Boustany Supports Storm Protection and Coastal Restoration for Louisiana

Washington, DC – (RealEstateRama) — Dr. Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette) supported passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 (H.R. 5303). This vital legislation authorizes United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects and activities to improve maritime infrastructure, support specific flood protection projects, and continue coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. WRDA has passed the House by a vote of 399 – 25. The bill now heads to conference with S. 2848, which cleared the Senate by a vote of 95 – 3 earlier this month.

Boustany said: “The bill will authorize critically important projects for my home state of Louisiana.

“Over this past weekend, we remembered the 11th anniversary of Hurricane Rita making landfall. This storm, and subsequently Hurricane Ike, demonstrated the dire need to implement greater measures to protect our coastal communities, many of which were destroyed back then.

“Congressional authorization of the Southwest Coastal Study will open the door for necessary hurricane and storm damage reduction and coastal restoration projects for Southwest Louisiana for the first time.

“Additionally, the bill includes vital funding for the Calcasieu Lock Project, which is the 10th busiest lock in the nation.

“The bill also includes construction authorization for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project, which will provide critical storm surge protection for Louisiana’s River Parishes, something that has been in the works for over 40 years.

“And additionally the Comite Diversion Project, which would have prevented a lot of the flooding we just saw in Louisiana.

“These and other reasons are really why we should support this very important legislation and I urge final passage.”

Nedra Davis, the Executive Director of the Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority said: “The Chenier Plain Authority would like to commend Representative Boustany for including the Southwest Coastal Study in the House WRDA bill. The Study is important to the people of Cameron, Calcasieu, and Vermilion Parishes, represented throughthe Chenier Plain, as it brings $3 billion dollars of restoration and protection projects to this burgeoning area, where it is predicted that $97 billion dollars worth of industrial growth will occur over the next five years. The Louisiana Gulf Coast is a resilient part of our nation due tothe hard work, dedication, and culture of its people. We must never lose sight of this fact. The Chenier Plain Authority thanks the House for moving this study forward to authorization and potential funding.”

Bill Rase, Executive Director of the Port of Lake Charles, said:“The Port of Lake Charles greatly appreciates Congressman Boustany’s efforts in passing the Water Resources Development Act of 2016. Among the many vital priorities in this bill, it authorizes the plan developed through the Southwest Coastal Louisiana Study. This plan provides hurricane and storm surge protection and ecosystem restoration across 4,700 square miles in Calcasieu, Cameron, and Vermilion Parishes, including improving the Calcasieu Lock – which is vital for local flood protection and the nation’s waterborne commerce.”

Ryan Bourriaque, Cameron Parish Administrator, said:“The efforts of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority, and last but not least the coastal Parishes of Calcasieu, Cameron, and Vermilion, led to clear and concise discussions regarding the Chief’s Report for the Southwest Coastal Study. From smaller technical meetings years ago to the Feasibility Report presentation last year, this has been a collective effort that all parties should be proud of. Cameron Parish thanks Congressman Boustany and his counterparts for realizing the value of our three-Parish area and the inclusion of this Chief’s Report in the WRDA 2016 legislation.”

Louisiana-specific provisions of WRDA 2016 include:

Authorization of the signed Chief’s Report from the Corps for the Southwest Coastal Louisiana Feasibility Study. The report recommends significant funding for hurricane and storm damage risk reduction and coastal restoration projects in Calcasieu, Cameron, and Vermilion Parishes. Boustany has worked tirelessly to create, authorize, and fund progress on this Study since his first term in Congress in 2005.
Authorization for improvements to the Calcasieu Lock, which is the 10th busiest lock in the nation and serves as a crucial component of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) system. The Calcasieu Lock facilitates navigation, aids in controlling floodwaters, and protects the agriculturally-rich Mermentau River Basin from saltwater intrusion.
Construction authorization for the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Project, which will provide critical hurricane and storm protection for St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James Parishes.
Language to expedite completion of projects like the Comite River Diversion, which has been authorized for decades but remains incomplete. The project consists of a 12-mile diversion channel stretching from the Comite River to the Mississippi River that will provide greater flood protection for residents of the Comite River Basin.