Project Name: USDA, Agricultural Research
Service, Sugarcane Research Unit Consolidation of Facilities
Requested
Amount: $35,600,000
Recipient: U.S. Department of Agriculture –
Agricultural Research Service
Recipient Address: 501 Bull Run Road,
Shriever, LA 70395
Project Description: $35,600,000 in funding
is requested to construct a joint office and laboratory building as well as two greenhouse facilities, all
of which have already been planned and designed, for the USDA Agricultural Research Service Sugarcane
Research Unit (SRU). The construction of these buildings will allow the SRU to complete the consolidation of
its operations from an out of an out-of-code, structurally and mechanically inadequate, 80-year-old building
to a state-of-the-art facility which maximizes existing taxpayer investment at the Ardoyne Farm site. The
sugar industry is a vital component of the Louisiana economy that provides an annual economic impact of over
$3 billion and directly supports 17,000 agricultural jobs. The increased efficiency of the ARS-SRU project
is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the research solutions it facilitates will ensure the long-term
viability of the sugar industry by helping to expand crop range and combat constantly evolving pest
complexes.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal
nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 7 U.S.C. §2250a, which permits
appropriations to be expended “for the erection of buildings and other structures on land owned by States,
counties [or] municipalities.”
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: City of Central Stormwater
Improvements
Requested
Amount: $5,792,920
Recipient: The City of Central,
Louisiana
Recipient Address: 13421 Hooper Road, Suite
8, Central, LA 70818
Project Description: The community project
funding is requested to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act by improving critical junctures within the
stormwater system of the City of Central. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it
will improve the ability of the City's water system to manage and reduce a heightened volume of water during
a storm. Without improved management, these systems become overloaded and backed up – resulting in standing
water that threatens constituent safety, the longevity of water infrastructure, and collects pollutants.
Allowing stormwater to flow more efficiently through the system will relieve these hazards to constituents
and meet the goals of the Clean Water Act by keeping our waterways flowing and clean. Furthermore, it will
reduce maintenance costs from stream degradation, and improve the flow of water through the City, which will
save taxpayers money in the long-term.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal
nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized
by Title VI of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C 1381 et seq.. This statute authorizes grants
for the purposes of the Clean Water Act by providing assistance for projects identified in section 603(c)
(33 U.S.C. §1383(c)).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Town of
Livingston
Requested
Amount: $720,000
Recipient: The Town of Livingston,
Louisiana
Recipient Address: 20550 Circle Drive,
Livingston, LA 70754
Project Description: The Town of Livingston
seeks these funds to complete upgrades to their drinking water system that will improve potable water
safety, increase volume and capacity and reduce the risk of microbiological contamination. This project will
help ensure that Livingston's water system has the upgraded infrastructure it needs to both efficiently and
safely operate while meeting the needs of its growing population, a valuable use of taxpayer dollars. The
completion of this project will bring the water system fully into compliance with applicable potable water
standards, fully integrate its newly purchased adjacent water system, and implement upgraded water system
controls.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal
nexus because the Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes grants through Section 1452 of 42 U.S.C. § 300j-12 to
further health protection objectives of the Act which are to set standards that uphold the national drinking
water regulations set by EPA.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: South Flannery Road Bridge
& Channel Improvements
Requested
Amount: $3,520,950
Recipient: East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor's
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP)
Recipient Address: 3773 Harding Boulevard,
Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Project Description: This community project
funding is requested to support flood protection improvements to the South Flannery Road bridge and channel
along Lively Bayou. The proposed project has an estimated Benefit-Cost ratio of 2.70 and is supported by the
Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), who have certified that they
will serve as the State's Administrative Agency. Pre-disaster mitigation efforts authorized by the Stafford
Act, like the South Flannery Road Bridge and channel improvement project, are an excellent use of taxpayer
dollars because they will help mitigate against the risk of future flooding and thereby reduce the
likelihood of future reliance on federal disaster dollars.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal
nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by section 203 of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C.
5133), as amended by Section 1234, National Public Infrastructure Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation, of the
Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) of 2018. Section 203 authorizes funding assistance to States and local
governments pursuant to the uses outlined in subsection (e), including “to implement pre-disaster hazard
mitigation measures that are cost-effective.”
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Bayou Sorrel Lock Replacement
Study
Requested Amount:
$800,000
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
New Orleans District
Recipient Address: 7400 Leake Ave., New
Orleans, LA 70118
Project Description: The Bayou Sorrel Lock,
which was built in 1951, is the smallest lock in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) system and is unable
to support modern tugs and barge tows. The project will fund a study to assess the replacement of this
outdated structure to ensure the viability and resiliency of the Gulf's inland maritime transportation
system. Ensuring locks are able to handle modern inland marine traffic is critical to ensuring continuity
for the critical supply chains that the GIWW supports.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the Lock is specifically authorized by Congress in P.L. 70-391. The study into replacing the
structure was authorized in Section 1001(23) of the Water Resources Development Act of
2007.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Houma Navigation
Canal
Requested Amount: $500,000
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, New Orleans District
Recipient Address: 7400 Leake Ave., New Orleans, LA
70118
Project Description: The HNC is a 36-mile channel connecting the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway to the Gulf of Mexico and serves the shipyards and industries which support the offshore marine
sector, which is responsible for 20 percent of our nation's domestically produced energy. This region of
South Louisiana is also the home base for shipyards that are actively building vessels for the U.S. Navy,
U.S. Coast Guard, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, and National Science Foundation as well as
those creating new marine technologies to support emerging markets such as the offshore wind industry.
Funding will continue Pre-construction, Engineering, and Design (PED) on the project, to align the
completion of PED with the construction of the critical Houma Navigation Canal Lock
Structure.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because it was specifically authorized in Section 403(a) 3 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020
(Division AA of P.L. 116-260).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Morganza to the
Gulf
Requested Amount: $28,000,000
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, New Orleans District
Recipient Address: 7400 Leake Ave., New Orleans,
LA 70118
Project Description: The Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System is a
levee, lock, and floodgate system designed to provide 100-year, Category 3 storm surge protection to more
than 200,000 Americans living in coastal Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes as well as over 1,700 square
miles of fresh and saltwater marsh. The recommended plan described in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
January 2013 Post Authorization Change Report (PACR) consists of 98 miles of grass-covered earthen levees
ranging from 9 to 18 feet, 22 floodgates on navigable waterways, 3 environmental water control structures, a
new lock complex at the Houma Navigation Canal measuring 110-ft wide by 800-ft long, an adjoining floodgate
measuring 250 feet wide, and a dam closure, 9 road gates, and fronting protection for 4 existing pump
stations. This community project funding request for $28,000,000 will fully support the New Orleans
district's FY24 capability for Morganza-to-the-Gulf.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus
because it is expressly authorized within section 1001 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007
(Public Law 110-114). Additionally, the final feasibility study was also expressly authorized in section
7002 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-121).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Capital Regional Fentanyl and
Violent Crime Task Force
Requested Amount:
$3,000,000
Recipient: East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office
Recipient Address: 8900 Jimmy Wedell Drive,
Baton Rouge, LA 70807
Project Description: This community project
funding request would support EBRSO as they coordinate a multi-agency law enforcement effort equipped with
the technology and training necessary to combat fentanyl trafficking and the surge in violent crime in
Louisiana's Capital Region. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the Greater Baton Rouge area
has seen record-breaking fentanyl seizures, drug overdoses, and homicides over the past two years.
Louisiana's capital city is consistently listed among the top 10 most dangerous cities in America, and in
2022 Baton Rouge reported 135 homicides, half of them remain unsolved. In adjacent Livingston Parish, 120 of
the 151 overdose deaths were fentanyl-related and Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office (LPSO) had over 165
seizures of fentanyl in 2022. The problem is similar in Ascension Parish: the Ascension Parish Sheriff's
Office (APSO) worked over 800 violent crimes, 158 homicides, and 140 deaths related to
overdoses.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in section 501 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. § 10152).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Coastal Education, Economic
Development, Innovation, and Research Center
Requested Amount:
$4,500,000
Recipient: Nicholls State University
Recipient Address: 906 East 1st
Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301
Project Description: The Nicholls State
University Coastal Center was established by the State of Louisiana to foster the next generation of coastal
scientists, engineers, and stewards and facilitate collaboration between resident and visiting researchers,
students, government agencies, and organizations committed to preserving Louisiana's coast. The Center's
mission is to support the pursuit of protection, restoration, and adaptation efforts through science-based
research to develop solutions to coastal problems for “a working, living, resilient coast.” The project is
an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the Coastal Center will provide a hub where public and private
entities involved in the joint effort to save Louisiana's coast can come together with the world-class
scientists at Nicholls and brainstorm, test, and model coastal restoration strategies for the rest of the
world's coastal communities.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. §1451 et seq.).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Resilience Center Catalyst
Initiative
Requested Amount:
$1,900,000
Recipient: The Water Institute of the Gulf
Recipient Address: 1110 River Road S.,
Suite 200, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Project Description: The funding would be used
for the Resilience Center to provide technical assistance to local governments and non-profits. These
efforts will support development, prioritization, and implementation of coastal resilience strategies that
would promote effective management aligned with the objectives of the Coastal Zone Management Act and the
State of Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it
will support national and state-level coastal conservation efforts in my state that is always at high risk
from severe storm events and flooding from draining the entire Mississippi River. Furthermore, by providing
technical assistance to local communities now, the investment will be returned exponentially by teaching our
communities to implement these strategies, without assistance, into the future.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. §1451 et seq.).
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: Lake End Parkway Pier Development
Project
Requested Amount:
$1,850,000
Recipient: The City of Morgan City
Recipient Address: 512 1st
Street P.O. Box 1218, Morgan City, LA 70381
Project Description: The funding will be
used to fund the site preparation and construction of a multi-use facility that will include retail spaces
for local vendors, access to its waterfront for visitors to take in its unique ecosystem, and a large deck
to experience the City's beauty and natural spaces. This project is a sound use of taxpayer funds because it
is an opportunity to partner with a historically disadvantaged community to attract additional private
sector investment and to facilitate increased tax revenue.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by both 42 U.S.C. §5305(a)(2) and (a)(4). Subsection
(a)(2) authorizes funding for projects that involve construction of building, sites, or other improvements.
Subsection (a)(4) authorizes funding for clearance, demolition, and removal.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: 415 Connector
Project
Requested Amount:
$8,000,000
Recipient: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
(DOTD)
Recipient Address: 1201 Capitol Access
Road, Baton Rouge, LA 80802
Project Description: The 415 Connector Project
will provide a direct route from LA-1 to the LA-415/Interstate-10 interchange. I-10 through Baton Rouge is
notorious for being one of the most congested areas of traffic in the nation, with the 4th worst traffic in
America according to the annual TomTom traffic index report. This bottleneck is the only place along the
interstate system which dwindles down to a single lane in each direction. Furthermore, there is no direct
link between the busy industrial corridors of LA-415 and LA-1—so travelers must connect between the two
highways via I-10. Connecting these two state routes directly would provide a crucial option for those
travelers to bypass the I-10 bottleneck while simultaneously reducing the traffic on the interstate. DOTD
estimates that the project will reduce congestion by 35-40% during peak travel
times.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 U.S.C. §133.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: LA-30 Widening
Project
Requested Amount:
$1,600,000
Recipient: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
(DOTD)
Recipient Address: 1201 Capitol Access
Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Project Description: This project is an
appropriate use of taxpayer funds because LA-30 is an economically vital traffic corridor that is too narrow
to meet current passenger and freight demands. The corridor serves a dozen large industrial facilities and a
landmark shopping and retail strip, as well as providing connectivity to I-10. Widening LA-30 from two to
four lanes would enable its northwestern route to better serve existing employers and businesses, as well as
prepare for other economic expansions that are currently underway. Additionally, the highway expansion will
help prepare for the eventual construction of an additional Mississippi River
Bridge.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 U.S.C. §133. Under subsection (b)(2), the
surface transportation block grant program which provides flexible funding for operational improvements for
traffic management. This project fits within this eligible use because it would widen LA-30, decreasing
congestion and improving the management of traffic.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: MRB South GBR: LA-1 to LA-30
Connector (MRB) Project
Requested Amount:
$4,400,000
Recipient: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
(DOTD)
Recipient Address: 1201 Capitol Access
Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802.
Project Description: A second Mississippi
River Bridge crossing in the southern portion of the Greater Baton Rouge area will provide additional
connectivity and capacity where the Mississippi River divides the metropolitan region. Despite being a
metropolitan area of 830,000 people, Baton Rouge has some of the worst traffic congestion in the country.
The existing Mississippi River Bridge is adjacent to the only spot on the interstate where I-10 narrows down
to a single lane. The funding will be used to support the feasibility study and the Planning and
Environmental Linkages (PEL) study of a second Mississippi River Bridge. The project is an appropriate use
of taxpayer funds because the existing bridge infrastructure along the Mississippi River is not sufficient
to support residents during normal rush-hour traffic or emergency evacuations. Additionally, a new connector
across the Mississippi River will support South Louisiana's economic activity in the region and increase
connectivity on I-10 improving freight mobility at the country's most active
ports.
Federal Nexus: The project has a Federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 23 U.S.C. §133. The surface transportation block
grant program provides flexible funding for construction of highways, bridges, and tunnels.
Financial
Disclosure
##
Project Name: West Ramp Reconstruction – HUM,
Houma, LA
Requested Amount:
$5,033,000
Recipient: Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission
Recipient Address: 10264 East Main Street,
Houma, LA 70363
Project Description: HUM is the gateway to
the bayou region, and critical base for commercial aviation operations in the Gulf of Mexico, a key asset in
the National Airspace System. Unfortunately, aging infrastructure is severely capping the airport's ability
to meet the aviation needs of the community or of its fixed base operators – all of which operate on the
airport's west apron. The funding would be used to reconstruct the airport's west ramp, which dates back to
the 1940s and has reached the end of its useful lifespan. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer
funds because it will preserve current vital assets at HUM and unlock additional capacity at the airport,
providing an economic boost to the region.
Federal Nexus: The project has a federal nexus
because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 49 U.S.C. §47100 et seq. Preventive maintenance
for the replacement or reconstruction of pavement at an airport is authorized under §47105(e) of the
statute.
Financial
Disclosure
