HLS 17RS-2356 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 95
BY REPRESENTATIVE HODGES
FEDERAL PROGRAMS: Requests certain state agencies to study the feasibility of using
federal Community Development Block Grant funds and Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program funds for completion of the Comite River Diversion Project
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the governor of Louisiana and the office of community development
3 within the division of administration to evaluate the feasibility of using Community
4 Development Block Grant funds received from the United States Department of
5 Housing and Urban Development and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security
6 and Emergency Preparedness to evaluate the feasibility of using any future Hazard
7 Mitigation Grant Program funding from the Federal Emergency Management
8 Agency to complete the Comite River Diversion Canal Project, and to report their
9 findings to the legislative committees on homeland security.
10 WHEREAS, the flooding of August 2016 that was declared a state and national
11disaster caused devastating destruction of property, economic losses to the state and its
12citizens, a public health crisis, and loss of life; and
13 WHEREAS, the office of community development's action plan was approved by the
14United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and as such has been
15appropriated Community Development Block Grant funding by the United States Congress;
16and
17 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana anticipates receiving Hazard Mitigation Grant
18Program funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be administered by
19the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness; and
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HCR NO. 95
1 WHEREAS, water levels in the Comite and Amite Rivers reached record levels
2during the flooding of August 2016 from the extraordinary rainfall; and
3 WHEREAS, had the United States Army Corps of Engineers completed the Comite
4River Diversion Canal Project, the flooding impacts on the property within the Comite and
5Amite Rivers' flood plain could have been mitigated or reduced entirely; and
6 WHEREAS, the Comite River Diversion Canal project was authorized in 1986 and
7expected to be completed in 2012 and currently over $100 million has been invested in the
8project and the need for funding to complete the project has never been more necessary in
9order to protect the region from the possibility of future catastrophic flood events.
10 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
11urge and request the office of community development within the division of administration
12to evaluate the feasibility of using Community Development Block Grant funds received
13from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Governor's
14Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to evaluate the feasibility of
15using any future Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding from the Federal Emergency
16Management Agency to complete the Comite River Diversion Canal Project.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting the evaluation requested in this
18Resolution, the office of community development can monitor and include in its findings
19how many homeowners utilized Community Development Block Grant funding, an estimate
20when the homeowner rehabilitation and reconstruction program will be completed, and the
21balance of funds remaining in the program at its conclusion.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the office of community development and the
23Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness shall each submit a
24written report of its findings resulting from each of the evaluations requested in this
25Resolution to the House Special Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Select
26Committee on Homeland Security no later than August 1, 2018.
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HCR NO. 95
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 95 Original 2017 Regular Session Hodges
Urges and requests the office of community development in the division of administration
and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to evaluate
the feasibility of using Community Development Block Grant and Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program funds from the federal government to complete the Comite River Diversion Canal
Project.
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