June 2015

The Conveyance Online
Restore or Retreat's E-newsletter
Restore or Retreat Executive Committee

Mike Plaisance, President

Plaisance Dragline and Dredging

 

Ted Falgout, VP

Ted M. Falgout and Associates

 

Robert Naquin, Treasurer

C21 Acadia Realty

 

Henri Boulet, Secretary

LA 1 Coalition

 

Tim Allen

Apache Louisiana Minerals

 

Charlotte Bollinger

Bollinger Shipyards

 

Berwick Duval

Duval, Funderburk, Sundbery, Lovell and Watkins

 

Dr. John J. Jones, Jr.

Jones Dermatology

Calendar
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

Wed, Jul 15-- 09:30 a.m.

State Capitol

House Committee Room 5

Baton Rouge 


Diversion Expert Panel
Tues, Aug 4
TBD

Governor's Advisory Commission

Wed, Aug 05-- 10:00 a.m.

Vermilion Parish Library

Abbeville

 

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board

Wed, Aug 19 -- 09:30 a.m.

LaSalle Building

Baton Rouge 

In the News
Updated ROR Website
Check out the
updated ROR website,
with more information on our 15th anniversary, project updates, new pictures in News and Events, staff bios and much much more!
Celebrating 15 Years with ROR
Here, we will share past facts and current news about ROR and our work, as well as support from our stakeholders who make our work possible!

Did You Know?!
  • ROR awards a scholarship to a Nicholls student passionate about saving our coast. 
  • ROR has partnered with the Better than Ezra Foundation, a philatropic foundation created by the rockers to support causes close to their hearts. 
  • Executive Director Simone Maloz was an original Woman of the Storm, a coastal advocacy movement of diverse women who stormed the Capitol following the hurricanes of 2005 and oil-spill of 2010.
From ROR Founding Member and Executive Committee Member Charlotte Bollinger:
Restore or Retreat began as the only non-government group focused on the devastating loss to our way of life and our working coast.  For 15 years, it has been truly a voice of the people who live here.  The 'ROR' of the voice of the people is stronger than ever. Restore or Retreat has been watchdog and promoter of many projects meaningful to all of us.
Quick Links
ROR is now on Facebook and Twitter-
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Today!

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Several Local Projects Begin 
Two projects are under construction, and a third is set to begin before summer's end.

Bayou Lafourche D'ville
The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District recently began the second, $16 million phase of their bayou improvement project.

The overall goal of the project is to increase Mississippi River water flow into Bayou Lafourche and improve water quality for over 300,000 residents of Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche, who depend on the bayou for drinking water.   The second phase will focus on approximately 8 miles of bayou improvement.

Completed in 2011, the first phase of the dredging project included nearly six miles from Donaldsonville to Belle Rose.  Funding is provided by the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which sends money from offshore energy production back to the state for coastal projects. Click here for the Houma Courier article on the project.

Also under construction is Increment II of the Caminada Headlands project.  Increment II will create approximately 490 acres of beach and dune habitat, restoring approximately 7.5 additional miles above those created in Increment I of beach with approximately 5 million cubic yards of material from Ship Shoal, a remnant barrier island.  Also included are actions to mitigate impacts to sea turtles, piping plovers, and other nesting birds. 

This $144.5 million project is funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) with the criminal fines associated with the 2010 oil spill.  NFWF previously funded $3 million for design and engineering for Increment II.

There will be one more project under construction by summer's end.  Utilizing funding from the early Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, the Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration project involves the restoration of beach, dune, and back-barrier marsh habitats at four barrier island locations in Louisiana. One of the four locations includes Caillou Lake Headlands, also known as Whiskey Island, in Terrebonne Parish.  CPRA is anticipating bidding the $110 million project this summer, with construction beginning late summer.  Click here for an article from the Houma Courier on the sand lease approval.

For more information and status updates on these ROR priority projects and others, check out our updated website!  
In the Field 
Even on these hot Louisiana days, ROR is always more than happy to be in the field, learning more and educating others!

ROR visited Davis Pond with the CPRA and a leading NYT environmental reporter.  After the CPRA and St. Charles Parish staff discussed the project at the structure along River River road, the group was greeted by several dozen alligators waiting in the conveyance channel for breakfast.  The group then boarded air boats to tour the ponding area and outfall channels, where they were able to view CPRA's monitoring stations, as well as take core samples that clearly showed sediment accumulations in the ponding area. 
 


  
    

ROR was also a proud sponsor of the Lafourche Chamber Legislative Wrap-Up with Senator Norby Chabert, Senator Gary Smith, and Representative "Dee" Richard.  Here, Senator Smith addresses the group.
We are grateful for our supporters who allow us to continue working daily on saving this irreplaceable region!
 
Sincerely,

Simone Maloz

Executive Director

 

John Lombardo

Outreach Coordinator