Press Releases
“Historic Announcement for Historic Projects to Address a Historic Natural Disaster”
BATON ROUGE, LA,
March 24, 2021
Louisiana's Capital Region secured funding today for 3 out of 15 projects designated across Louisiana to reduce flood risks. The funding is part of the $1.2 billion provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development following the legislative efforts to combat future storm damages in South Louisiana. In total, 15 projects across the state totaling $163 million are benefitting from funds resulting from the Capital Region 2016 Flood, which together will reduce flood risk for communities throughout the state. Parishes within the Capital Region that will receive the federal mitigation funding are:
"This is a historic announcement for historic projects to address a historic natural disaster. The LA 22 project is the first major flood project since the historic 2016 Flood – and the first regional project in the Capital Region since the Comite River Diversion Canal was proposed more than 30 years ago. When we secured $3 billion in 2018 for flood projects, the LA 22 project is precisely what we had in mind: a strategic investment in systemic, watershed-based flood protection as opposed to sprinkling money around on isolated projects. Of this amount, $1.4 billion was intended to provide 1980s protection – like the Comite project – while the $1.2 billion was designed for projects like LA 22 that are regional and collaborative in nature and address future protection and the risks revealed by the 2016 Flood. The added benefit is that the $43 million LA 22 project clears a path for construction of the $34 million Laurel Ridge Levee extension, which will protect residents and businesses in Ascension Parish. And the $15 million in Livingston Parish drainage improvements is complementary to the $50 million in federal funds we secured to clear and snag nearly 450 miles of canals and waterways. It is expected that the combined funds could result in 500 miles of cleared and snagged waterways in Livingston Parish. And I am proud to have supported the Baton Rouge efforts to revitalize the University Lakes – a jewel of the city. And because this region was impetus for the funds announced today, we expect substantial additional funds for the Capital Region," Graves said. After the 2016 Flood, Graves secured $3 billion in federal funding to protect our homes, businesses, law enforcement, livelihoods, schools and the communities of South Louisiana. The funds advance flood protection, mitigation and resiliency. These funds also build on top of:
"For more nearly 3 years, we worked closely with Governor Edwards, Ascension Parish Presidents Clint Cointment and Kenny Matassa, Livingston Parish President Layton Ricks and his sidekick Mark Harrell, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Chip Kline, the Pontchartrain Levee District leadership, and the Ascension and Livingston Parish Councils. The support and collaboration from Mayor-President Broome and the Police Juries of East Feliciana and St. Helena were indispensable. This was truly a team effort and a hopeful sign of things to come," Graves said. The projects were selected based on their alignment with the long-term resilience objectives of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) and the state's $1.2 billion CDBG-MIT Action Plan, including natural flood management, flood control and critical infrastructure projects. The funding for these projects is part of the $1.2 billion in federal mitigation funds allocated to Louisiana. Other LWI projects included in the allocated funding:
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