House Transportation Committee advances bill to create coordinated upland water authority

Senate Bill 97 moved forward in the Louisiana House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, May 27, after the panel voted by unanimous consent to report the measure favorably.

Supporters, led by Sen. Gary Presley, said the bill would create a new authority to coordinate use of inland waters in noncoastal parishes for recreation, navigation and economic development. "We know that there are two main issues for economic development that we're gonna face over the next 50 years. It's water and power," Presley said during the hearing.

Proponents told the committee the measure is intended to provide a planning and coordination mechanism so local levee districts, ports, drainage districts and other entities can pool data and prepare shovel-ready projects when funding becomes available. Dustin Davidson, deputy secretary at the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, said the intent is…