For Immediate Release: April 28, 2009
Contact: Chris Macaluso
(225) 342-3968
chris.macaluso@la.gov

***PLEASE NOTE: The following press release was originally posted on Governor Bobby Jindal's website www.gov.louisiana.gov April 28***

Governor Jindal Issues Statement on Army Corps of Engineers Stimulus Funding For Civil Works Projects

BATON ROUGE - Today, Governor Bobby Jindal issued the following statement regarding the United States Army Corps of Engineers' release outlining stimulus funding for Civil Works projects:

"The list of projects released today by the Corps includes important funding to dredge and maintain a number of critical navigation channels including the Mississippi, Atchafalaya, Mermentau and Calcasieu Rivers.

"However, the list only contains approximately $35 million for the construction of projects in Louisiana. The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 authorized billions of dollars in coastal restoration, hurricane protection, navigation, environmental infrastructure and flood control projects in our state that are ready for funding.

"Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike made it clear that we need to proactively invest resources in order to protect our communities or we will pay exponentially more later when responding to disasters.

"It is my hope that the Corps takes advantage of this opportunity to effectively use sediment dredged from the rivers to restore wetlands in our state."

For more information about Louisiana's ongoing coastal restoration and hurricane protection efforts, please contact Chris Macaluso at 225-342-3968 or by email at chris.macaluso@la.gov.

--30--

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.