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CPRA outlines CWPPRA ("Quipra") program history, process and recent approvals
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Summary
CPRA staff reviewed the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA, commonly called "Quipra"), its federal funding structure, basin-based nomination and selection process, monitoring investments and recent phase‑1 and phase‑2 approvals from the January task‑force meeting.
CPRA staff provided the board an overview of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) program — commonly called Quipra in Louisiana — and summarized recent task‑force actions and the program’s role within the state's coastal program.
Why this matters: Quipra has been a core federal funding stream for Louisiana coastal projects for 35 years, providing long‑term construction budgets, monitoring funding and a basin‑based process for project nomination and selection that feeds CPRA’s annual program pipeline.
CPRA staff described CWPPRA’s funding mechanism (an excise-tax–derived share of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, of which roughly 18.5% is dedicated under federal statute and — in Louisiana’s case — about 70% of that allocation to Louisiana projects under the program). The state is a cost‑share partner on each CWPPRA project; CPRA staff emphasized the program’s unusually low state cost share historically (15% in earlier program rules) and noted annual construction budgets have averaged around $70 million in recent years. CPRA said the program funds monitoring systems used to guide project design (the CRMS monitoring network) at about $10 million annually.
On process, CPRA explained the basin‑based nomination cycle: public, parish and agency proposals are considered in regional meetings and a first coast‑wide vote narrows nominations to a slate that the federal/state task force evaluates for engineering and design (phase 1) and, later, construction (phase 2). CPRA noted the task force seeks to modernize selection processes but acknowledged concerns raised by board members about parish representation, master‑plan alignment and the evolution from hydrologic-restoration projects to marsh creation in some basins.
CPRA summarized January task‑force approvals: a combination/ consolidation of two St. Bernard Parish projects into a single engineering package; concept work on South Terrebonne and West St. Charles land‑bridge elements; a phase‑1 engineering decision for Grand Cheniere marsh creation and terracing; and phase‑2 construction approvals for Port Fourchon marsh creation, North Delacro marsh creation and Bay Rackersee marsh creation and ridge restoration. CPRA staff said extra available funds allowed three projects to advance to construction rather than the typical two in this cycle.
Ending: CPRA staff invited continued parish engagement, said regional nomination meetings are underway, and noted CPRA staff are available to support parish master-plan development and local project prioritization.
