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News from the Morganza Action Coalition
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One Voice for Levee Protection
MAC Expands Scope to Advocate for Flood Protection in Terrebonne and Lafourche
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The Morganza Action Coalition (MAC) has expanded its grass-roots advocacy work to include promoting flood protection in neighboring Lafourche Parish, a move that provides our entire region with a stronger voice for levee projects to protect our coastal communities.
Representatives of the North Lafourche and South Lafourche Levee Districts and Lafourche Parish residents are now included on the MAC Board of Directors.
The 2016 MAC Board of Directors includes:
- Jay Walker, President
- Jack Moore
- Daniel Walker
- Cory Kief
- Ronald Callais
- Marguerite Knight
- Roland Guidry
- Jean Marmande
- Jane Arnette
In 2006, a group of Terrebonne Parish residents and business owners created MAC to promote federal authorization and funding of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf (MTG) Hurricane Protection System. MAC's efforts with elected officials and policymakers on Capitol Hill since then have helped the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District secure federal authorization and permit approvals for the levee system after decades of studies and federal delays.
Permitting for MTG Reaches K and L in Lafourche Parish, Corps of Engineers mitigation policy, and federal flood mapping issues are all issues that MAC and the Terrebonne, North Lafourche, South Lafourche levee districts have successfully resolved together in recent years.
"For the past ten years, MAC has aggressively promoted Morganza to the Gulf as critical protection for not just Terrebonne but our neighboring parish of Lafourche as well. Likewise, we have worked very well with our neighboring levee districts to resolve issues that impact our region's ability to protect ourselves," explains 2016 MAC President Jay Walker.
"By uniting under the MAC umbrella to promote state and federal support for Morganza and Lafourche levee projects, our voice will be even stronger. After all, our coastal communities are all in this together," he says.
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South Central Industrial Association (SCIA) President Bill Blanchard (right) presented a check to MAC representatives at the SCIA membership luncheon in September in support of MAC's work to promote levee protection in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.
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MAC Secures Critical Changes to Permitting Timeline in House and Senate Versions of Water Bill
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The U.S. House and Senate each passed versions of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) before recessing this week, with key provisions championed by MAC to speed up permit reviews for levee and and drainage projects.
The Senate passed its version of 2016 WRDA with a strong bipartisan vote of 95-3, and the House overwhelming approved its version of the bill by a vote of 399-25. MAC is optimistic that the differences in the Senate and House versions will be addressed and WRDA signed into law when Congress re-convenes after the November 8 election.
WRDA 2016 creates a two-year authorization schedule for the act, meaning that coastal communities like ours will not have to wait years for its reauthorization as we have in the past, which is critical to advancing our levee projects.
Also, as a direct result of MAC's engagement in the WRDA process, the Senate included a provision that requires the Corps to conduct the 408 process, during which the Corps determines if a proposed activity (like dredging a canal) impacts an existing federal project (like a federal levee), concurrently with other permit review procedures. This 408 process has been known to add years and significant cost to projects.
Congressman Garret Graves also won a provision on the House side that requires the Corps to make their 408 decision within 120 days.
MAC thanks Congressman Graves and the entire Louisiana Congressional Delegation who took up this fight and put us in a great position to win a beneficial provision in the final WRDA measure.
MAC will continue to push for final adoption of the 2016 WRDA during and after the November election recess to protect our community and our way of life!
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MAC and Morganza Levee Updates Featured on September 27 Edition of "Going Public"
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Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District (TLCD) representatives and MAC Board members were guests on the September 27 edition of the "Going Public" local news program on HTV Channel 10.
In Segment 1, TLCD Chairman Tony Alford and Executive Director Reggie Dupre showed and described drone footage of current and completed work on reaches of the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection System.
MAC President Jay Walker and Board member Jean Marmande were featured in Segment 2 of the program. They discussed the expansion of MAC's work that will now include advocating for flood protection in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.
The September 27 "Going Public" segments with TLCD and MAC fficials can be viewed here:
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The Morganza Action Coalition is a 501(c)(4) corporation founded in 2006 by Terrebonne Parish residents and business leaders who recognize the importance of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System to the continued survivability, economic viability and growth of our region. Today, MAC advocates for comprehensive levee protection for Terrebonne & Lafourche Parishes.
MAC relies on financial contributions from local businesses and individuals to
support these advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and in Baton Rouge, as well as to fund outreach and communication activities to gain public support for the Morganza project.
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