HLS 10RS-1351 ORIGINAL Page 1 of 2 Regular Session, 2010 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 44 BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY TAX CREDITS: Urges and requests the Dept. of Natural Resources and the Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, to study the practicality and feasibility of the state authorizing tax credits for certain coastal preservation projects A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1 To urge and request the Department of Natural Resources and the Office of Coastal2 Protection and Restoration, to study the economic feasibility and practicality of the3 state authorizing tax credits for certain costs and expenses attributable to the4 mitigation of deterioration of coastal property, and to report its findings to the House5 ways and means and natural resources and environment committees and the Senate6 revenue and fiscal affairs and natural resource committees prior to the convening of7 the 2011 Regular Session of this Legislature.8 WHEREAS, Louisiana has thirty percent of the total coastal marsh in the lower forty-9 eight states, and accounts for ninety percent of the coastal marsh loss in that area; and10 WHEREAS, between 1990 and 2000, coastal land loss was approximately twenty-11 four square miles per year, which is equivalent to the loss of an area equal to one football12 field every thirty-eight minutes, and the projected land loss over the next fifty years, even13 with current restoration efforts, is estimated to be five hundred square miles; and14 WHEREAS, the coast of Louisiana, its communities, businesses, and natural15 resources are of the utmost importance to the welfare of this state, which coastline can be16 sustained through the creation of an integrated system of protection and restoration; and 17 WHEREAS, in order to boost awareness and participation in the state's efforts to18 restore Louisiana's coastline and to mitigate the deterioration of coastal properties, the state19 should consider all avenues of tax incentives in the form of income and corporation franchise20 tax credits for businesses which choose to participate in coastal restoration activities on21 business property; and22 HLS 10RS-1351 ORIGINAL HCR NO. 44 Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, before the state considers legislation authorizing income and1 corporation franchise tax credits, issues such as the appropriate amount for the credit, the2 types of mitigation projects that should qualify for such tax credits, and the administration3 of such a tax credit program should be fully examined and studied; and4 WHEREAS, before the state considers legislation authorizing these tax credits, the5 state should fully examine whether the economic benefits of offering such tax credits and6 the actual protection of the coastline as a result of these mitigation projects would outweigh7 the financial obligation to the state to offer them; and8 WHEREAS, the Department of Natural Resources and the Office of Coastal9 Protection and Restoration are intricately involved in coastal protection and restoration10 projects designed to mitigate the deterioration of coastal property and therefore would be the11 proper governmental agencies to study this issue.12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby13 urge and request the Department of Natural Resources and the Office of Coastal Protection14 and Restoration, to study the economic feasibility and practicality of the state authorizing15 tax credits for certain costs and expenses attributable to the mitigation of deterioration of16 coastal property, and to report its findings to the House ways and means and natural17 resources and environment committees and the Senate revenue and fiscal affairs and natural18 resource committees prior to the convening of the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature.19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the20 secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and to the executive director of the Office21 of Coastal Protection and Restoration. 22 DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] Henry HCR No. 44 Urges and requests the Dept. of Natural Resources and the Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration, to study the economic feasibility and practicality of the state authorizing tax credits for certain costs and expenses attributable to the mitigation of deterioration of coastal property, and to report its findings to the House ways and means and natural resources and environment committees and the Senate revenue and fiscal affairs and natural resource committees prior to the convening of the 2011 R.S.