CPRA to Share Portion of Its Funding

Projects in six Louisiana coastal parishes have been approved by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) to receive a total of $20 million in matching funds through the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Parish Matching Opportunities Program.

The parishes will put up a total of $6.1 million as their RESTORE matching portion.

Approval for the CPRA to share a portion of its funding for the selected eligible projects has been given by the RESTORE Council after reviewing the CPRA-Parish Matching Program Amendment to the State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan.

The approved projects contained in the approved Parish Matching Amendment are:

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

Project selection was based on criteria listed in the State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan, taking into account various factors including: consistency with the Coastal Master Plan; the ability to restore and protect habitats or the ability to reduce economic losses from storm surge; the relative merits of the project including scope of project benefits; synergy with other integrated coastal protection and restoration efforts; feasibility and/or constructability; and the funds made available by the parish for the proposed activity.