HLS 20RS-1011 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 724
BY REPRESENTATIVE CORMIER
COASTAL RESOURCES: Provides relative to guidelines for granting coastal use permits
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 49:214.27(F), relative to coastal use permits; to require a full review of a
3 federally mandated environmental impact statement prior to the issuance of a coastal
4 use permit; to prohibit state recognition of any waivers granted under a federally
5 mandated environmental impact statement; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 49:214.27(F) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง214.27. Coastal management programs; development; guidelines
9 * * *
10 F.(1) In the interest of sound environmental decisions based on the best
11 science available and in the interest of the economic benefit provided to the state of
12 Louisiana by its coastal natural resources, no applicant shall be granted a coastal use
13 permit for a project requiring a federal environmental impact statement under the
14 provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., unless
15 the project is fully reviewed under all sections and provisions of the environmental
16 impact statement required by the federal permitting agency. Any waivers obtained
17 for any sections or provisions of the federally required environmental impact
18 statement shall not be recognized for purposes of issuing a Louisiana coastal use
19 permit.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-1011 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 724
1 (2) In the event an application meets the requirements of this Subsection,
2 nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to preclude the department from
3 conducting an analysis of an application for a coastal use permit.
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)]
HB 724 Original 2020 Regular Session Cormier
Abstract: Provides relative to guidelines for granting coastal use permits.
Present law provides for guidelines to be used by the coastal management program in the
Dept. of Natural Resources for the issuance of coastal use permits.
Proposed law prohibits the issuance of a coastal use permit for a project requiring a federal
environmental impact statement unless the project is fully reviewed under all sections and
provisions of that environmental impact statement. Further provides that any waivers
obtained under the federally required environmental impact statement shall not be
recognized for purposes of issuing a La. coastal use permit. Further provides that proposed
law cannot be construed to preclude the department from conducting an analysis of an
application for a coastal use permit.
(Adds R.S. 49:214.27(F))
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.