus funds. More information on that
announcement here from Dredging Today.
CPRA Chairman Chip Kline and Governor Edwards were also on hand with officials from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to announce a $160 million commitment to the Terrebonne Barrier Islands of West Belle Pass, East Trinity and Timbalier Islands. These barrier islands serve as a critical first line of defense, as well as vital habitat for the ecosystem. Weeks Marine has been awarded the contract for the work, which was first announced at the christening of their new dredge, the JS Chatry in Houma. More on that
announcement here in Houma Today.
Businesses will also receive a new coastal resource center in Thibodaux in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Nicholls State University, and South Louisiana Economic Council.
According to Houma Today,
the Louisiana Coastal Technical Assistance Center, known as CTAC, will help Louisiana companies in qualifying work as contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in the state’s water management sector. More information can be found at:
www.bayouregion.com/ctac
|
|
ROR Sets Annual Meeting for October 2
The meeting will highlight the exciting coastal opportunities happening at Nicholls
|
Restore or Retreat is hosting its annual membership meeting on
Wednesday, October 2 at noon
at Ellendale Country Club in Houma.
The meeting is open to the public, and will feature guest speaker Dr. Jay Clune, President of Nicholls State University, who will highlight the many coastal opportunities at Nicholls for our members and the community, including the coastal center, business incubator and more! CPRA Chairman Chip Kline will also be a special guest for the event.
We would love to have you join us--
here is a link
to the event's registration.
|
|
|
ROR will once again host our Working for Our Coast workforce event this fall for Terrebonne Parish students at Fletcher Technical Community College. We hope you can join us!
Please click here
if you would like to volunteer to speak, host a table or help out for the day!
|
|
ROR Hosts Coastal Candidate Luncheon
All candidates in Lafourche and Terrebonne running for State Senate, State Representative, Parish President and Parish Councils were invited to attend
|
|
Restore or Retreat hosted a Coastal 101 luncheon last month at Fletcher Technical Community College for parish president, council, state senate and state representative candidates that qualified to run for office earlier in August.
Following lunch and an introduction, CPRA Chairman and Executive Assistant to the Governor on Coastal Activities Chip Kline welcomed the group and provided an extensive "Coastal 101," describing the inception of the coastal agency and progress made so far in implementing the State's Comprehensive Coastal Master Plan. Dwayne Bourgeois and Mitch Marmande, representing the North Lafourche Levee District and Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District respectively, were also on hand to talk about levee improvements in both parishes, as well as impacts from Hurricane Barry. Ben Malbrough of the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District provided an update on their exciting work including funding for a brand new pump station in Donaldsonville. ROR closed out the meeting providing coastal resources to the candidates.
We thank all of the candidates for their time, and also are grateful for our restoration and protection partners for presenting! Information on the event, including presentations, and a detailed listing of projects in Lafourche and Terrebonne from CPRA can be found on the
ROR website here.
|
|
Weekly, Thursday 5pm-6pm on WGSO 990am, also on Google Play and iTunes
Past show topics include: Recreation and Restoration with Chris Macaluso and Todd Masson, Wild Weather and Importance of Restoration with Meteorologist Margaret Orr and Steve Capariota, and more!
|
|
CPRA Monthly Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 18
ROR Annual Meeting
Wednesday, October 2
with President Jay Clune of Nicholls and CPRA Chairman Chip Kline
Ellendale Country Club
Working for Our Coast Workforce Event
Thursday, October 10
Fletcher Technical Community College
Jefferson Parish Coastal 101
Thursday, October 10
JEDCO, Avondale
More information here
ROR Rendezvous Fund Raiser
Thursday, November 7
The Foundry, Thibodaux
|
|
|
|
ROR visited the White House; JS Chatry is christened, ROR's annual fund raiser is coming up, and CTAC partnership is signed at SLEC on Nicholls campus
|
|
|
|
ROR talked revenue sharing at the Capitol, GLPC and ROR host SouthWings quarterly pilot meet up, barrier island work is announced in Terrebonne, and Coastal 101 is held for Bayou Region candidates
|
|
|
|
Achieving comprehensive coastal restoration since 2000
|
|
|
Restore or Retreat
is a non-profit coastal advocacy group created by coastal Louisiana residents and stakeholders who recognize that the Barataria and Terrebonne basins are the two most rapidly eroding estuaries on earth, and that this erosion represents an economic and ecological crisis. With a growing membership of over 250 businesses and individuals, ROR seeks to identify and expedite the implementation of aggressive, large-scale restoration projects to protect this irreplaceable region.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|