WHEREAS, in 2000, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture completed a small watershed project that was authorized for the purpose of relieving flooding of a low-lying residential area in St. Landry Parish, and
WHEREAS, in the process of completing the drainage work, damage was done to the habitat along the banks of Bayou Barbeau, and
WHEREAS, with a greater effort to minimize environmental impacts, the project could have provided the authorized drainage without causing so much damage, and
WHEREAS, the NRCS (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) is charged with the responsibility of administering numerous habitat conservation and restoration programs which have become a primary focus of the agency’s efforts, and
WHEREAS, it is contrary to the NRCS habitat conservation agenda to implement projects without insuring that every effort is made to avoid and minimize habitat damage.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation requests the Natural Resource Conservation Service to fully mitigate damages caused by its recent St. Landry Parish drainage project to the riparian habitat of Bayou Barbeau.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LWF urges NRCS to review any of its authorized but yet to be completed projects to make sure that every precaution is taken in design and implementation to avoid, minimize and mitigate environmental impacts so that the Bayou Barbeau incident is not repeated.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, 62nd Annual Meeting, March 4, 2001 in Many, Louisiana.