SLS 17RS-407 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1
BY SENATORS MORRISH AND ALARIO
COASTAL PROTECT/RES AUTH. Approves the annual integrated coastal protection plan
for Fiscal Year 2018.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To approve the annual integrated coastal protection plan for Fiscal Year 2018 as adopted by
3 the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.
4 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.5.1 et seq., creates the Coastal Protection and Restoration
5 Authority Board (board) to represent the state's position in policy relative to the protection,
6 conservation, enhancement, and restoration of the coastal area of the state through oversight
7 of integrated coastal protection projects and programs; and
8 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.5.1 et seq., provides that the board shall develop,
9 coordinate, make reports on, and provide oversight for the comprehensive coastal protection
10 annual plan; and
11 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.6.1 et seq., provides for the creation, duties, and
12 responsibilities of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority as the implementation
13 and enforcement arm of the board and that through its offices and officers, the authority shall
14 be responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the annual state integrated coastal
15 protection plan; and
16 WHEREAS, the annual state integrated coastal protection plan represents a state
17 policy for protecting, conserving, enhancing and restoring Louisiana's coastal area through
18 the construction and management of integrated coastal protection projects and programs,
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SLS 17RS-407 ORIGINAL
1 including coastal protection and restoration projects and hurricane protection projects, which
2 are projects that may require, without limitation, funding for associated measures such as the
3 beneficial use of dredged material, rehabilitation and repair of state restoration projects,
4 environmental and regulatory compliance, acquisition of land easements, right-of-ways,
5 relocations and disposal areas, maintenance programs, conservation and restoration
6 partnerships, reserve fund contingencies and other innovative programs, provided that such
7 funding for associated measures shall be allocated to the projects based on priority status as
8 identified by the annual state integrated coastal protection plan in order to more effectively
9 respond to the ever-changing coastal crisis; and
10 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.5.3 requires that, as part of the development of the annual
11 plan, the board shall conduct not less than three public hearings in separate locations in the
12 western, central and eastern areas of the coastal area for the purpose of receiving comments
13 and recommendations from the public and elected officials; and
14 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.5.3 also requires that at least two weeks prior to each public
15 hearing, the board must contact the parish governing authorities, regional flood protection
16 authorities, levee districts, and the state legislators of the parishes in the coastal areas for the
17 purpose of soliciting their comments and recommendations and notifying them of the public
18 hearing to be held in their area; and
19 WHEREAS, R.S. 49:214.5.3 requires the board to receive written comments and
20 recommendations until thirty days prior to the submission of the master plan to the
21 legislative committees; and
22 WHEREAS, given that the 2017 coastal master plan is also being presented to the
23 Louisiana Legislature this year, the annual plan has undergone the public comment process
24 in conjunction with the coastal master plan, which is well above and beyond the public
25 outreach required by law; and
26 WHEREAS, as required under the provisions of R.S. 49:214.5.3, the annual state
27 integrated coastal protection plan adopted by the board must be submitted to the House
28 Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Natural
29 Resources, the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and the
30 Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works, on or before the
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SLS 17RS-407 ORIGINAL
1 fifteenth day of the regular legislative session of each year; and
2 WHEREAS, these committees must provide guidance for and approval of the annual
3 state integrated coastal protection plan; and
4 WHEREAS, the annual state integrated coastal protection plan shall become
5 effective and implemented upon approval of the annual plan by a majority of both houses
6 of the legislature, or if a majority of both houses of the legislature fails to disapprove the
7 annual state integrated coastal protection plan by July 1, 2017, it shall become immediately
8 effective and implemented.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
10 does hereby approve the Fiscal Year 2018 annual plan for integrated coastal protection, as
11 adopted by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
13 chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SR 1 Original 2017 Regular Session Morrish
Approves the annual integrated coastal protection plan for Fiscal Year 2018 as adopted by
the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.
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