In the News

Part of Louisiana's Congressional delegation in Washington isn't happy with how long it is taking the state to get a federal grant for long-overdue flood protection measures.

Congressman Garrett Graves on Friday called HUD's expected guidance on the funds "pathological foot-dragging ."

$1.2 billion dollars will fund flood mitigation projects in nine parishes.
This included work along the Comite River and in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Graves said, "This $1.2 billion is one of the largest components of Louisiana's overall flood protection funding. We've secured full funding for the Comite, EBR Flood and West Shore projects, along with drainage improvements for hundreds of miles of rivers, creeks and bayous In the capital region. But this is 1980s protection. We need to be prepared for 2050s protection, which is why this $1.2 billion is so important – and why it's important to get it right."

"This money, secured by the congressional delegation, is essential to increase our state's resiliency to flooding," said Senator Bill Cassidy. "This money needs to go towards flood mitigation projects that will reduce flood risk and lower flood insurance premiums for Louisiana families."

New National Flood Insurance Program in conjunction to FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 are scheduled to be announced in April, 2020 and go into effect in October, 2020.