April 19, 2007
Contact: Robin Winchell (202) 225-4031
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon voted
today for the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), which passed the
House of Representatives by a vote of 394 to 25. H.R. 1495 includes
authorization for over $2 billion in projects for south Louisiana,
including full authorization for the Morganza to the Gulf hurricane and storm
protection system, a comprehensive federal coastal restoration plan, closure of
the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, and channel deepening at the Port of Iberia. The bill also authorizes
numerous other water resource projects throughout the country.
"Getting this water projects bill through the House is a
major victory for south Louisiana and I am pleased so many of our priorities
were included," said Rep. Melancon. "For too long, Louisianians have
been asked to wait patiently while Congress hemmed and hawed over passing
WRDA. Building levees, restoring our coastal wetlands, and closing MRGO
are not projects that we can afford to put on the back burner while people in Washington debate year
after year whether to get involved. We need cooperation from the federal
government and the Army Corps now."
Congress is supposed to pass a new WRDA bill every two
years. However, no new WRDA bills have been signed into law since 2000
because the House and Senate have repeatedly been unable to reach a compromise
on the legislation since then. As a result, many vital projects in south Louisiana have been
stalled, awaiting authorization from Congress. The new House and Senate
leadership have indicated that they will make passing WRDA a priority this
Congress, and today's passage of the House WRDA bill reflects that
commitment. Senate leadership has indicated that Chamber will be voting
on their WRDA bill in the coming weeks.
"Today, we made a giant step forward in getting these
projects started. This Congress is committed to finishing the job and
getting a WRDA bill to the President as soon as possible for his
signature. I thank Chairman Jim Oberstar for getting WRDA to the House
floor for a vote so quickly, and for working with me and the rest of the delegation
to make sure Louisiana's
needs are met in this legislation. He has been a true friend to Louisiana, and I
appreciate his leadership in the House in supporting our hurricane protection
and coastal restoration needs."
The WRDA bill also addresses the need for strong oversight
and reform of the Army Corps of Engineers. The bill includes language
requiring independent peer review for any Corps project over $50 million in
cost. Rep. Melancon also supported an amendment, which passed, directing
the Secretary of the Army to update the principles and guidelines that the Army
Corps of Engineers uses in the formulation, evaluation, and implementation of
water resources projects. The amendment would require the Secretary to consult
with other agencies and the public in developing the new principles and
guidelines.
Rep. Melancon said, "Projects without accountability are
not enough. When the federal levees protecting St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Orleans, and other
coastal parishes failed after Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of people lost their
lives and the region suffered billions of dollars in damages. This bill
will require that the Corps step outside its bubble and consult with other
engineers and the public that will be affected by the projects they build."
Prior to passing WRDA, the House also passed the Manager's
Amendment that included several key provisions Rep. Melancon had asked Chairman
Oberstar to add to the bill. Specifically, the amendment includes
language drafted by Rep. Melancon to require that the federal government cover
the future cost of operating and maintaining the locks and floodgates that will
be built as part of the Morganza to the Gulf hurricane and storm protection
system.
Furthermore, the amendment also includes Rep. Melancon's
provision to assist the Port of Terrebonne with its efforts to secure federal
assistance with improving the Houma Navigation Canal,
in accordance with efforts to provide comprehensive hurricane and flood
protection for Houma
and surrounding communities. Currently, the Corps of Engineers is
conducting a feasibility study to determine the national economic development
benefits associated with improving the Canal. The Melancon provision
requires the Corps to evaluate the predicted increase in contracts for new
energy exploration and contracts for the fabrication of energy infrastructure
when calculating the economic benefits that would result from carrying out the
project. Typically, these contracts are not included in the Corps'
feasibility studies, putting Louisiana's
offshore oil and gas fabrication ports, like the Port of Terrebonne,
at a disadvantage.
WRDA includes the following projects for south Louisiana:
Fully authorizes the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico
Hurricane and Storm Protection System
· $886,700,000
authorized for hurricane protection ($576,355,000 Federal Share).
This 72-mile system of levees, locks and floodgates 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.
· Morganza
has been on the drawing board for over a decade, but has constantly been
delayed.
· Morganza
was originally authorized in the last WRDA to be signed into law in 2000, but
it was authorized pending a favorable report from the Army Corps of
Engineers. The Corps was over a year late in completing the report, so
authorization expired. Since then, no new WRDA bills have been signed
into law so Morganza is still being delayed.
· At
Rep. Melancon's request, the Manager's Amendment includes a provision to
require that the federal government cover the future cost of operating and
maintaining the locks and floodgates that will be built as part of the Morganza
to the Gulf hurricane and storm protection system.
· Sen.
Landrieu and Congressmen Baker and Melancon worked unsuccessfully through the
final hours of the 109th Congress to authorize the project through separate
legislation since it was clear the 2006 WRDA bill - which included
authorization for Morganza to the Gulf - was not going to pass. Their efforts
were blocked by a procedural move in the Senate by a Senator from Oklahoma.
"Morganza will offer hurricane protection to about
120,000 people in south Louisiana who currently have no defense against storms
and are like sitting ducks in the path of the next killer hurricane," said
Rep. Melancon. "The people of Terrebonne and Lafourche need this protection
so desperately, they have been taxing themselves for years to try to build
parts of the levee system on their own. It's long past time the federal
government stepped up and became a partner on building Morganza."
Louisiana
Coastal Area (LCA) Ecosystem Restoration Plan - Addresses comprehensive
coastal restoration throughout Louisiana's
Coast and creates a partnership between the federal government and the state of
Louisiana to
move forward with coastal restoration.
· Incorporates
the state's master plan into recovery efforts and establishes a task force to
implement the plan.
· Total,
authorized and contingently authorized: $1,012,900,000
· Streamlines
authorization for certain coastal restoration projects by allowing them to be
authorized by relevant House and Senate committees, instead of waiting for the
next WRDA bill to authorize it. Initial projects authorized in LCA
portion:
· MRGO
Environmental Restoration-$105,300,000
· Small
diversion at Hope
Canal - $68,600,000
· Barataria
basin barrier shoreline restoration- $242,600,000
· Bayou
Lafourche freshwater reintroduction- $133,500,000
· Medium
Diversion at Myrtle Grove- $278,300,000
· Total,
LCA projects authorized immediately: $828,300,000
· Projects
authorized, contingent on a favorable Chief's Report from the Corps
· Land
Bridge between Caillou
Lake and the Gulf-
$56,300,000
· Gulf
Shoreline at Point Au Fer Island- $43,400,000
· Modification
of Caernarvon Diversion- $20,700,000
· Modification
of Davis Pond
Diversion- $64,200,000
· Total
LCA projects with contingent authorization: $184,600,000
· Calls
for expedited reports on several other Louisiana
projects.
· Establishes
the Louisiana Water Resources Council, for peer review of projects.
· This
measure also directs the Corps to implement a program for the beneficial use of
dredged material, and authorizes $100 million for the beneficial dredge
program.
"Saving our disappearing coastline is one of the most
critical challenges facing south Louisiana
today," said Rep. Melancon. "Authorizing the LCA plan will make
the federal government a partner in restoring our coastal wetlands in south Louisiana."
Closes the Mississippi
River Gulf
Outlet
· The
MRGO is deauthorized for navigation and requires the Corp to make a plan for
closure and restoration.
· Rep.
Melancon has asked the Corps to build an earthen dam across the MRGO to
permanently close the channel.
· $105,300,000
for environmental restoration efforts in the area as part of the Louisiana
Coastal Area (LCA) Ecosystem Restoration Plan
"MRGO has been a threat to St. Bernard Parish for years,
and it's long past time we closed it for good," Rep. Melancon said. "This
bill not only orders the Corps to close MRGO, it authorizes over $105 million
to restore the fragile wetlands around it that have been damaged or destroyed
by saltwater intrusion from the channel."
Port
of Iberia
Channel Deepening
· $131,250,000
authorized with an estimated federal cost of $105,315,000
· Changes
authorized depth level of the Acadiana Gulf of Mexico Access Channel from its
current 12 feet to a depth of 16 feet.
· In
2006 WRDA, which never passed the whole Congress, this authorization was
included as contingent upon receiving a favorable Chief's Report from the
Corps. The Corps signed off on the study in December 2006, so the 2007
WRDA gives final authorization.
"The Port
of Iberia has been
pushing to get their channel deepened for years so that it can accommodate
larger barges and offer more support for our offshore energy economy," said
Rep. Melancon. "This project will bring more jobs and businesses to Iberia Parish,
and I am pleased we were able to include it in this year's WRDA."
Oil and Gas Fabrication Contracts - Port of Terrebonne
added at the request of Rep. Melancon
- Requires
the Corps to evaluate the predicted increase in contracts for new energy
exploration and contracts for the fabrication of energy infrastructure
when calculating the economic benefits that would result from carrying out
the project. Typically, these contracts are not included in the
Corps' feasibility studies, putting Louisiana's
offshore oil and gas fabrication ports, like the Port of Terrebonne,
at a disadvantage.
"This provision will level the playing field for the Port of Terrebonne," said Rep. Melancon.
"Energy ports shouldn't be at a disadvantage in asking for improvements just
because they are not traditional import-export hubs."
· New Orleans to Venice Levee System
· Portions
of levees in Plaquemines Parish now incorporated into the Federal system
· Regional Visitor
Center, Atchafalaya Basin
- The
Corps of Engineers will work with the state in developing a visitor's
center in Morgan City,
LA.
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