Posted on May 17, 2024
South Louisiana U.S. Rep. Garret Graves announced several projects that received funding to address dredging, levee, flood protection and infrastructure.
According to a news release, the list includes nearly $600 million in investment in Louisiana water resources.
Per the announcement, the work plan is the regular release of how the Army Corps will be funding its projects, following passage of the spending bill.
Some of the highlights include:
- $28 million for hurricane protection in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes through the Morganza-to-the-Gulf project
- $1.3 million to progress new designs for the Bayou Sorrel lock redesign and Houma Navigation Canal deepening
- $2.5 million to continue developing a new system to manage water on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya river systems
- Over $80 million in the Atchafalaya Basin (including dredging)
- $210 million to dredge the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the Gulf
- The funding is in addition to the Comite Flood Control Project, West Shore Hurricane Protection Project (River Parishes), and others, he noted
“There are some big wins in here for Louisiana, but large challenges remain,” Graves said in the release. “The Florida Everglades will receive $429 million this year alone and the Corps is diverting $350 million to build bridges in Massachusetts – when we have federal highway programs that already cover this need. Clearly, the Corps needs help properly prioritizing funding. The continued loss of our coast and vulnerability to flooding must remain a state and national priority. We cannot lose focus here.”
