<
https://www.nola.com/news/environment/monumental-louisiana-takes-major-step-toward-unprecedented-coastal-restoration-project/article_65b9af6e-3837-11ed-903e-a786ab658b0e.html>
"An unprecedented project to fight land loss devastating Louisiana’s coast by
diverting sediment and water from the Mississippi River into Barataria Basin
took a major step toward definitive approval on Monday with the release of a
final environmental assessment by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps released the lengthy report on the $2 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment
Diversion Project. It breaks down how the new flow of freshwater and sediment
for as much as half the year into the basin will create more than 20 square
miles of new land during its first 50 years of operation.
It also looks at how it will reduce potential flooding for New Orleans area
west bank communities, slightly increase the potential for flooding for
communities downstream and significantly affect fisheries, oysters and
bottlenose dolphins by increasing freshwater levels in the basin.
State officials view the project as the most important among the state's
ongoing coastal Master Plan in reducing the effects of subsidence and sea level
rise on land loss, while also recognizing its potential effects on fisheries
and residents, which will be offset by $380 million in projects to mitigate
damages.
“This is a monumental moment for the state and the state’s coastal program,”
said Chip Kline, chairman of the state Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority. “It has been told to us by members of the Biden administration that
this is the largest coastal restoration project in the country, and the largest
of its type anywhere in the world.”
He said Monday’s release of the report put the state on the “two-yard line”
when it comes to receiving the final go-ahead to move forward with the project.
Permits from the Corps allowing construction, and by federal and state BP oil
spill trustees on funding the project, could now come as soon as December."
Via
Future Crunch issue 193:
https://futurecrunch.com/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
