HLS 24RS-4723 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 256
BY REPRESENTATIVE ZERINGUE
APPROPRIATIONS: To urge and request the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
to report on potential liabilities to the state general fund if the Mid-Barataria
Sediment Diversion project is not timely completed
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to report to the House
3 Committee on Appropriations no later than May 31, 2024, describing potential
4 liabilities to the state general fund if the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project
5 is not timely completed and outlining the steps the state can take to mitigate any
6 impact to the state general fund.
7 WHEREAS, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is the state agency
8responsible for the comprehensive master coastal protection plan; and
9 WHEREAS, the goal of the comprehensive master coastal protection plan is coastal
10restoration, coastal zone management, storm damage reduction, hurricane protection, flood
11control, and the protection, conservation, restoration, and enhancements of coastal wetlands;
12and
13 WHEREAS, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project is an important part of
14the comprehensive master coastal protection plan; and
15 WHEREAS, the state began the permitting process for the Mid-Barataria Sediment
16Diversion project in 2016 and began the construction phase in August of 2023; and
17 WHEREAS, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project has a $2.9 billion dollar
18budget, comprised of $2.26 billion dollars from Natural Resource Damage Assessment funds
19and $600 million dollars from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 24RS-4723 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 256
1 WHEREAS, the state has set aside $378 million dollars for a mitigation and
2stewardship program; and
3 WHEREAS, it has been reported that the state has spent $422 million dollars to date
4on pre-construction, construction, and mitigation; and
5 WHEREAS, it has been reported that the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court has
6issued a stop work order on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project; and
7 WHEREAS, it has been reported that the state could owe between $250 million and
8$500 million dollars in damages to subcontractors if the state cancels contracts to build the
9Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project; and
10 WHEREAS, the repayment of funds may result in significant expenditures from the
11state fisc.
12 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
13urge and request the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to report to the House
14Committee on Appropriations no later than May 31, 2024, describing potential liabilities to
15the state general fund if the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project is not timely
16completed and outlining the steps the state can take to mitigate any impact to the state
17general fund.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
19Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
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)]
HR 256 Original 2024 Regular Session Zeringue
Urges and requests the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to report to the House
Committee on Appropriations no later than May 31, 2024, describing potential liabilities to
the state general fund if the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project is not timely
completed and outlining the steps the state can take to mitigate any impact to the state
general fund.
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