For Immediate Release: August 18, 2009
Contact: Chris Macaluso
(225) 342-3968
chris.macaluso@la.gov

BATON ROUGE -- The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the Governor's Office of Coastal Activities have released a second draft of concerns and solutions aimed at expediting coastal restoration and protection efforts by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Please click here to read the second draft, which reflects suggestions made by both invited panelists who have extensive experience with coastal restoration and protection efforts and the general public made during public meetings conducted in late July.

Additional public input is being sought for the second draft as well as letters of support for the reform effort from non-government organizations, local and parish level governments, chambers of commerce, civic organizations and individuals concerned about the restoration and protection of Louisiana's coast.

Public comments on the latest draft will be accepted by email, mail and phone through August 27, 2009. Letters of support will be accepted until September 7, 2009.

Comments and suggestions will be used to further refine the list of concerns and solutions in advance of presenting them to the Louisiana Congressional Delegation in meetings in Washington D.C. this September.

Please email suggestions to info@lacpra.org or kyle.graham@la.gov. Please mail suggestions to the Governor's Office of Coastal Activities, 1051 North Third Street Suite 138, Baton Rouge, La. 70801. Please contact Kyle Graham in the Governor's Office of Coastal Activities at (225) 342-9036 to give suggestions or comments by phone.

For more information about Louisiana's coastal protection and restoration efforts, please contact Chris Macaluso at (225) 342-3972 or 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 Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, 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.