Posted on February 10, 2020
A project that will restore wetlands that protect Port Fourchon from storms, wave action and erosion will receive $26.3 million in federal money.
It is part of a $30 million allocation approved last week by a board that oversees money from the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act.
Congress passed the law in 1990 to send money to Louisiana to deal coastal erosion and hurricane protection. The budget, which comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ranges from $30 million to $80 million a year.
The other $3.7 million in the latest grant will be used for engineering and design of a project in St. Bernard Parish. It will restore 400 acres of marsh and build an 8,500-foot land terrace in St. Bernard Parish to protect the coastal Delecroix community.
“Our coastal wetlands protect Louisiana communities, families and businesses while also providing critical habitat for wildlife and fisheries,” U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, said in a news release. “Rebuilding our coast is essential to preserving our culture and strengthening our economy, and this announcement is great news for people throughout southeast Louisiana who rely on a strong coastline.”
In south Lafourche, the money will go to the West Fourchon Marsh Creation and Nourishment project. Near the border of Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, it is bounded by Bayou Lafourche to the east and Timbalier Bay to the west.
The area has eroded because of oilfield canals, sinking land and sediment being cut off after levees were built to control flooding along the Mississippi River, according to the state Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force.
State and federal agencies will plant grasses, build levees and modify water flow to restore 537 acres of marsh and mangrove. A temporary pipeline will also carry sediment from the Gulf to build up the site.
“Coastal erosion has cost our state hurricane protection and wetland habitats,” U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said. “Rebuilding the coast will mean stronger storm protections and healthier habitats for wildlife. This funding benefits those causes.”
— Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @CourierEditor.
Source: houmatoday.com
