New Orleans, La. -
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a new proposal to build the Morganza to the Gulf levee.
The project is supposed to protect parts of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes from hurricane storm surges. A new study concludes that the benefits of building the new $12.9 billion levee system outweigh its costs.
In a draft plan released Friday, the Corps calls for 26 additional miles of levee, extending the Morganza project from U.S. 90 in Gibson to Louisiana Highway 1 in Lockport.
The feds will not pay for the entire project. Last month, Terrebonne Parish voters overwhelmingly approved a half-cent sales tax to help pay for protection.
FOX 8 News received this press release from the Corps on Friday:
NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District today released a draft Post Authorization Change (PAC) Report and draft Revised Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RPEIS) for the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexi co (MTG) project.
The MTG project area is located in coastal Louisiana, approximately 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, and includes portions of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. This project is designed to decrease the risk of impacts to residents, businesses, and infrastructure, as well as the remaining fragile marsh, from hurricane storm surge.
The draft "Revised Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana," is currently available for a 45-day public review and comment period. The report can be accessed at the following link: http://1.usa.gov/ZVel3A or an electronic copy (CD) will be made available upon request. The PAC report and RPEIS reflects a substantial cost estimate increase following the incorporation of post-Katrina design criteria and the 36–mile extension of the authorized alignment.
The Corps will hold a public meeting to provide an overview of the RPEIS report on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 at the Houma Municipal Auditorium, 880 Verret Street, Houma, LA 70360. Open House - 6:00 p.m. | Presentation – 6:30 p.m.
In addition to comments received during the public meeting, written or verbal comments on the draft RPEIS can be submitted by mail, e-mail or fax by midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2013. Comments received during the public review period will become part of the official record.
Questions or comments about the RPEIS or concerning the Corps' environmental process may be addressed to:
Nathan Dayan, Environmental ManagerU.S. Army Corps of EngineersP.O. Box 60267New Orleans, LA 70160-0267Phone: 504-862-2530Fax: 504-862-2088 E-mail: morganza.comments@usace.army.mil
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers file photo of the Morganza Control Structure
