SW Louisianans Feel Shortchanged By Gutted Coastal Restoration Plan

[hatrack]

CAMERON, La. - "For the second night in a row, the state and federal governments' coastal restoration plan faced public scrutiny and a barrage of criticism from residents. Of the 15 major projects included in the plan, none are in Southwest Louisiana, a fact that left those who attended Wednesday night's public meeting discouraged.

The recently downsized $1.9 billion federal-state plan was presented to about 25 local residents, scientists and environmental activists at the Cameron Parish Police Jury building. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials faced queries and comments from concerned residents before the presentation ended and long before the officially designated question-and-answer period began. "The biggest focus is on Southeast Louisiana, and to me, there's not enough in Southwest Louisiana," said Rodney Guilbeaux of Constance Beach.

Troy Constance, a manager with the Corps, said the agency was instructed by the Bush administration to select projects that would address only the most pressing coastal problems, and to do so with a limited amount of funding. "We had to make some very tough choices," said Constance, who noted that erosion in the southeast portion of the state is more severe. "This is the beginning of the coastal restoration effort for years to come."

The Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration Plan, originally expected to cost about $14 billion over 30 years, was blocked by the White House, which said the plan should focus on more short-term solutions. The new plan calls for $1.9 billion to be spent over 10 years."

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[TexasSissy]

1. Some of those Warren Buffett tax cuts could have been used for

this coastal restoration project. It's a shame. I grew up in that area. It used to be clean and beautiful. Last time I was there, which was years ago, it was filthy from tar and oil from the oil rigs and I don't know what all, and there were dead fish all around.

The warning call started being sounded at least in the 1970s, if not earlier. But no one in authority listened.