Blackouts still plague St. Mary
July 11, 2012
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Sen. Mary Landrieu made Thibodaux the second of five stops on a whirlwind tour of the state Monday. Her purpose was to celebrate passage of the Resource and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economy Act, which was signed into law on Friday.
Co-author of the RESTORE Act, Landrieu told 120 business and government leaders that money from federal fines, imposed on BP following the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, will make their way into Louisiana. More specifically, she noted, unspecified dollars will head to Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, as restitution for land and water damage, and the spill’s adverse economic impact to the region. A total of 80 percent of fines, designated through the Clean Water Restore Act, will go to Gulf Coast States still impacted from the oil spill.
“I’ve got goose bumps,” Restore or Retreat founder Charlotte Bollinger said while introducing Landrieu. “The RESTORE Act gives us great hope for the coast.”
Landrieu reviewed the history of her legislative efforts to federally fund coastal restoration – long before the BP spill or even Hurricane Katrina.
“This has been built on decades of efforts … to help the country understand what’s happening here in this place we call home,” Landrieu (D-La.) said. “It needed a focused, comprehensive approach.”
As part of the RESTORE and Clean Water acts, BP fines will go into a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, once federal officials and BP representatives, reach agreement as which of five Gulf Coast states will receive what amount of total fine allocations.
Landrieu said 35 percent of the trust funds will be allocated “directly and equally” among Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. She added that 60 percent of funds will be spent by approval of a federal-state council. State allocations are based on impact. Gulf Coast research, alone, will receive 5 percent of the funds.
In Louisiana, 70 percent will go into state-level coffers, while the remaining 30 percent will be provided directly to parishes based on shoreline miles oiled, population and land mass. As a condition of receiving funds, eligible parishes, including Lafourche, Terrebonne and St. Mary, must complete a comprehensive land-use plan.
The RESTORE Act will be used to pay for projects in the state’s 50-year, $50 billion Coastal Master Plan, which includes 109 projects designed to improve flood protection, recreate processes to build Louisiana’s delta and ensure continuance of recreational and commerce activity.
In fighting for Louisiana’s interest, Landrieu said she emphasized the area she represents as having the largest port system in North America and said by nature it is a working coast.
“We’re not sun bathing on our coast,” Landrieu said. “I’ve been there 1,000 times and not seen one person laying on the beach, except Grand Isle where a few little kids are laying on the beach. I go to Florida and there are bodies as far as you can see are people lounging on the beach. … Our people never rest. What we do is work.”
Landrieu said following the disasters of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike, then the BP oil spill, she realized that federal money would not be going to Louisiana unless she and remaining members of the delegation began claiming it.
“I was determined to not be a hog and ask for 100 percent, and get nothing,” Landrieu said. “I was determined to get our reasonable share.”
Negotiation and working with other legislators across the Gulf Coast led to the RESTORE Act succeeding, according to this senator.
Bollinger shipyard CEO Donald ”Boysie” Bollinger had been scheduled to be the BIG speaker of the day. He yielded most of his time to the senator and spent much of his talk complimenting work Landrieu had supported.
As part of the federal Transportation Bill, RESTORE was joined on that legislation by flood control and student loan legislation. Bollinger said that being tacked onto the Transportation Bill secured passage for the RESTORE Act.
“Without Mary Landrieu, the RESTORE Act would not have passed,” Bollinger said.
“I can’t say anything but good things about Mary [Landrieu] and all she has done for us,” state Rep. Joe Harrison said. “Our rights were circumvented many years ago. She has fought the fight … to make sure we are being treated equal.”
Landrieu said that a settlement process still needs to take place before a delivery date is established for impacted states to receive funds.
“Based on an estimate of $500 billion [in fines], it will take six to eight years of immediate investments to get our coastal restoration going,”
Landrieu’s RESTORE celebration road-trip included stops in Jean Lafitte, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Bell City.
Sen. Mary Landrieu
