Louisiana's coastal communities an ongoing emergency according to coastal summit leaders

Urging citizens, government, businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to recognize a continuous storm destroying Louisiana's coast, King Milling, chair of America's WETLAND Foundation (AWF), opened a summit on the national significance of Louisiana's coastal master plan today. Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) & AWF hosted the Summit on the National Significance of Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is a governmental authority created by the Louisiana Legislature following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

AWF shared in a press release tonight that Milling said today: "The lower Mississippi will be threatened by future storms that will materially impact international trade and commerce, which has been the cornerstone of wealth and community vitality from Arkansas to Minnesota. These conditions constitute the very definition of emergency."

The summit, held at Louisiana State University, followed two leadership roundtables convened by AWF and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) held this past autumn where topics surrounding Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan and its funding were discussed. "If we do not pursue the mandates in the plan and continue the implementation of the planning process, the result will be a catastrophe, not just for Louisiana but for much of the nation as well. Without that effort, towns and communities across the delta are at risk, and close to two-million people will be uprooted," Milling said.

The summit drew panels of coastal leaders who have been advocating for wetlands restoration for more than a decade. Governor John Bel Edwards told the assembly that securing passage by the legislature of the 2017 Master Plan was essential. "I want you to own this plan, I need you to help me build this plan," Governor Edwards said, "This is not just CPRA's plan or my plan. This is Louisiana's plan - the best set of projects and programs to build land and reduce the risk of storm surge flooding to protect and secure our state, our citizens, and our resources. We know this plan does not do everything for everyone but does accept the reality that we don't have unlimited dollars to do what we need to do. This plan does identify the best projects that can make the biggest impact."

A review of the 2017 Coastal Master Plan by CPRA chief of planning, Bren Haase, led to discussions as to why the plan was of national significance, how Louisiana has become a bellwether for discovering restoration solutions as coastal states face sea level rise, and what can be done now before Louisiana's loss of coastal land becomes irreversible.

Former U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu said, "Efforts are underway in Congress to expand the use of offshore royalties for both Gulf restoration and other environmental issues nationwide."

A media panel of journalists including Mark Schleifstein of NOLA.com,f Bob Marshall of The Lens, John Snell of Fox8 New Orleans and former Advocate reporter Amy Wold discussed covering news coming out of the new master plan. "Sea level rise is the big story," said Wold, who is now employed by The Water Institute of the Gulf. "The non-structural aspects - elevation of homes and relocation of people will be the news in the next decade. People who live in places they thought were not a risk, are now finding they are."

During discussion of the rationale for funding America's coasts, Adam Davis, of Ecosystem Investment Partners, said, "The notion of performance-based contracting is for the private contractor to take on the risk. He gets paid only after completing the work to government standards and this will be a viable practice for years into the future. The main role of the private sector is to deliver restoration effectively." He added, "It is possible for the private sector to triple the amount of acreage called for in the master plan. We must strive to accelerate the rate of restoration."

The 2017 Coastal Master Plan goes before the Louisiana legislature this April for approval. It is mandated by law to be revised every five years to take into consideration the dynamics of the coast and new science and technology.

This Summit was held in cooperation with National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Environmental Defense Fund, the Mississippi River Delta Coalition, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Louisiana Offshore Terminal Authority and was supported by: Entergy, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Ducks Unlimited, and Louisiana Sea Grant. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Images. Northshore Near Pontchatoula flooding aftermath of Isaac.jpg (category Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana); Southeastern Louisiana; aerial view near Pontchatoula, Tangipahoa Parish, after Hurricane Isaac. Photos by Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.