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Critical Infrastructure

Millions in federal dollars going to effort to elevate flood-prone homes in Livingston Parish

| Posted in In the News

BY ELIZABETH CRISP | WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT with the Advocate AUG 13, 2019 - 3:34 PM The federal government is set to pay more than $5 million to elevate 88 homes in Livingston Parish that flooded during Louisiana's historic flooding in 2016, part of millions going toward efforts to mitigate future damage. "We are getting into the good part now with the progress being made," said…

Hundreds gather as leaders discuss duplication of benefits issues

| Posted in In the News

Click here to see video. BATON ROUGE – It was standing room only at a town hall meeting Monday night. Congressman Garret Graves along with Restore Louisiana representatives hosted the gathering to answer questions about duplication of benefits issues following the 2016 flood.There are still hundreds who haven't received grant money from Restore Louisiana. Pat Forbes, director of the…

Graves Announces Federal Grant to Elevate Properties in Livingston Parish

| Posted in Press Releases

Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) announced today that Livingston Parish will receive a $5.3 million federal grant to fund the elevation of 88 homes that were substantially damaged during the 2016 flood. This funding is a result of the roughly $300 million in federal hazard mitigation dollars that Graves spearheaded in Congress in the months following the record flood. "We are…

Livingston and Ascension volunteers join forces to clean up the Amite River

| Posted in In the News

Click here for video.SCENSION PARISH- Trash in the Amite River has been an issue for years, but Saturday dozens of people joined forces to clean up the River. It's all part of a project called The Amite River Clean Up. Boaters from both Livingston and Ascension Parish were out and about hauling in large debris and dumping the trash. The last river cleaning was back in 2009 but the…

Our Views: We've waited years for the Comite canal to be finished. It's time to stop stalling.

| Posted in In the News

Since the Comite Diversion Canal has been 40 years coming, a last-minute snarl from Kansas City Southern Railway is frustrating the public. The newest dispute involves maintenance of a new and higher railroad bridge over the canal.The railroad is quarreling with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over how much the government will pay to maintain the structure.Given that this project has…

More funding ahead for flood protection, Garret Graves tells LEDC

| Posted in In the News

DENHAM SPRINGS – More federal funding is coming to Livingston Parish through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves to the Livingston Economic Development Council (LEDC). It is just part of the continuing effort to improve flood protection here, Graves told the LEDC's quarterly meeting Thursday at Forrest Grove Plantation. "You're an economic development…

Louisiana officials continue to push for bigger cut of offshore energy revenues in Congress

| Posted in In the News

Members of Louisiana's congressional delegation continue to push for the state to receive a bigger cut of the revenues from oil and gas produced in the Gulf of Mexico. Under current federal law, Gulf states like Louisiana get about 37.5 percent of the money made from offshore energy, while states that have energy production sites on federal land get about half. About 12.5 percent of…

Why draining water out of neighborhoods isnt a quick fix

| Posted in In the News

Click here to watch video.WALKER, La. (WAFB) - It could be a minor thunderstorm, but it's enough to cause anxiety. In fact, it's so bad for some people, they leave sandbags in place all the time. So what's causing this? The flooding problem is a complicated one and there's more than meets the eye. Work on Walker's storm drainage has been ongoing for months, with crews working…

Joint Statement-East Baton Rouge Flood Risk Reduction Project

| Posted in Press Releases

East Baton Rouge Flood Risk Reduction Project-Joint Statement-Governor John Bel EdwardsCongressman Garret GravesMayor-President Sharon Weston BroomeBATON ROUGE, La. – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, Governor John Bel Edwards and Congressman Garret Graves together have found a solution to move forward on the East Baton Rouge Flood Risk Reduction Project, they announced…

Graves: Implementation of duplication of benefits fix is bureaucracy at its worst

| Posted in In the News

The federal government's implementation of a program meant to benefit Louisiana victims of the 2016 flood violates the letter and intent of the law, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves said Monday."You're boxing out thousands of families from getting funds that are already in the bank," the Baton Rouge Republican said.After the devastating 2016 floods, the federal government advised victims to apply…