(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today applauded the issuance of a formal “notice to proceed” on the closure of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet by the Army Corps of Engineers.  The Corps announced this week that the construction of a 950-foot rock barrier can now begin and should be completed within 220 days.
“Last year, almost to the day, I announced that the Corps had agreed to expedite the closure of MR-GO,” said Vitter.  “While it certainly took longer than we all had hoped for them to take the necessary action, today’s announcement is great news for the residents of Southeast Louisiana.”
Vitter has long advocated for the full closure of the MR-GO and secured language in last year’s Water Resources Development Act that provided the Corps with the needed funding and authority to move ahead with the project.  On repeated occasions, he has called upon the Corps to move forward with construction and has voiced his disappointment over repeated delays of the project.  One year ago this week, on December 19, 2007, Vitter announced the Corps’ intention to expedite the closure of MR-GO.
“MR-GO has been a significant concern for Southeast Louisiana, and for the residents of St. Bernard in particular,” Vitter said. “We’ve now reached the final step and can now begin the construction of the barrier that will finally close the hurricane highway before the end of the 2009 storm season.”