CPRA Releases Draft 2012 Annual Plan; Conducting Public Hearing March 1-3

BATON ROUGE -- The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, on Wednesday, released a draft of the "Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Plan: Integrated Ecosystem Restoration and Hurricane Protection in Coastal Louisiana."

The draft plan identifies a host of coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects that will receive funding during the 2012 - 2014 fiscal years from a variety of state and federal funding sources. All projects identified in the draft plan are integral components of Louisiana's overarching Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast which was approved by the state legislature in 2007.

The draft FY2012 annual plan can be viewed on the CPRA website at http://coastal.louisiana.gov/.

The following public hearings have been scheduled to receive comments and recommendations regarding the draft plan:

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 6:00pm
Lake Charles Civic Center
Contraband Room
900 Lakeshore Drive
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 6:00pm
St. Tammany Parish Government
Council Chambers Room
21490 Koop Drive
Mandeville, LA 70471

Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 6:00pm
Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government
Government Tower Building
Council Meeting Room, 2nd Floor
8026 Main Street
Houma, LA 70360

Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration officials will be on hand at each meeting to answer questions about the draft plan. At the conclusion of the public hearing, Office of Coastal Management staff will give a brief summary of the findings and recommendations of the Coastal Zone Boundary Study followed by questions and discussion.
Comments on the draft FY2012 Annual Plan can also be sent by mail to the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, attention Karim Belhadjali, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA. 70804-4027. Comments will also be accepted by phone at (225) 342-4123 and by email at karim.belhadjali@la.gov.

The last day to submit public comments is April 9, 2011.

All public comments will be considered before the writing and submission of a final plan for approval by the CPRA in advance of the 2011 legislative regular session. Once approved by the CPRA, the fiscal year 2012 Annual Plan will then be submitted for approval by the legislature.