• 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

Opinion: Levee Tour for an Important Visitor

February 8, 2019 by Morganza Action Coalition

February 8, 2019

HoumaToday.com

The region hosted an important visitor earlier this week, and the message was simple: Please help.

Gov. John Bel Edwards was here to tour our levees and to bring news of the state’s investment of $13 million in a pump station that should benefit the Gibson and Bayou Black area.

But he was also bound to hear some local pleas for state help in protecting our homes and businesses – a process that will require much more money than can be generated at the local level. Even with taxpayers willing to pay for a great deal of levee work, we have been unable to launch the kind of massive effort we will need.

So levee officials wanted the governor to see for himself what we’ve accomplished with the Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane protection system and why the system is so vitally important.

“To be able to see the whole system at one time will give us a better appreciation for it and what the central components are that are still missing,” Edwards said. “We are more resource-constrained than we’d like to be. These projects are very, very expensive, and while we have revenue coming in, the revenue is coming in over a long period of time. We’ve got to figure out what do we do now, where do we get the most bang for the buck?”

Edwards’ point is legitimate. As the need for resources stretches far beyond the reach of local taxpayers, it is also likely out of the state’s reach, particularly with the ongoing fiscal troubles that are affecting Louisiana.

He is also correct in pointing out that with a limited pool of money, the state has to try to identify the areas where that money can make the most difference.

One way it can stretch its dollars will be to use local-state projects such as Morganza to count against what Louisiana has to repay to the federal government for work begun after Hurricane Katrina. Edwards said that is still a possibility the state is exploring but that it will hinge getting it approved by the feds.

It is great to see that the governor is aware of the pressing needs that exist along the coast and has a good understanding of how we might proceed with the greatest potential for good.

A local visit from time to time is a good thing, and Edwards will surely take back to Baton Rouge a deeper understanding of why these projects are so important.

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.