Louisiana Legislature OKs 2017 Coastal Master Plan

Louisiana’s State Legislature on Friday passed SCR1, a resolution approving the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, the state’s blueprint for coastal restoration and protection activities.

The master plan prioritizes $50 billion in coastal restoration and risk reduction activities over the next 50 years to address the state’s increasingly severe land loss and sea level rise.

“The 2017 Coastal Master Plan process is truly an innovative, unparalleled effort that all Louisianians can be proud of – and our state desperately needs to implement the plan as quickly as possible,” said the Restore the Mississippi River Delta – a coalition of local and national organizations that have worked on coastal restoration in Louisiana for decades.

“The master plan is grounded in science, balances coastal restoration with protection, and is publicly-informed. Louisiana has again provided a model for how coastal communities around the world can adapt to land loss, rising seas, increased storms and other climate change challenges.

“With sediment diversions as a cornerstone of the master plan, Louisiana stands ready to harness the power of the strongest tool available to build and sustain land – the Mississippi River. The state should continue this momentum by constructing sediment diversions as quickly as possible and take advantage of this amazing resource that is being wasted.”

The suite of projects outlined in the 2017 Coastal Master Plan has received widespread support from a diverse array of coastal advocates, stakeholders, parish officials and communities, the release stated.

Additionally, a recent poll revealed that an overwhelming majority of Louisiana voters (88 percent) wanted their legislators to approve the master plan, and 97 percent of respondents recognized the value of Louisiana’s coastal areas and wetlands.