For Immediate Release: May 10, 2007

Contact: Chris Macaluso
(225) 342-3968
chris.macaluso@la.gov

State Senate Committees Pass Coastal Plans
Full Senate Set To Consider Plans

The Louisiana Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Transportation Committee approved the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's comprehensive master plan for coastal restoration and hurricane protection and the fiscal year 2008 annual plan at a joint meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The plans now move to the full Senate for discussion and approval before moving to the House Transportation Committee and House Natural Resources Committee.

CPRA Chair Sidney Coffee and cabinet secretaries Scott Angelle and Johnny Bradberry testified before the committees about the importance of the two plans to the health and sustainability of Louisiana's coastal wetlands and infrastructure and in moving our state closer to its goal of a sustainable coastal environment and protected communities.

CPRA Integrated Planning Team Project Manager Jon Porthouse explained the details of both plans to the committees.

The master plan represents the first time Louisiana's history that the restoration of coastal wetlands has been integrated fully with hurricane protection of our coastal communities and the national assets located in our coastal zone. The CPRA's Integrated Planning Team completed the Master Plan in late April of this year after more than 18 months of extensive research, scientific input, public discussion and stakeholder meetings.

The master plan can be viewed at www.lacpra.org/masterplanfinal. The fiscal year 2008 annual plan can be viewed at www.lacpra.org/2008annualplan.

For more information, please contact Chris Macaluso in the Governor's Office of Coastal Activities at (225) 342-3968 or by email at chris.macaluso@la.gov.

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The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's mandate is to develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive coastal protection and restoration master plan. For the first time in Louisiana's history, this single state authority will integrate coastal restoration and hurricane protection by marshalling the expertise and resources of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation and Development, and other state agencies, to speak with one clear voice for the future of Louisiana's coast. Working with federal, state and local political subdivisions, including levee districts, the CPRA will work to establish a safe and sustainable coast that will protect our communities, the nation's critical energy infrastructure, and our bountiful natural resources for generations to come. The CPRA of Louisiana was established by Act 8 of the 1st Extraordinary Session of 2005.