(Washington, DC) – Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D., (R-South Louisiana) issued the following statement today after repairs to the Leland Bowman Lock gates, located in Vermilion Parish, commenced and were reinstalled:

“I am pleased to see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers complete this repair project.  The gates were removed for repair as a result of a barge collision this past fall. The reinstallation of the gates will prevent saltwater from penetrating drainage ditches and freshwater supplies used by crawfish and rice farmers to irrigate fields. By the end of this week, South Louisiana can once again rely on the Lock to serve as a critical barrier protecting agricultural production.”

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