Gov. John Bel Edwards today announced the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG) has approved $234.6 million in funds resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement for restoration projects that will create and restore wetlands in Plaquemines and Terrebonne Parishes. In all, the funding will be used for the engineering, design, and construction of five coastal restoration projects.
Two projects are located in Plaquemines Parish.
The Grande Cheniere Ridge Marsh Creation project is approved for $65 million in construction funding and is designed to build up to 624 acres of marsh in the open water areas near Bayou Grande Cheniere, as well as approximately 12,480 linear feet of the earthen ridge along Jefferson Canal. A secondary benefit of the project will be its contribution toward the reestablishment of a southern land bridge in the Barataria Basin.
The Bird’s Foot Delta Hydrologic Restoration project in Plaquemines Parish is receiving $6 million for engineering and design. The project is intended to restore the hydrology in the Mississippi River Bird’s Foot Delta by dredging portions of Pass-a-Loutre, South Pass, and/or Southeast Pass to reconnect the river with the delta’s marshes.
“Allocating these funds to projects in our parish means big steps are being taken toward bringing projects to reality,” said Plaquemines Parish President Kirk Lepine. “Having received a major portion of the oil spill impacts, we appreciate the LA TIG directing funds to Plaquemines to mitigate for those injuries.”