The Army Corps of Engineers is holding two virtual public meetings next Wednesday to collect comments on a revised study of potential environmental impacts of building the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain hurricane levye.
The Corps has re-published the study April 15 to correct an error in the permit process for the proposed Mississippi River diversion into Maurepas Swamp. It describes how the Corps will use diversion to reduce the environmental damage that was caused by the construction of the levee.
The meetings will take place May 11 at 6 p.m. and May 12 at 10 a.m.
The diversion, which will move 2,000 cubic yards per second of freshwater from river to swamp, will improve wetlands in an area where they will be destroyed due to the $1.2 billion levee. The levee is being constructed along the banks of the Mississippi River on the east bank in St. Charles, St. John, and St. James parishes.
The Corps initially rejected Maurepas’ diversion because the estimated $200 million cost was more than the amount required to mitigate the levee. After state officials clarified that the diversion cost was not to be added to the local levee construction costs, the Corps reconsidered. According to state officials, that amount should not exceed $120 millions.
The actual construction costs for the diversion will come from money that the state receives from the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Environmental Restoration Program.
The new West Shore levee protects river parishes from storm surges. Officials stated that it will be raised over the next 50 year to address future sea level rise.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news about Louisiana’s coast, and the environment. Register today.
The meetings will be held via WebEx and simultaneously streamed to the districts.Facebookpage.
Log in information is available on the Website for the projectThe same applies to the Report and supporting information.
To access each meeting, individuals can also dial these toll free numbers:
Wednesday, May 11th, 6 p.m. 1-844-808-2712, meeting number 2762 265, 1486
Thursday, May 12, 10 a.m. 1-844-800-22712, meeting number2760486 9415
Landon Parr, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Planning Branch, Regional Planning and Environmental Division South CEMVN-PDC–C, 7400 Leake Ave. New Orleans, 70118.
Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to [email protected].
The public comment period closes May 31.
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This work is supported by a Walton Family Foundation grant and administered by Society of Environmental Journalists.
