Water Resources Development Act Requests

Congressman Steve Scalise submitted the following projects for inclusion in the 2010 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). If these projects are authorized under WRDA, they would then become eligible for federal support.

Slidell Levee/Schnieder's Canal Levee modification, St. Tammany Parish- $75 million

Provides hurricane storm surge protection for Slidell, which remains unprotected from storm surge entering Lake Pontchartrain. Project involves an I-wall levee and various new levee segments to tie into existing local levees and proposes various improvements to existing local levees.

W-14 Canal Drainage, St. Tammany Parish- $235 million

Project includes canal modifications, bridge replacements, gated control structure and pump, construction of retention ponds & channel improvements

Outfall Canals, Pump to the River (Option 2a), Orleans and Jefferson Parishes- $200 million

Authorization of Hoey's Basin diversion to divert storm water from Jefferson Parish to the Mississippi River.
Third party review of the outfall canal project at the conclusion of which the safest recommendation would be authorized for construction.

Northshore Integrated Hurricane Protection

Authorizes the Corps of Engineers to develop a plan to provide integrated hurricane/flood protection and coastal restoration to the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and direct the Secretary of the Army to immediately proceed to implementation of measures identified through the LACPR analysis and design (Cat 5 report) to prevent high storm surges from entering Lake Pontchartrain to implement program components prior to the completion of final study.

Port Manchac barge channel, Tangipahoa Parish - $500,000

Proposed barge channel project is designed to provide more efficient and safer barge access to Port Manchac.

St. Charles West Bank Levee - $150,000,000

Provides hurricane protection to the west bank of St. Charles Parish by authorizing for construction the St. Charles Parish West Bank Hurricane Protection project as a modification to the West Bank and Vicinity project.

Ponchatoula Water Infrastructure - $1,400,000

Construction of a 500k elevated water tower and rehabilitation of two existing water facilities

St. Charles Parish Flood Control

Allow credit for St. Charles Parish Urban Flood Control, modify existing authorization & inclusion of west bank in flood control study

IHNC, GIWW, and Harvey Canal Closure

Requires operation and maintenance expenses of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Closure, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway West Closure, and the Harvey Canal Closure to be the responsibility of the Corps of Engineers

Jesuit Bend Flood Protection

Eastern Tie-In Modification for Jesuit Bend community in Plaquemines Parish

Louisiana Coastal Area

To require the task force established in WRDA 2007 to develop proposed criteria for the establishment of a programmatic authorization pilot program related to coastal community sustainability in Louisiana

MR-GO Cost Share Clarification

Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) study cost share clarification

Addressing the concept of "induced shoaling"

Clarifying that induced shoaling resulting from freshwater diversions that mitigate the effect of levees and navigation channels shall remain an operations and maintenance responsibility.

Louisiana Coastal Area Science and Technology Program - $100 million

The authorization for the existing LCA Science and Technology program should be expanded to include all forms of coastal sustainability (i.e. hurricane/flood protection, coastal restoration, building standards, elevation of homes, etc) and should be required to be housed and administered in Louisiana

Beneficial use of dredged material

Louisiana Coastal Area's Beneficial Use of Dredged Material: Clarify Section 7006(d) of WRDA 07 regarding cost share of LCA beneficial use of dredged material
Clarification of the "federal standard" to allow for beneficial use of dredged material on Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers
Pilot program using Corps dredges to conduct beneficial use of dredged material projects/study

Future Lifts for Subsidence/Settling of HPS

Authorize Corps to construct levee lifts or other modifications to the South Louisiana hurricane and flood protection system

Treatment of Levee/Roadway Interactions related to the NO area hurricane protection system

Clarify that costs associated with modifications to roadways to accommodate NO area hurricane protection remain a project and not real estate cost

MRGO Closure/Restoration - Bayou LaLoutre

Authorized through WRDA 2007, the restoration of the Bayou LaLoutre Ridge will prevent the loss of future wetlands in this area and reduce storm surge, and the Corps should be directed to immediately proceed with restoration efforts.