NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) board on March 18 unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Plan, a $1.54 billion investment that includes 143 projects aimed at restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast.
The approved plan, which is updated annually and outlines projects over the next three years, expands on the draft released late last year, increasing both the number of projects and total spending from roughly 130 projects and $1.27 billion.
“The FY 2027 Annual Plan keeps us committed to our mission to restore, strengthen, and preserve Louisiana’s coast,” said CPRA Chairman Gordon “Gordy” Dove. “For the people who live and work here, the coast isn’t just land and water, it’s home and a way of life worth protecting. This plan allows us to keep rolling up our sleeves to build a legacy of protection and resilience that secures Louisiana’s future.”
Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local organizations focused on coastal restoration, said that while the plan includes investments that will help sustain communities, wildlife habitat and a working coast economy, it does not go far enough.
“Many of the investments in this year’s Annual Plan will help sustain communities, wildlife habitat, and a working coast economy, and we are encouraged to see them move forward. However, the plan still falls short of what Louisianians deserve—a vision that matches the scale of the challenge, meaningful efforts to reconnect the river and restore natural processes, and regional restoration projects that deliver real benefits well into the future,” the coalition said in a statement.
CPRA officials emphasized that the plan is focused on accelerating project delivery and moving more work into construction.
CPRA – From Planning to Construction
“This year’s Annual Plan lays out an ambitious path forward grounded in science and the latest technology to protect and restore Louisiana’s coast,” said CPRA Executive Director Michael Hare. “An estimated 93% of our expenditures will go directly to building some of the most innovative projects in the history of our coastal program…”
The FY 2027 plan includes 70 construction projects, 65 in engineering and design, and eight in planning, along with 18 dredging projects expected to create more than 11,700 acres of land using over 52 million cubic yards of sediment. CPRA estimates the plan will support more than 10,800 jobs and generate approximately $636 million in labor income.
Beginning with the FY 2027 plan, anticipated dollars from coastal settlements will be included in revenue projections, adding a new funding stream to support future projects and long-term program sustainability.
The plan’s investments are distributed across a mix of construction, restoration and long-term planning projects.
| Project Category | What It Includes | Typical Work | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marsh Creation & Sediment | Large-scale land-building projects | Dredging sediment from the Mississippi River or nearby water bodies to create wetlands | Core of Louisiana’s land-loss response; major driver of construction contracts and job activity |
| Barrier Island & Shoreline Restoration | Gulf-facing protection projects | Rebuilding barrier islands, beach nourishment, shoreline stabilization | First line of defense against storm surge; protects inland communities and infrastructure |
| Flood Risk Reduction | Structural protection systems | Levees, floodwalls, pump stations, floodgates | Direct impact on property risk, insurance costs, and economic stability in populated areas |
| Sediment Diversions & River Reintroduction | Large, long-term ecosystem projects | Controlled river diversions to move sediment into wetlands | Designed to rebuild land naturally over decades; among the most complex and debated projects |
| Hydrologic Restoration | Wetland water management | Canal backfilling, water control structures, freshwater reintroduction | Maintains and sustains wetlands after they are built |
| Nonstructural Mitigation | Community-level protection | Home elevations, floodproofing, voluntary buyouts | Reduces flood risk for residents; increasingly important amid insurance pressures |
| Engineering & Design | Future project pipeline | Planning, environmental review, permitting, design | Prepares the next wave of billion-dollar projects and sustains engineering sector work |
The plan maintains CPRA’s diversified approach to coastal investment, though the halt of the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion alters the timing and scale of one of its largest planned projects.
Critics Call for Clearer Long-Term Strategy
Restore the Mississippi River Delta also raised concerns about the cancellation of major sediment diversion projects, calling it a setback for the state’s coastal strategy.
“Last year’s alarming cancellation of the Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton sediment diversion projects creates uncertainty for the future of the Barataria and Breton basins and disregarded the state’s Coastal Master Plan that had these projects as the cornerstone,” the group said. “While roughly $700 million in funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were spent on those projects, Landry’s cancellation decision resulted in no benefits for our coast.”
CPRA said it incorporated public feedback into the final plan, hosting four public meetings across coastal Louisiana and receiving 313 public comments during the draft review period.
The FY 2027 Annual Plan will be submitted to the legislature for adoption during the 2026 Regular Session.
