Coastal zone board member cleared to write for CWPPRA

Wendy Wilson-Billiot of Theriot may provide compensated services for projects involving the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) while serving on the Terrebonne Parish Coastal Zone Management Advisory Board, according to a ruling of the Louisiana Board of Ethics.

Alesia Ardoin, writing for the board, said because Wilson-Billiot was appointed to the advisory board after the board had recommended the priority level of projects, there was no prohibition to her working simultaneously for CWPPRA.

The Terrebonne Parish Coastal Zone Management Advisory Board is charged with making recommendations as to the priority that each project should be given but has no role in reviewing the CWPPRA projects once they have been implemented.

CWPPRA is federal legislation enacted in 1990 that is designed to identify, prepare, and fund construction of coastal wetlands restoration projects. Its managing agencies include the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Wilson-Billiot was asked to write a series of articles on CWPPRA projects.

“The board concluded and instructed me to inform that the Code of Governmental Ethics does not prohibit you from performing the … services,” Ardoin wrote.

Ardoin wrote that state ethics rules prohibit an appointed member of any board or commission member, immediate family members, or any entity in which he has a substantial economic interest from entering into or to be in any way interested in any contract or other transaction under the supervision or jurisdiction of the agency of such appointed member.

“Since the role of the advisory board is limited to its recommendations made prior to the implementation of the CWPPRA projects and you were not a member of the advisory board at the time of those recommendations, you are able to receive compensation from CWPPRA for writing the articles,” Ardoin said.

Ardoin added that Wilson-Billiot may also provide transportation services to CWPPRA projects that have already been implemented.