Senate committee hears broad opposition to SB124 Scenic Rivers changes; bill deferred for further work

Senate Bill 124 by Senator Owens, which would modify the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act and remove or exempt certain waterways from protections to allow dredging, rechannelization and cleanup in the West Pearl River basin, drew extensive public testimony on both sides before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources agreed to defer the bill for further work.

Senator Owens said his intent was to clear log jams, remove debris and address severe silting that he and parish officials said has increased in recent years, and described a proposal that — as amended during the hearing — focuses primarily on the West Pearl River and would allow a temporary removal of scenic‑river restrictions for an eight‑year period to permit larger restoration projects. Committee staff read Amendment No. 1380, which removed several water bodies from the proposed declassification list and added seven water bodies to the Scenic Rivers Act; the committee adopted that amendment without objection.

Testimony opposing the removal of scenic protections was led by Emily Buxton, director of external affairs for The Nature Conservancy, who noted the Louisiana Scenic Rivers program was created in 1970 and now includes roughly 3,000 miles of designated waterways. Buxton warned that "rivers are connected systems" and said removing sections risks "increased flooding in nearby communities, bank erosion, loss of ecological diversity, and habitat loss," and urged the committee to "vote no for this bill." Additional opponents — including homeowners, local environmental groups and representatives of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and North Shore River Watch — described concerns that the change was being advanced without the studies the Scenic Rivers Act typically requires and that an eight‑year blanket exemption is too long and could allow unintended harmful actions.

Supporters included the Lieutenant Governor's office and St. Tammany Parish officials; Vicky Milius said the lieutenant governor "believes this bill represents a meaningful step toward reducing the risk of future flooding in Saint Tammany." Parish officials and the bill author said the Scenic Rivers permitting process can slow needed cleanup projects, limit dredging to partial actions in practice and impede work such as getting equipment to bridges that require repair. Committee counsel and LDWF general counsel Cole Garrett described administrative nomination and declassification processes and the normal permitting path through LDWF and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, noting there are administrative pathways for temporary exceptions and that other rivers have received limited time‑bound exceptions in the past.

Senators on the committee suggested additional study and stakeholder coordination would be appropriate. After additional public comment and a floor scheduling warning, Senator Jenkins moved to defer SB124; the motion passed with no objection and the bill was deferred for further work.

Committee members asked the author and stakeholders to return with more specific engineering plans, Corps coordination, and a clearer delineation of the precise work that proponents seek to do under any exception or authorization," rather than a broad, long‑duration declassification, before the bill is scheduled again.