Louisiana parishes secure funding for critical coastal protection projects

Six projects aimed at helping protect Louisiana’s coastline were awarded a total of $6 million through a program that partners directly with parishes to support restoration efforts.

Local governments are required to provide an equal match to the funds they receive through the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s 2025 Parish Matching Program, a spokesperson for the CPRA told Government Market News.

“Collaborating with our local government partners enables us to accelerate these vital, parish-led projects, enhancing community protections and restoring ecosystems along our coast,” CPRA Executive Director Glenn Ledet Jr. said. “These efforts support our Coastal Master Plan and bring us closer to our mission of safeguarding and revitalizing Louisiana’s invaluable coastline.” Funding is made available through Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA).

Awards include:

$2 million for two projects in St. Tammany Parish. The parish received $1 million for the Mandeville Lakefront Wetlands Project, which involves creating marsh and building a rock berm and weir along the Lake Pontchartrain shore to protect a cypress swamp, redirect urban runoff and increase flood resiliency of the surrounding community. The parish also received $1 million in CPRA funding to build a breakwater to protect the historic Tchefuncte River Lighthouse.
$1.26 million for Vermilion Parish to extend construction of a rock breakwater east of the mouth of the Boston Canal in North Vermilion Bay.
$1.1 million for Lafourche Parish to build approximately 20,000 linear feet of earthen terraces to reduce wave energy and add protection to LA-1 and nearby levees.
$850,000 to Tangipahoa Parish for the Lee’s Landing Hydrologic Restoration project. The project involves creating spoil bank cuts along the powerline canal to improve drainage south of Ponchatoula and improve connectivity within the Manchac Landbridge wetlands.
$775,000 in Terrebonne Parish to build approximately 18,000 linear feet of earthen terraces to reduce wave energy and increase emergent habitat in Raccourci Bay.

Image by RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay