RESTORE Act Projects Available for Comment

Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) has released for public feedback its project selections for the first $20 million installment of the 15-year, $100 million Parish Matching Opportunities Program under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).

The RESTORE Parish Matching Amendment proposes to update and amend the State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan to describe the projects CPRA has selected for funding under the first $20 million installment of the CPRA-Parish Matching Opportunities Program.

As provided in the State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan, CPRA has elected to allocate up to $100 million of its Spill Impact Component funds to the Parish Matching Program over a 15 year period. This program will nearly double the amount of funds the parishes receive over that same time period under the RESTORE Act Direct Component.

On December 13, 2017, the CPRA Board approved six projects for inclusion in the Parish Matching Amendment, representing a total parish investment of $6.1 million:

• Cameron Parish – Construction of the Rockefeller Shoreline Stabilization Project ($6.67M);
• Lafourche Parish – Engineering and Design of the Grand Bayou Freshwater Reintroduction Project ($412,722);
• St. Bernard Parish – Construction of the Lake Lery Marsh Creation Project ($2.78M);
• St. Charles Parish – Construction of the Paradis Canal Gate ($2.54M);
• Tangipahoa Parish – Engineering and Design and Construction of the Manchac Landbridge Shoreline Protection Project ($3M); and
• Vermilion Parish – Engineering and Design and Construction of the Freshwater Bayou Canal Shoreline Protection Project ($4.59M).

Deadline for sending comments on the proposed projects is Monday, April 9, 2018.