NEW ORLEANS – Greater New Orleans, Inc. and its coalition of business advocates for coastal restoration, the Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE) issued a statement on the passage of the 2017 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan and 2018 Annual Plan by the Louisiana State legislature. Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1 by Sen. Dan Morrish and Senate President John Alario will establish the comprehensive master plan for coastal protection, and House Resolution (HR) 1 by Rep. Jerome Zeringue sets the funding priorities for that plan. The Senate previously passed Senate Resolution (SR) 1 by Rep. Morrish, the companion bill to Rep. Zeringue’s. All measures passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support.
“Through the passage of the 2017 Coastal Master Plan and the 2018 Annual Plan, Louisiana has shown the nation and the world that we are a leader in resiliency and coastal restoration,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “Not only will the passage of the two plans be critical in saving our coast, but they will help create a new industry sector – environmental management. Due in large part to the implementation of the plan’s projects the water sector is expected to grow by 22 percent by 2026, providing nearly 36,000 high-paying jobs for the region. I would like to commend the hard work of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority who was instrumental in the design and passage of the Master Plan.”
Required by state law to be updated every five years, the 2017 Master Plan is the third installment since its initial implementation in 2012. The 2017 Master Plan includes:
• A call for 124 projects that build or maintain 800 square miles of land
• $18 billion for marsh creation
• $5 billion for sediment diversions
• $2 billion for other types of restoration projects
• $19 billion for structural protection and $6 billion for nonstructural risk reduction
“Restoring the wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico coastline is arguably the region’s most pressing environmental and economic issue,” said Marty Mayer, Chairman of Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy. “With the coming influx of funding from the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, we have a unique opportunity to ensure the stability of our coast and protect our economic assets.”
