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Rep. Melancon Calls New Morganza Estimate “Outrageous” |
Will Meet with Top Levee and Corps Officials to Keep Project Moving Forward
June 17, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) made the following statement in response to reports that the Army Corps of Engineers’ latest cost estimate for the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane protection system had ballooned to over $11 billion – over 12 times more than the amount Congress authorized for the project last fall.
“How Morganza can go from $882 million to over $11 billion in one year is beyond explanation,” said Rep. Charlie Melancon. “The people of Terrebonne and Lafourche urgently need some level of hurricane protection to safeguard their homes and families from deadly storms, and today’s announcement is yet another roadblock in their way. This latest price increase is outrageous. I share the frustration of those in south Louisiana who have been working and waiting for Morganza for years.”
“In the coming days and weeks, I plan to meet with leaders from both the Terrebonne and Lafourche levee districts, as well as the head of the Corps’ New Orleans District Office, to find a way to keep Morganza on-track.”
“The Corps needs to develop a realistic plan to protect south Louisianians from the next major storm, and stop making the perfect the enemy of the good. Otherwise, we’ll go another 15 years without any protection in Terrebonne and Lafourche, and by then it will be too late.”
Rep. Melancon has been a strong and vocal supporter of Morganza-to-the-Gulf, and successfully fought in Congress for it to be authorized in last year’s Water Resources Development Act of 2007. After President Bush vetoed the bill – including authorization for Morganza – Rep. Melancon urged his colleagues in Congress to override the veto (see his floor speech here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL3xF6pSORI). The efforts of the Louisiana delegation were successful and WRDA became law last November, authorizing Morganza-to-the Gulf, as well as billions in other hurricane protection and coastal restoration projects across south Louisiana.
The Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico Hurricane and Storm Protection System is a 64-mile system of levees, locks and floodgates that, when complete, will provide hurricane and flood protection to about 120,000 people and 1,700 square miles in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes who currently have no hurricane protection.
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