U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) on Feb. 13 urged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a new lower-cost estimate for the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection System project in his home state of Louisiana.
“OMB’s approval of the new lower-cost estimate is integral for securing the federal funds necessary to move forward with this vital flood protection project,” said Rep. Scalise, who along with U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) last week hosted a meeting with OMB Acting Director Russel Vought to advocate for the federal funds.
Rep. Scalise said that the project will provide flood protection for thousands of families and businesses in southeast Louisiana and protect billions of dollars in economic activity that’s transported through the region “that allows our state to dominate in domestic and international maritime and energy commerce.”
Rep. Graves added that he and Rep. Scalise worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify “significant savings” that have decreased the total cost of the project by billions of dollars.
“The bottom line is that more than $80 million have gone into studying the project,” he said, adding that “it’s time for the Corps to stop navel-gazing and to get busy turning dirt.”
Over the last several months, the Corps worked with the State of Louisiana and local levee districts to bring the project’s cost estimate down from $10.3 billion to $3.2 billion, according to Rep. Scalise’s office, which added that the Corps approved the updated project cost analysis late last year, leaving the final decision to OMB.
“I will continue fighting to break through the bureaucratic red tape and secure the necessary funding for this vital hurricane and storm surge protection project,” Rep. Scalise said.