Louisiana Approves Coastal Restoration Master Plan

The state of Louisiana has approved a 50-year plan for restoring and bolstering its coastal defenses as the state loses thousands of square miles of wetlands to the effects of storms and infrastructure like canals, levees, and dams.

As David Kidd explains in Governing, “The loss of millions of acres of wetlands has left Louisiana with fewer natural defenses against future storm surge flooding and rising sea levels that threaten coastal communities and industries alike.”

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, coordinates federal and state coastal restoration efforts and guides investment. The agency updates its master plan every six years.

“The 2023 Coastal Master Plan calls for 77 projects aimed at preserving and protecting the coast, including the restoration and maintenance of over 300 square miles of Louisiana’s wetlands. Projects are chosen for their long-term viability and whether or not restored lands will survive 50 years or more.” The plan also “identifies a dozen risk reduction projects, including building new levees and strengthening existing barriers to protect communities from flooding.”