Hard Questions Remain on Stalled Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
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Restore the Mississippi River Delta is concerned about Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing coast, and we know you are, too. We want to keep you informed of the most critical issues currently facing our coast.
This email marks the fourth in a series expressing our concerns about recent shifts in our state’s successful and popular coastal program, including changes to the structure of our coastal program, the protection of coastal funding, and implementation of cornerstone projects in our science-based Coastal Master Plan. Get caught up on the latest developments and learn how you can support the coastal program below.
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Louisiana’s premier restoration project, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (MBSD) continues to face construction delays while the public – and state legislators – wait for answers and transparency.
Here’s a quick recap of the latest on MBSD, but please read this entire post on our website here.
Last month, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board (CPRA Board) Chairman Gordon Dove spoke on the project at a Louisiana Senate Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee (Sen. Transportation) hearing – but he only provided the committee with adverse impact findings from the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, while also failing to offer details on the “settlement” with Plaquemines Parish Government hinted at during a similar August hearing—leaving many senators seemingly frustrated.
Representatives from Restore the Mississippi River Delta (MRD), the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) testified on the project’s benefits, financial risks of inaction and the transparent process leading to MBSD’s selection, funding and decision to move forward with construction. At the committee members’ request, MRD also provided follow-up information to the legislative committees, which you can read more about below.
The hearing was followed by a letter to the state from the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resources Damages (NRDA) Federal Trustees, in which the oil spill funding agencies expressed their continued strong support for the approved MBSD project, demanded a commitment from the state and warned of financial repercussions if the state fails to construct the project.
Read on below for more updates, what supporters are saying and how you can get involved.
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Questions from the Legislature
For months, the Senate Transportation Committee has sought updates on the state's largest coastal restoration project, expressing concerns over potential project scale-backs to appease Plaquemines Parish Government. Despite requests, the state has provided limited details on construction, negotiations or project changes. In October, CPRA Chairman Gordon Dove revealed $519 million in sunk costs but shared few updates on Plaquemines Parish negotiations or CPRA's commitment to the original project. Committee members expressed frustration over the slow progress and lack of transparency. Representatives from MRD, CRCL, and TNC testified on project benefits, financial risks, and mitigation measures, with additional support statements from Plaquemines Parish residents submitted.
For more on the October 2024 Louisiana Senate Transportation Committee Hearing, please click here.
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Providing Detail for the Record (MRD’s follow up to Testimony)
In response to committee questions, MRD sent Senate Transportation Committee further details related to DWH NRDA funding, CPRA's authority to execute approved coastal projects, statewide financial risks of project cancellation, and positive findings from the Final Environmental Impact Statement. MRD warned that the state’s stance—that NRDA funds "belong" to Louisiana and Plaquemines Parish controls project decisions—misunderstands complex approval and funding requirements and could expose the state to financial liabilities. MRD emphasized the project’s unique benefits, including $378 million in mitigation funds, which remain on hold due to construction delays.
For more on MRD’s testimony in the Senate Transportation Hearing, please click here.
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Commitment from the Federal Agencies who approved the project
Following the Senate Transportation hearing, federal agencies including NOAA, USDA, EPA, and DOI that make up the Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) expressed concerns over MBSD’s status, seeking CPRA’s commitment to the project as designed. They underscored the thorough evaluation behind the project, its benefits, and the costly delays that any changes would entail. The agencies cautioned that if Louisiana does not proceed with the project as approved, allocated TIG funds must be halted and returned for future restoration activities.
For more on the Deepwater Horizon NRDA Trustees letter to the state, please click here.
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Important Issues to Watch For
The continued attention and questions from the Louisiana Legislature have put more pressure on CPRA to be transparent about its intentions regarding the MBSD project and its planned course of action – both in the courtroom and on the construction site. The subsequent letter from the federal oil spill funding agencies confirmed the warnings made by MRD and others raised the stakes higher for CPRA and requested a direct response and “continued transparent communication” with agencies and the public. This leaves several questions unanswered over topics that are critical not only for the MBSD project but also for future projects and business in Louisiana, these include:
- CPRA’s legal authority as the single state entity responsible for executing restoration and protection projects in the Coastal Master Plan
- Financial and legal consequences the State could face if the project is modified or canceled
- Private sector response to the State if the MBSD contract is not honored
Louisianians Support Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion
What You Can Do
In the News
For more resources, please click here. |
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