Congressman Garret Graves and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise announced yesterday that the Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection project will receive $12.46 million in New Start Construction funding from USACE.
The funding will increase flood protection and further protect economic activity in South Louisiana.
“This marks the first time the federal government has appropriated funds through a Corps of Engineers work plan toward this critically important project. To date, state and local governments have invested more than $600M toward this levee system,” said CPRA Chairman Chip Kline .
“Over the past three years, CPRA, along with local levee districts, led the effort to reduce the overall cost of the project by several billion dollars while still providing the same level of protection for Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.”
“We are appreciative of the collaborative manner in which our Louisiana Congressional Delegation continues to work alongside us to protect and restore our coast, and we are thankful for our partnerships with the North Lafourche Levee District, South Lafourche Levee District, and Terrebonne Levee & Conservation District.”
The Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System integrates levees, locks, and floodgates designed to provide 100-year, Category 3 storm surge protection to more than 150,000 Americans living in coastal Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes as well as over 1,700 square miles of fresh and saltwater marsh.