State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Scott Angelle has announced today the release of the Louisiana Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) draft plan, which includes over 100 proposed projects within the 19 coastal parishes. The release of the draft plan was presented at a meeting of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA).

DNR and other state officials have been working closely with coastal parishes since early 2006, to prepare a list of projects that identify restoration, conservation, and infrastructure repairs and improvements to be funded over a four-year period. According to DNR Secretary Angelle, “Some projects will be implemented with the state’s share of the CIAP funding, many will be constructed with the local government’s share of CIAP funds, and some will be jointly supported with state and parish CIAP funds.”

DNR Office of Coastal Restoration and Management’s Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary David Frugé said, “The CIAP Plan must be approved by the U.S. Mineral Management Service (MMS) before Louisiana can receive funding.” He said this last step to finalizing the plan includes public review, with hearings scheduled for February 26 to March 1. Once MMS approves the final plan, the state and the parishes must then apply for non-competitive grants from MMS to implement the projects listed in the approved plan.

Frugé said the project proposal process began last May, and at that time some 337 proposals were made. Later in the process, there were public meetings, an independent scientific review, DNR technical review, and finally a CIAP Project Selection Committee review.

CIAP was authorized by Section 384 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, providing an estimated, $523 million in federal monies to Louisiana and its coastal parishes during fiscal years 2007 through 2010. The state’s funding portion will be 65 percent while the parishes will be allotted 35 percent.

Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph noted at the CPRA meeting today that she appreciates the interaction and involvement the state has had with parish officials and the public in bringing the plan to fruition.

There is a broad range of restoration projects in the draft plan including enhanced management of the Mississippi River freshwater, sediment and nutrient; creating marsh with dredge material; restoring shoreline along Gulf of Mexico, bays and interior lakes; modifying hydrology to benefit wetlands; and resurfacing roads damaged by OCS-related traffic.

According to Secretary Angelle, “ From the onset of CIAP Plan development, we placed a very strong emphasis on projects, not studies. With the backlog of needed restoration work, it is imperative that we use these new funds to make a difference on the ground.”

Some of the state proposed projects include emphasis on interior shoreline protection, including the Freshwater Bayou Bank Stabilization in Vermillion parish and Grand Lake Shoreline Protection in Cameron parish. Infrastructure enhancement projects include work on the Houma Navigational Canal Lock in Terrebonne parish and La. Hwy. 1 improvements in Lafourche parish.  Highlighting examples of state-sponsored restoration projects are the Violet Diversion in St. Bernard parish and East Grand Terre Island Restoration project in Plaquemines parish.

Secretary Angelle pointed out, “The efforts in CIAP thus far, have been coordinated with the agency’s CPRA Integrated Planning Team so that protecting and rebuilding our coast will be within the framework of a comprehensive master plan for Louisiana.” Secretary Angelle also noted that the state planned to move forward with implementation of some key projects included in the plan, using state funds, before actually receiving CIAP funds from MMS.

The public hearings will be held in Houma, Lake Charles and New Orleans. Feb. 26th at the Houma Terrebonne Civic Center, Feb. 27th at the L’Auberge Dulac Hotel and Casino, and on Feb. 28th at the UNO Research and Technology Park Conference Center Auditorium, all beginning at 5:30 p.m. There will also be a public meeting in Abbeville at the Abbeville Branch Library on March 1st at 6:30 p.m.

Questions and comments about the CIAP program or the draft CIAP Plan can be directed to DNR Project Manager Greg Grandy at 225-342-7308 or by email at ciap@la.gov.

The draft CIAP Plan Executive Summary with the complete list of proposed projects by parish can be viewed at www.dnr.louisiana.gov/ciap.