Your continued support for the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp project has been effective thus far! While the project is advancing, there’s an opportunity to leverage benefits with the construction of the adjacent West Shore Lake Pontchartrain levee project (WSLP).
There isn’t enough money yet identified to construct all of the protection and restoration projects needed across the state. Doesn’t it make sense to leverage funds whenever possible to increase our impact with the dollars we DO have? Tell the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the Maurepas project is the ideal project to offset impacts from the WSLP project
The Corps has tentatively selected mitigation for the WSLP project being pieced together with projects and mitigation bank credits in various parts of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), who is managing the Maurepas project, submitted a letter in opposition (as did many organizations like LWF and many concerned citizens like you). The Corps’ reply to CPRA stated that their policy requires them to select the lowest cost option and using Maurepas as mitigation for the WSLP would not be the cheapest route for the federal government.
CPRA responded to this decision with an offer to cover the cost difference between the Corps’ current Tentatively Selected Alternative and the cost of using the Maurepas project as mitigation (and this would STILL save Louisiana time and money). Win-win, right?!
This is a perfect opportunity to keep mitigation not only in-basin but also directly adjacent to the impacted area. Right now, the Corps is accepting public comments as it prepares to draft a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to reevaluate mitigation alternatives for the WSLP project. Now is your chance to speak up BEFORE the Corps writes the draft SEIS and to urge the Corps to change their “Tentatively Selected Alternative” to the Maurepas project.
Addressing land loss in the Mississippi River Delta requires bold, innovative action – and piecemeal mitigation isn’t acceptable when there’s a better option. Tell the Corps to make the common sense choice by using the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp project as mitigation for construction of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project.
Comments accepted until October 31, 2021.
You can read LWF’s comments here.
Visit the Corps website for more documents.
Learn more about using Maurepas as Mitigation:
