Louisiana's 2012 Coastline Restoration Plan



LA Coastal Plan 2012, via


A $50 billion proposal to address the future of Louisiana's coastline is under  review by state legislature .  The 2012 Coastal Master Plan describes the 50 year program as increasing flood protection across all socio-economic groups and creating a sustainable coastline. The full plan can be found here.

The plan, not the first, optimistically projects "an end to land loss in 30 years and creating up to 859 square miles of land over the next five decades," in contrast to doing nothing to address the issue at a loss of 1,756 square miles in the same time frame.  Each year Louisiana loses between 25 and 35 square miles of coastal wetlands that revert to open waters, among the highest rates of conversion in the world.  According to Science, the 50 year land loss corresponds to a "loss of public resources, including fisheries, wildlife habitat, navigation, flood control, and hurricane protection...estimated at more than $37 billion."

The plan includes additional levees and building up land "by opening up diversions on the Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya River to flush sediment and freshwater into marshlands now sinking and eroding, ...building new ridges, pumping sediment into eroded marshes, building new shorelines, shoring up coastal spots that have fallen apart and pouring sand onto disappearing barrier islands.'' (Boston.com article)  The majority of the budget, $17 billion, is allotted for marsh creation projects. (Fox.com article)

With 80% of the coastline privately owned, the plan is careful to acknowledge the rights and mineral rights of affected landowners, but critics argue that coastal restoration projects just put more people in the way of the next disaster. Continued projects reassure residents of safety in areas where it is questionable.  Further, scientists call into question even the short term effectiveness of some restoration projects. Research out of Duke University on replenished Gulf of Mexico beaches found that only 10% of them lasted more than five years. (Orlando Sentinel article) Full and continued funding is also questionable. Coast 2050, a similar and similarly large ($14 billion) project developed in 1998 had the backing of scientists, Louisiana officials, city planners, and the Army Corps of Engineers, but it was dumped due to funding issues. (NY Times article)


Port Fourchon, LA via New Orleans Lady,
where barrier island restoration is proposed



The 2012 Master Plan is projected to be funded through state, federal, oil spill fines, and increased oil revenues.

In 2006 the state legislature created the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, CPRA, and tasked it with creating a new coastal master plan every five years. More information on CPRA can be found here. The group developed the current plan with, among other resources, computer modeling and the input of local communities and community groups gathered over several months and 70 meetings. After a final review of comments, the plan will put to vote in March. (DailyComet.com article)

Despite obstacles and critics, doing nothing is no plan. The demise of Coast 2050 stands as a reminder of this fact, its sponsors reminding us in 2000 that "that the government will either spend billions now to save the marshes or many more billions later to bail out New Orleans, half of which already lies below sea level. 'We'll do whatever we can,” says DNR's [Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources] Good. “Even if we have to fill sand bags and throw them into the breach.'" (Science article)

- anne marie chance