For Immediate Release: March 16, 2010
Project Partnership Agreement Between CPRA and Corps Assures Permanent and Sustainable
Risk Reduction at Outfall Canals
$800 million program will provide a permanent adaptable solution for the three outfall canals
NEW ORLEANS - Long-term sustainable and permanent risk reduction for the citizens of greater New Orleans has taken a huge step forward as a result of the signing of a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) between The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) of Louisiana and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This Agreement, announced in a joint press conference today, enables the Corps to move forward with the process to award a design-build contract for Permanent Canal Closures and Pumps (PCCP) at the 17th St., Orleans Ave. and London Ave. canals.
"The outfall canals served as one of the major vulnerabilities facing Jefferson and New Orleans. We have been working closely with Jefferson and Orleans parishes, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and our congressional delegation to ensure the best permanent fix be put into place. This agreement allows vital work to begin," said Garret Graves, Chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Corps built the Interim Closure Structures at the mouths of the three outfall canals in time for the 2006 Hurricane Season. These structures provide 100-year level perimeter risk reduction but have only a five- to seven-year project life.
The new project will provide a permanent replacement for the temporary structures and be designed and built with adaptable features for future enhancements, should they be Congressionally authorized and funded.
"We look forward to working every step of the way with our partners, the State of Louisiana, Southeast Flood Protection Authority - East, New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board and Jefferson Parish," said Karen Durham-Aguilera, Director of Task Force Hope.
The approximately $800 million design-build project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2014.
Governor Bobby Jindal said, "This is a major step forward that will help to ensure that this great city and this great region never again experience the failures we saw during Hurricane Katrina. Indeed, the path forward announced today lays a clear course for even better protection for the residents of Jefferson and Orleans parishes."
For more information about the CPRA and Louisiana's ongoing coastal protection and wetland restoration efforts, please contact Chris Macaluso 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.
