Breaux Act Newsflash - Gov. Jindal Announces Plan to Restore 2,500 Acres of Coastal Marsh in SW Louisiana

Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Plan to Restore 2,500 Acres of Coastal Marsh
in Southwest Louisiana

LAKE CHARLES - Tuesday, Governor Bobby Jindal announced that Louisiana's
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is signing a cooperative
agreement with Ducks Unlimited, a leading conservation organization, to
restore and protect nearly 2,500 acres of coastal marshland in Southwest
Louisiana. A combined $3.26 million in state funds, federal grant money and
private donations will be used to construct 250,000 linear feet of marsh
terraces in areas that were once healthy marsh, but have become open water
due to the effects of saltwater intrusion and wave action, largely from
Hurricanes Rita and Ike.

Governor Jindal said, "This project shows what we can accomplish when we
work hand-in-hand with private organizations who share our mission of
rebuilding coastal wetlands and our essential natural habitats - while
helping to better-protect our people from future storms. We will continue to
work closely with local communities to address their needs for protection
while also working side by side with conservation organizations including
Ducks Unlimited to ensure the sustainability of our coastal ecosystems."

Ducks Unlimited received a $1 million grant from the federal government
through the North American Wetland Conservation Act and CPRA is allocating
$2 million from the coastal protection and restoration fund. The balance of
the $3.26 million total is made up of private donations.

The funds will be used to construct marsh terraces - long, narrow ridges -
which will limit saltwater intrusion, break up waves that can cause
additional coastal erosion, improve water quality and spur plant growth.

The project will also restore and protect the natural habitat for the
nation's waterfowl that fly to Louisiana each winter. Louisiana's coastal
marshes host up to 10 million of the nation's wintering waterfowl every
year.

Governor Jindal was joined by CPRA Chairman Garret Graves and Ducks
Unlimited Executive Vice President Don Young - who both signed the agreement
authorizing the release of state restoration funds and making state coastal
scientists, engineers and equipment available to build the project.

"The state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Master Plan not only aims to
restore wetlands and protect communities, but also preserve and protect the
cultural heritage and wildlife that make our coast so important and unique,"
said CPRA Chairman Graves. "A project like this one, in which the state
works with a conservation organization like Ducks Unlimited to provide
better protection, better habitat for waterfowl and to preserve the
resources that make our state such a tremendous place to hunt and fish are
exactly the kind of projects we will be building."

Ducks Unlimited Executive Vice President Don Young added, "Today's agreement
with the State of Louisiana represents yet one more tangible example of
Ducks Unlimited's commitment to protecting this vital coastline for wildlife
and people. Conservation of the Gulf Coast's wetlands is one of the key
priorities of Ducks Unlimited's continent-wide Wetlands for Tomorrow
Campaign. This noteworthy undertaking will protect vital energy and social
infrastructure as well as the wildlife and recreational opportunities the
coast of Louisiana is so well known for. We thank Governor Jindal for his
strong leadership in making this project a reality."

Ducks Unlimited is the largest waterfowl conservation organization in the
world, with close to 700,000 members in the U.S. and nearly 17,000 in
Louisiana. One of the top priorities of Ducks Unlimited is to preserve
essential habitat for ducks and geese.