Drawing Louisiana's New Map Addressing Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana (2006) / Chapter Skim
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4 Plans and Efforts at Restoring Coastal Louisiana
4 Plans and Efforts at Restoring Coastal Louisiana
Pages 63-86
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From page 63... ...
· Identifies the elements of previous efforts that would be desirable components of the LCA Study under review · Reviews goals and objectives of ongoing and planned activities outside of the LCA Study The previous chapters suggest some fundamental axioms regarding the Louisiana coastal zone: 1. Land loss in coastal Louisiana presents a complex scientific and social problem of unprecedented scale that will require a multi-decadal management solution.
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From page 64... ...
(See Box 1.1 for a list of efforts from 1967 to the release of the LCA Study.) COASTAL WETLANDS PLANNING, PROTECTION, AND RESTORATION ACT Legislative History and Funding In recognition of the national importance of wetlands and the significant wetland losses occurring in Louisiana and elsewhere, Congress passed the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
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From page 65... ...
of Louisiana wetland restoration projects. The technical committee and planning and evaluation subcommittee each have the same representation as the task force.
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From page 66... ...
66 DRAWING LOUISIANA'S NEW MAP Task force Citizens Technical Public outreach participation group committee subcommittee Planning and evaluation subcommittee Environmental Engineering Economics Monitoring workgroup workgroup workgroup workgroup Academic Technical advisory advisory workgroup workgroup FIGURE 4.1 Organizational structure of the CWPPRA program (U.S. Geological Survey, 2005; used with permission from the U.S.
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From page 67... ...
This plan provided a basis for early PPL project selection. The Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Restoration Plan divided the Louisiana coastal zone into nine hydrologic basins.
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From page 68... ...
) of coastal wetlands over the next 2030 years at an estimated cost of $504 million (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force, 2003; Table 4.1)
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From page 69... ...
It has also been called an "unprecedented effort among diverse groups who have united behind a common vision to sustain a coastal ecosystem that supports and protects the environment, economy, and culture of southern Louisiana and that contributes greatly to the economy and well-being of the nation" (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force and the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Authority, 1998)
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From page 70... ...
Many state agencies were represented on the strategic working group, which also included academic and consultancy support. This working group was responsible for overseeing Ecosystem Acceptable to Needs the Public Common Ground Consensus Building Strategic Coastal Plan FIGURE 4.2 Coast 2050 process for public involvement and strategic planning (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force and the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Authority, 1998; used with permission from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources)
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From page 71... ...
The objectives development team focused on obtaining information regarding coastal use and resource objectives that were used to create the strategic plan. Four regional planning teams were established to create coastal restoration strategies and to review the coastal-use and resource objectives generated by the objectives development team.
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From page 72... ...
All CWPPRA projects beginning in 1999 were required to reflect the strategies outlined in Coast 2050. All 20 coastal parish governments adopted resolutions in support of Coast 2050 (Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force and the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Authority, 1998)
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From page 73... ...
Army Corps of Engineers, 2003a) sought to provide the following objectives: · Create a sustainable Louisiana coastal ecosystem having the essen tial functions and values of a natural ecosystem · Restore the largest practicable acreage of productive and diverse wetlands 1The draft LCA Comprehensive Study, like the LCA Study itself, would have been followed up by a series of decision documents (feasibility reports)
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From page 74... ...
. Planning and the Plan Development Process The draft LCA Comprehensive Study's planning process consisted of the following five phases: · Phase I: Establish planning objectives and evaluation criteria · Phase II: Assess restoration strategies from Coast 2050 · Phase III: Develop and evaluate restoration projects and measures · Phase IV: Develop and evaluate alternatives -- Select a final array of coastwide plans · Phase V: Select coastwide plan that best meets objectives (to be accomplished after public coordination)
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From page 75... ...
75 of Corps lic the Pub outreach and Army es tation, and U.S. Goals objectiv ansporrT the of from and tment y m the of al Ar.
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From page 76... ...
The draft LCA Comprehensive Study's planning process was guided by three hydrogeomorphic objectives and two ecosystem objectives (Box 4.1)
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From page 77... ...
. The project delivery team compiled 10 guiding principles for plan formulation (Box 4.3)
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From page 78... ...
alternative combinations of projects in each region, added some supplemental plans to "address completeness," and selected a final array of seven alternative comprehensive plans for further review. In parallel with the development of the draft LCA Comprehensive Study, USACE drafted a PEIS for review and comment by the public.
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From page 79... ...
special briefings for executives of large corporations and national interest groups. To obtain public input to the process, the project delivery team held four public meetings during February 2003 regarding plan formulation, four meetings in MayJune 2003 to present and receive comments on the 32 region alternatives, and four meetings during August 2003 to present and receive comments on the final array of alternatives being considered.
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From page 80... ...
The LCA Study requests "specific Congressional authorization for five near-term critical restoration features for which construction starts in 510 years, with implementation subject to approval of feasibility-level documents by the Secretary of the Army" (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004a)
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From page 82... ...
75,000,000 25,000,000 100,000,000 Investigations of modifications of existing structures (50/50) 5,000,000 5,000,000 10,000,000 Programmatically authorizedc subtotal 210,000,000 100,000,000 310,000,000 Cash contributions 210,000,000 100,000,000 Total conditionally and programmatically authorized subtotal 738,105,050 410,623,700 1,174,065,000 Feasibility-level decision and National Environmental Policy Act documentation (50/50)
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From page 83... ...
30,000,000 30,000,000 60,000,000 Total conventionally authorized subtotal 518,116,050 303,799,950 821,916,000 Total LCA Study cost share 1,256,221,000 714,423,650 1,995,981,000 Total cash contributions 1,283,341,350 325,704,400 Total Real Estate 386,719,000 a"Conditionally authorized" refers to items that have been "recommended for specific Congressional authorization, with implementation subject to Secretary of the Army review and approval of feasibility-level decision documents" (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2004a)
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From page 84... ...
CWPPRA has built two formal elements of public involvement into the program: a public outreach committee and citizens participation group. The LCA Study, on the other hand, does not propose any formal structure to ensure public involvement in the future, which is a serious deficiency of the plan.3 Project selection is another difference between the programs.
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From page 85... ...
The recognition that more ambitious approaches would be needed, as envisioned in Coast 2050, represents a significant step in understanding the problem. The draft LCA Comprehensive Study, and the effort that went into its development, represents the type of effort needed to address large-scale land loss in Louisiana.
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