Louisiana Coast Plan Awaits Federal Aid $2-billion program is first step toward stopping state’s increasing loss of wetlands
An ambitious $2-billion plan to stem Louisianas massive loss of wetlands along the Gulf Coast is nearing approval by the chief of the Army Corps of Engineers. But even after the program, one of the largest environmental efforts in the Corps history, takes that step forward, it will have to wait in line until at least sometime next year for any significant work to begin. The reason: Congress has yet to approve a water resources bill to authorize new Corps projects around the country including the federal governments $1.2-billion federal share toward the Louisiana coastal plan.
"The near-term big hurdle is actually passing a water resources development act," says Dominic Izzo, vice president in DMJM + Harris Houston office. "Hopefully the new Congress will attend to this very quickly."