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Commission hears working-group progress on port master plan; preliminary needs estimate about $1.2–1.5 billion
Summary
The Joint Committee reviewed working-group reports and early funding work for a statewide port master plan; Commissioner Cormier said survey responses suggest roughly $1.2–1.5 billion in port development needs over the next five years, and LED expects to select a consultant to draft a long-term strategic plan.
The Joint Committee convened to review working-group progress on a statewide port master plan and initial funding options. Representative Wright reported outreach with major Mississippi River ports and said he has requested a bill to be ready for the April legislative session; he also said staff availability is limited during the current special session.
Commissioner Fisher Cormier said the commission sent a survey to ports after finding the draft statewide transportation plan included only a $31 million dredging estimate that she described as insufficient. "The number that came from that looks like about a 1,200,000,000 and a half in needs over the next maybe 5 years for port development," Cormier said, adding she would not call it a final figure and urging nonresponding ports to submit data.
Cormier read a list of nine ports that had not responded and said the commission needs full participation to make the statewide plan and the commission's strategic plan consistent.
Paige Carter of the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) office described LED's competitive RFI/RFP process and said LED expects to select a consultant within roughly two weeks. Carter said the consultant engagement would take about two months, with the goal of producing a long-term strategic plan for LED to consider early next year.
Clerk Kelshaw and other staff said most port submissions are in and that they will reach out to remaining ports. Members agreed that when working-group reports are complete they will be shared across groups so the commission can develop priority projects and a coordinated funding approach.
Votes at a glance: the board approved adoption of the minutes from the previous meeting (motion moved and seconded; the record shows yeas and no nays) and later moved to adjourn (motion passed by voice vote).
Next steps: working groups are to finalize reports (several speakers targeted end-of-month submissions), LED will select and dispatch the consultant, and Representative Wright indicated a bill could be available for the April session. No legislative funding measure was adopted at this meeting.
