Building on recent progress to advance Louisiana’s flood protection footprint, U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) recently helped secure $19.3 million in federal funds for a key floodgate of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection Project.
“This announcement is another step toward completing Morganza-to-the-Gulf and protecting the billions of dollars in economic activity transported through our state,” said Rep. Scalise on July 15.
The proposed construction funding, which would be dedicated to the Morganza project through the Army Corps of Engineers, is included in a House energy and water appropriations spending bill that is slated soon for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It took years of leaning on the Corps and fighting the bureaucracy to break the logjam on Morganza but we have them actively engaged on seeing the project through,” Rep. Graves said. “We’re making significant progress.”
Reps. Scalise and Graves co-authored the provision to make the project eligible for the new funding stream.
“I applaud the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development for including important funding for the Morganza-to-the-Gulf flood protection project, which will provide critical flood protection for the thousands of families and businesses who call south Louisiana home,” Rep. Scalise said. “I’m proud to have worked with Congressman Graves to secure these vital dollars and will continue fighting to ensure the Morganza project receives all the resources needed for its completion.”
Rep. Graves said that the funding opportunity is a big step forward in completing the East Floodgate, which is a key component of the Morganza project.
“And it builds on top of the commitment we secured earlier this year for $12.46 million in New Start Construction funding from the Corps of Engineers, which was the pre-construction phase that helped get us to this next step,” said Rep. Graves, who said he worked with Rep. Scalise and state and local leaders to reimagine the project, cutting its price tag by nearly two-thirds and pooling nearly $1 billion in state and local funding to supplement federal efforts.
“These efforts are resulting in major strides, proving that we can provide the hurricane protection that folks in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes — all of South Louisiana — deserve,” he said.
The Morganza-to-the-Gulf funding also received endorsements from Archie Chaisson, president of Lafourche Parish; Gordy Dove, president of Terrebonne Parish; Tony Alford, president of the Terrebonne Levee Conservation District Board; Reggie Dupre, executive director of the Terrebonne Levee & Conservation District; and Windell Curole, general manager of the South Lafourche Levee District.
“This is an example of the years of continued attention that Congressmen Graves and Scalise have given to dealing with flood protection and flood insurance needs of South Louisiana,” Curole said.