Senate panel hears CPRA’s $1.54 billion annual plan; members defer questions to next week
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Summary
CPRA presented an annual plan seeking authority over roughly $1.54 billion across state, federal and settlement funds and highlighted 143 active projects; senators pressed CPRA on diversion projects, GOMESA distribution and home‑elevation prioritization and deferred the item for follow‑up with written questions from community groups.
The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) presented its annual plan to the Senate Transportation Committee seeking authority to move forward on an authorization plan totaling about $1.54 billion in project authority across multiple funding streams, including state revenues, GOMESA, Deepwater Horizon allocations (Restore, NFWF) and coastal settlement funds.
Michael Hare, CPRA executive director, said the plan represents an authorization portfolio rather than a single year’s cash receipts; he and CPRA staff described 143 active projects (including marsh creation, barrier islands and regional land‑bridge concepts), an estimated 12,000 acres of new or nourished marsh from projects in the plan, about 10,000 direct jobs, and approximately $636 million in projected labor income tied to work in the plan.
CPRA’s presentation included a Southwest Louisiana home‑elevation effort tied to a Corps of Engineers study: the Corps’ plan identifies roughly 4,000 structures in Southwest Louisiana (primarily Vermilion, Calcasieu and Cameron parishes) for elevation or flood‑proofing; a pilot identified about 17 homes (with four underway) and CPRA staff said the federal share is roughly 65% with 35% non‑federal sponsor share. CPRA said residents bear no direct cost share under the currently described federal program; the main burden to homeowners is temporary displacement during construction.
Committee members pressed CPRA about the Mid‑Barataria diversion (previously studied and later suspended), the relative benefits of diversions versus land‑bridge or barrier‑island strategies, the allocation formula for GOMESA funds (CPRA said 80% is allocated to CPRA with the remaining 20% flowing to participating parishes under statute), and process questions about project prioritization and oversight.
CPRA Chairman Gordon Dove and other witnesses discussed land‑bridge and Spanish Pass projects, recent large Restore grants (Calcasieu‑Sabine hydraulic restoration) and the agency’s desire to accelerate construction, implementation and project delivery. Senators and outside advocates (including "Women of the Storm") submitted a list of 13 written questions; the committee deferred the CPRA annual plan item until next week to allow CPRA to supply answers and meet with community representatives.
Next steps: the committee deferred the annual plan for follow‑up and requested written responses to member and stakeholder questions ahead of the next meeting.
