On August 5, 2020, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced that Louisiana is receiving more than $25 million for coastal restoration projects in Terrebonne and St. Bernard Parishes.
“Louisiana’s coastline provides protections against hurricanes and natural habitat for our unique ecosystem. This federal funding restores land lost to the Gulf to make our coastline more resilient for the people who call the coast home,” said Dr. Cassidy.
Terrebonne Parish will get more than $22.2 million for engineering and design for the West Fourchon Marsh Creation and Nourishment Project.
Timbalier Island. Photo credit: NOAA
The project will restore nearly 537 acres of marsh and mangrove habitat east of Timbalier Bay and next to Port Fourchon.
The project fosters healthy habitat for fish and shellfish that support Louisiana’s recreational fishing and seafood industries.
St. Bernard Parish will get about $2.9 million for engineering and design for the North Delacroix Marsh Creation and Terracing Project.
This project will also restore hurricane protections and habitat that supports recreational fishing and the seafood industry.
The funding for both projects was awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPRA) Program.
In a good demonstration of the non-partisan appear of the restoration economy—and of the fast-emerging “universal” community goal of resilient prosperity—Republican Cassidy claims to be Louisiana’s leading advocate in Washington, DC for coastal resiliency funding. He has introduced legislation to increase Louisiana’s share of offshore oil and gas revenues, which would be automatically dedicated to coastal restoration.
Photo of Port Fourchon courtesy of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission.