• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Morganza Action Coalition

Levee Protection for a Community That Serves Our Nation

Home Support MAC Join Our Mailing List
  • About MAC
  • Morganza to the Gulf
  • Advocacy
  • News
  • Resources

Morganza flood-protection system gets a boost

June 23, 2019 by Morganza Action Coalition

June 23, 2019

HoumaToday.com

Our region got some incredible news last week when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reduced the estimated cost of building the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane protection system.

Earlier estimates had put the project at around $10.3 billion. But this latest assessment says it can be built at a cost to the federal government of $3.2 billion to $6 billion, depending on whether the project uses elevations designed for the year 2035 or those for 2085, the latter being much higher and more expensive.

Either way, though, local home and business owners stand a much better chance of getting federal help in building the system. At a cost of $10.3 billion, there was little chance the federal government would see the cost-benefit ratio as feasible.

“You’re never going to get that amount of money at one time from the federal government. That’s just the way the federal government is approaching these policy issues,” said Chip Kline, chairman of the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. “I think it’s a little more digestible when you’re talking $4 billion than when you’re talking $12 to $14 billion. So, we’ll see.”

The fact that federal assistance is still a possibility is a testament to the perseverance that local and state officials have maintained for years. After being met with delay from the federal government, local levee officials asked local taxpayers to pay for a lesser version of the protection system, voters approved, and work has been steadily progressing.

Even without federal assistance, our local communities are enjoying some protection now and will have greater levels of protection in years to come. With assistance, though, there is every reason to believe we could see a full-scale Morganza holding back storm water in future years.

And the greatly reduced cost estimates make that a more likely scenario, though certainly not a sure thing. Local observers of this process know better than to get too excited over the prospect of seeing it through to completion. But this is a welcome boost to those hopes.

Congratulations to all the local officials who refused to take no for an answer and to state coastal leaders who pressed the corps to look again at the estimates. This has been a long, frustrating journey, but the hard work might be beginning to pay off.

Well done, and let’s keep it up.

Filed Under: News Articles

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Corps Breaks Ground on New Humble Canal Floodgate
  • Morganza Minute – December 2022 E-Newsletter
  • U.S. Senate Approves $19 Million for Morganza in Spending Bill
  • $19 Million for Morganza Included in Federal Appropriations Bill
  • Gov. Edwards Touts MtG in Senate Testimony

Archives

  • December 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • August 2021
  • February 2021
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • July 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
Sign the Petition

Join Our Mailing List

Footer

MAC

Morganza Action Coalition is the voice for the residents of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana as we push for hurricane and flood protection that our community needs and deserves.

CONTACT US

Morganza Action Coalition
henri@morganza.org
(985) 258-1399
P.O. Box 2601
Houma, LA 70361

JOIN US

Support MAC
Join Our Mailing List

Copyright © 2023 Morganza Action Coalition. All rights reserved.