ENROLLED Page 1 of 2 Regular Session, 2010 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 44 BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON To urge and request the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority 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 resources committees prior to the convening of the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature. WHEREAS, Louisiana has thirty percent of the total coastal marsh in the lower forty- eight states, and accounts for ninety percent of the coastal marsh loss in that area; and WHEREAS, between 1990 and 2000, coastal land loss was approximately twenty- four square miles per year, which is equivalent to the loss of an area equal to one football field every thirty-eight minutes, and the projected land loss over the next fifty years, even with current restoration efforts, is estimated to be five hundred square miles; and WHEREAS, the coast of Louisiana, its communities, businesses, and natural resources are of the utmost importance to the welfare of this state, which coastline can be sustained through the creation of an integrated system of protection and restoration; and WHEREAS, in order to boost awareness and participation in the state's efforts to restore Louisiana's coastline and to mitigate the deterioration of coastal properties, the state should consider all avenues of tax incentives in the form of income and corporation franchise tax credits for businesses which choose to participate in coastal restoration activities on business property; and WHEREAS, before the state considers legislation authorizing income and corporation franchise tax credits, issues such as the appropriate amount for the credit, the types of mitigation projects that should qualify for such tax credits, and the administration of such a tax credit program should be fully examined and studied; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 44 Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, before the state considers legislation authorizing these tax credits, the state should fully examine whether the economic benefits of offering such tax credits and the actual protection of the coastline as a result of these mitigation projects would outweigh the financial obligation to the state to offer them; and WHEREAS, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is intricately involved in coastal protection and restoration projects designed to mitigate the deterioration of coastal property and therefore would be the proper governmental agencies to study this issue. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority 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 resources committees prior to the convening of the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE