HLS 16RS-1650 REENGROSSED
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 39
BY REPRESENTATIVE HODGES
TRANSPORTATION: To continue the Comite River Diversion Canal Task Force for the
purpose of studying and making recommendations on the actions necessary to
complete the Comite River Diversion Canal Project
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To continue the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force that was created pursuant
3 to House Concurrent Resolution No. 51 of the 2014 Regular Session of the
4 Legislature of Louisiana and continued by House Concurrent Resolution No. 66 of
5 the 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana to study and make
6 recommendations on actions necessary to complete the construction of the Comite
7 River Diversion Canal Project.
8 WHEREAS, the Amite River and its tributary, the Comite River, are major causes
9of catastrophic flooding in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area, particularly in the
10northeastern part of East Baton Rouge Parish; and
11 WHEREAS, during the flood of 1983, substantial portions of the parishes of East
12Baton Rouge, Livingston, and Ascension were inundated with flood waters; and
13 WHEREAS, the purpose of the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is to divert
14flood waters from the upper Comite River to the Mississippi River; and
15 WHEREAS, at its maximum capacity, the project will divert twenty thousand cubic
16feet per second by gravity flow; and
17 WHEREAS, once completed, the Comite River Diversion Canal could divert fifty
18percent of the flood waters from the upper Comite River, which would substantially reduce
19flood stages along the lower Comite and Amite Rivers; and
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HCR NO. 39
1 WHEREAS, as a result, flood insurance premiums would be dramatically reduced
2in the area, which would boost home ownership and the overall economy of the region; and
3 WHEREAS, this is a major reason why the task force should continue its work; and
4 WHEREAS, following the displacement of thousands of residents from the New
5Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina, East Baton Rouge Parish has experienced an explosive
6population growth and is now the most populous parish in the state, making the Comite
7River Diversion Canal Project all the more important and urgently significant.
8 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
9extend the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force to meet and make
10recommendations to the legislature and the appropriate state and federal agencies on actions
11necessary to complete the construction and maintenance of the Comite River Diversion
12Canal Project, including strategies to comply with mitigation requirements and right-of-way
13acquisitions.
14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised of the
15following members:
16 (1) One member shall be the member of the House of Representatives, appointed by
17the speaker of the House, whose district is directly impacted by the Comite River Diversion
18Canal Project and who shall be the chairman of the task force.
19 (2) One member shall be the member of the Senate, appointed by the president of
20the Senate, whose district is directly impacted by the Comite River Diversion Canal Project
21and who shall be the vice chairman of the task force.
22 (3) One member shall be appointed by the members of the Louisiana congressional
23delegation representing the district in which the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is
24located.
25 (4) One member shall be the district engineer of the United States Army Corps of
26Engineers, New Orleans District, or his designee.
27 (5) One member shall be the secretary of the Department of Transportation and
28Development, or his designee.
29 (6) One member shall be the executive director of the Coastal Protection and
30Restoration Authority, or his designee.
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1 (7) One member shall be a former member of the Amite River Basin Drainage and
2Water Conservation District board of commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task
3force.
4 (8) One member shall be a current member of the Amite River Basin Drainage and
5Water Conservation District board of commissioners appointed by the chairman of the task
6force.
7 (9) One member shall be the director of the Department of Public Works of East
8Baton Rouge Parish, or his designee.
9 (10) One member shall be a home builder within the area impacted by the Comite
10River Diversion Canal Project appointed by the president of the Louisiana Home Builders
11Association.
12 (11) One member shall be a realtor in the area impacted by the Comite River
13Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Realtors Association.
14 (12) One member shall be the president of Livingston Parish or his designee.
15 (13) One member shall be a landowner in the area impacted by the Comite River
16Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Landowners Association.
17 (14) One member shall be the state representative representing District 63.
18 (15) One member shall be the state senator representing District 15.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall meet at least on a biannual
20basis and thereafter shall hold such meetings as deemed appropriate by a majority of the task
21force.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit recommendations to
23the appropriate legislative committees, as necessary.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force will continue to be staffed by the
25House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works staff for all meetings of
26the task force.
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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)]
HCR 39 Reengrossed 2016 Regular Session Hodges
Continues the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force for the purpose of studying
and making recommendations to the legislature on actions necessary to complete the
construction of the Comite River Diversion Canal Project. Provides that the committee
submit recommendations to the appropriate legislative committees, as necessary. 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, within whose district the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is located
and who shall be the chairman of the task force.
(2)One member shall be the member of the Senate, appointed by the president, within
whose district the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is located 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.
(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 the president of Livingston Parish or his designee.
(13)One member shall be a landowner in the area impacted by the Comite River
Diversion Canal Project appointed by the Louisiana Landowners Association.
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(14)One member shall be the state representative representing District 63.
(15)One member shall be the state senator representing District 15.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works to the original resolution:
1. Make a technical change.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the engrossed resolution:
1. Remove from the membership of the task force a representative of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and include in lieu thereof the president of
Livingston Parish or his designee.
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