For Immediate Release: April 1, 2009
Contact: Chris Macaluso
(225) 342-3968
chris.macaluso@la.gov

CPRA Chairman Issues Support Statement for Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Nominee

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Garret Graves issued the following statement regarding the nomination of Jo-Ellen Darcy to be the new Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

"I worked with Jo-Ellen Darcy for a number of years in Washington D.C. She is tough as nails and a solid choice for the Assistant Secretary of the Army position.

There is no question that she will be able to hit the ground running and not be 'bureaucrat-ed' by folks trying to maintain status quo. She ate, drank and slept Water Resources Development Act for years and knows the Corps of Engineers better than just about anyone.

In my opinion, this is a very good choice by President Obama and will definitely help to re-establish leadership at the Assistant Secretary's office. Once confirmed, this appointment will put the Army and Corps of Engineers on a path to restore its credibility and the public's confidence in its work. Coastal Louisiana and the two million proud citizens living here will benefit.

We look forward to working with Jo-Ellen again."

For more information about Louisiana's ongoing coastal protection and restoration efforts, please contact Chris Macaluso by email at chris.macaluso@la.gov.

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.