The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) has been awarded a $60 million grant from the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) to support the construction of the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp Project (MSP).
This award represents the final major source of construction funding needed to fully deliver the $488 million project, which is slated for completion in 2029, said CPRA.
“ This grant is a game changer for the people and economy of the region ,” said CPRA Chairman Gordon Dove.
“Bringing the river back into the Maurepas Swamp means healthier wetlands, stronger protection for local communities, and a boost for the local economy. It’s about making sure future generations can live, work, and thrive here. We’re thankful to the RESTORE Council for helping us get this important work done.”
The project will deliver vital freshwater, nutrients, and sediment from the Mississippi River into the Maurepas Swamp, improving the health of 45,000 acres of forested wetlands.
It also includes construction of three reaches of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain levee system, which are being built as compensatory mitigation for impacts associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) West Shore project.
The grant funds were awarded from Bucket 3 of the RESTORE Act or the “Spill Impact Component,” which allocates funds to each Gulf state based on a formula related to impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.