HLS 14RS-5839 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 213
BY REPRESENTATIVES RICHARD, DOVE, AND GISCLAIR
COASTAL RESOURCES: Urges the Corps of Engineers to locate a different source of dirt
for coastal protection efforts in Orleans Parish
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to locate a place other than2
Lafourche Parish and Terrebonne Parish as a source for dirt to be used in hurricane3
protection efforts in Orleans Parish.4
WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked by Congress with5
the responsibility of hurricane protection in Louisiana and the majority of the Corps' efforts6
are currently focused on New Orleans and the surrounding area; and7
WHEREAS, hurricane protection for that great city and the residents of the extreme8
southeastern portions of Louisiana is of vital importance; and9
WHEREAS, although levee construction, which is being conducted in the New10
Orleans area, is a very important element of hurricane protection, it is not the only11
component of hurricane protection; and12
WHEREAS, barrier islands and coastal marshes provide essential and beneficial13
protection from hurricanes and their impacts on the coast of Louisiana, with coastal14
protection and restoration efforts being essential to the preservation of those barrier islands15
and coastal marshes; and16
WHEREAS, mining dirt from coastal areas that will then be used in the construction17
of levees in the New Orleans area seems a bit like "Robbing Peter to pay Paul" since the18
barrier islands and coastal marshes provide the first line of defense for New Orleans and the19
parishes around Orleans Parish; and20 HLS 14RS-5839 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 213
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WHEREAS, the place where the state has experienced the most dramatic coastal land1
loss is in Barataria Bay, bordered on the west side by the parishes of Lafourche and2
Terrebonne; and3
WHEREAS, it is in those two parishes that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has4
determined that they will be mining dirt for use on the hurricane protection levees around5
the New Orleans area, a place that has already lost significant amounts of land and really6
cannot afford to share its dirt with other locales.7
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby8
urge and request the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to locate a place other than Lafourche9
Parish and Terrebonne Parish to be used as a source for dirt to be used in hurricane10
protection efforts in Orleans Parish.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the12
colonel in charge of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District.13
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)]
Richard HCR No. 213
Urges and requests the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to locate a place other than Lafourche
Parish and Terrebonne Parish to be used as a source for dirt to be used in hurricane
protection efforts in Orleans Parish.