HLS 14RS-1579 ENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 51
BY REPRESENTATIVE HODGES AND SENATOR WHI TE
TRANSPORTATION: Creates a task force to study and make recommendations on actions
necessary to complete the construction of the Comite River Diversion Project
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To create the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force to study and make2
recommendations on actions necessary to complete the construction of the Comite3
River Diversion Project.4
WHEREAS, the Amite River and its tributary, the Comite River, are major causes5
of catastrophic flooding in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area, particularly in the6
northeastern part of East Baton Rouge Parish; and7
WHEREAS, during the flood of 1983, substantial portions of the parishes of East8
Baton Rouge, Livingston, and Ascension were inundated with flood waters; and9
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is to divert10
flood waters from the upper Comite River to the Mississippi River; at its maximum capacity,11
the project will divert twenty thousand cubic feet per second by gravity flow; and12
WHEREAS, once completed, the Comite River Diversion Canal could divert fifty13
percent of the flood waters from the upper Comite River, which would substantially reduce14
flood stages along the lower Comite and Amite Rivers; and15
WHEREAS, following the displacement of thousands of residents from the New16
Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina, East Baton Rouge Parish has experienced an explosive17
population growth and is now the most populous parish in the state, making the Comite18
River Diversion Canal Project all the more important and urgently significant.19
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby20
establish the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force to meet and make21 HLS 14RS-1579 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 51
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recommendations to the legislature and the appropriate state and federal agencies on actions1
necessary to complete the construction and maintenance of the Comite River Diversion2
Canal Project, including strategies to comply with mitigation requirements and right-of-way3
acquisitions.4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised of the5
following members:6
(1)One member shall be the member of the House of Representatives appointed7
by the speaker of the House whose district is directly impacted by the Comite River8
Diversion Canal Project and who shall be the chairman of the task force.9
(2)One member shall be the member of the Senate appointed by the president10
of the Senate whose district is directly impacted by the Comite River Diversion Canal11
Project and who shall be the vice chairman of the task force.12
(3)One member shall be appointed by the members of the Louisiana13
congressional delegation representing the district in which the Comite River Diversion Canal14
Project is located.15
(4)One member shall be the district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of16
Engineers, New Orleans District, or his designee.17
(5)One member shall be the secretary of the Department of Transportation and18
Development, or his designee.19
(6)One member shall be the executive director of the Coastal Protection and20
Restoration Authority, or his designee.21
(7)One member shall be a former member of the Amite River Basin board of22
commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task force.23
(8)One member shall be a current member of the Amite River Basin board of24
commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task force.25
(9)One member shall be the director of the Department of Public Works of East26
Baton Rouge Parish, or his designee.27
(10)One member shall be a homebuilder within the area impacted by the Comite28
River Diversion Canal Project appointed by the president of the Louisiana Homebuilder's29
Association.30 HLS 14RS-1579 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 51
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(11)One member shall be a realtor in the area impacted by the Comite River1
Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Realtors Association.2
(12)One member shall be a representative of the Federal Emergency Management3
Agency (FEMA) appointed by the director of FEMA's Louisiana Recovery Office.4
(13)One member shall be a landowner in the area impacted by the Comite River5
Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Landowners Association.6
BE IT FURTHER RESOL VED that the joint committee shall submit7
recommendations to the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works8
and the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works no later than9
January 15, 2015.10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force will be staffed by the House11
Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works staff for all meetings of the task12
force.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)]
Hodges HCR No. 51
Establishes the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force to study and make
recommendations to the legislature on actions necessary to complete the construction of the
Comite River Diversion Canal Project. Provides that the committee submit a final report to
the House of Representatives by Jan. 15, 2015. Provides that the task force will be staffed
by the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works. Provides that the
task force be composed of the following members:
(1)One member shall be the member of the House of Representatives appointed by the
speaker whose district is directly impacted by the Comite River Diversion Canal
Project and who shall be the chairman of the task force.
(2)One member shall be the member of the Senate appointed by the president whose
district is directly impacted by the Comite River Diversion Canal Project and who
shall be the vice chairman of the task force.
(3)One member shall be appointed by the members of the Louisiana congressional
delegation representing the district in which the Comite River Diversion Canal
Project is located.
(4)One member shall be the district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
New Orleans District, or his designee.
(5)One member shall be the secretary of the Dept. of Transportation and Development,
or his designee. HLS 14RS-1579 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 51
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(6)One member shall be the executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority, or his designee.
(7)One member shall be a former member of the Amite River Basin board of
commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task force.
(8)One member shall be a current member of the Amite River Basin board of
commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task force.
(9)One member shall be the director of the Dept. of Public Works of East Baton Rouge
Parish, or his designee.
(10)One member shall be a homebuilder within the area impacted by the Comite River
Diversion Canal Project appointed by the president of the Louisiana Homebuilder's
Association.
(11)One member shall be a realtor in the area impacted by the Comite River Diversion
Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Realtors Association.
(12)One member shall be a representative of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) appointed by the director of FEMA's Louisiana Recovery Office.
(13)One member shall be a landowner in the area impacted by the Comite River
Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Landowners Association.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation, Highways
and Public Works to the original concurrent resolution.
1. Provided that the House and Senate members shall represent districts directly
impacted by the Comite River Diversion Canal Project.
2. Added a landowner in the area impacted by the project who is appointed by the
Louisiana Landowners Association to the task force.