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CPRA announces FY2025 Parish Matching awards to five parishes totaling multiple projects
Summary
CPRA announced awards under its Parish Matching Program for fiscal year 2025, selecting six projects across five parishes and allocating awards up to program caps to support parish‑led restoration and resilience projects funded from the statewide coastal allocation.
CPRA staff presented the Fiscal Year 2025 Parish Matching Program awards at the March 19 board meeting, announcing six selected projects from five parishes that together will receive CPRA reimbursements under the program.
Why it matters: The Parish Matching Program reimburses parish‑led projects that align with the state coastal master plan and leverages other public and private funds to advance on‑the‑ground restoration and resilience work.
Award details: CPRA staff said the FY2025 awards will reimburse up to $6,000,000 per project from the statewide Coastal (Comesa) allocation. The board was told six projects were selected from 11 proposals submitted by seven parishes; CPRA listed awards for projects including Vermilion North Shore Phase 2 (shoreline protection), a Tangipahoa hydrologic/habitat project, two Saint Tammany projects (habitat protection and a Lake Pontchartrain lakefront project), a Lafourche Highway 1 terracing extension, and a Terrebonne terracing phase. CPRA staff summarized that over the past two years the parish matching program has funded 13 projects with CPRA awards totaling approximately $13 million and that awarded projects leveraged roughly $48.64 million in total project investment.
Program goals and selection criteria: CPRA described the program’s primary objectives as advancing the coastal master plan, accelerating shovel‑ready projects, maximizing match, and enhancing local priorities. Evaluation priorities included consistency with the coastal master plan, match amount, project feasibility, acreage and ecological/resilience benefits, and synergy with other state projects.
Quotes and context: Brandon Champine, CPRA coastal resource scientist supervisor, said the program’s prior round achieved roughly a 5:1 match on awarded funds and highlighted completed projects such as North Vermilion Bay shoreline protection and Rockefeller shoreline protection. CPRA staff said the program favors projects that are shovel‑ready so funds can be used efficiently.
Next steps: CPRA will work with the awarded parishes to finalize agreements and move toward construction or implementation as project schedules and permits allow.
