The Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) was recognized for its distinguished record as a dedicated steward of Louisiana’s coastal lands by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL). GLPC was presented with a Coastal Stewardship award at the 2014 CRCL Awards Banquet on May 9, 2014.
“ We were pleased to have been nominated by Restore or Retreat and the South Central Industrial Association and are honored to be recognized by CRCL as coastal stewards ,” said GLPC’s Executive Director Chett Chiasson .
Over the past several years GLPC has worked closely with federal, state, and local partners to implement, enhance, or champion for numerous coastal and environmental restoration projects in and around Port Fourchon. In some instances, restoration techniques were utilized for the first time on projects done by GLPC, making Port Fourchon an important proving ground for coastal science and restoration techniques.
An example of the GLPC’s commitment to restoration is the Fourchon Beach Repair Project. This ongoing project utilizes geotubes, or large fabric tubes that can be filled with sand, to create a stable base for pumped sands to restore the sand dunes lost to hurricanes and coastal erosion. These restored dunes provide essential birding habitat and critical storm surge protection for Fourchon Beach and Port Fourchon behind it.
The beach project also highlights the Port Commission’s success in obtaining public-private partnership investment, with over $5 million in funding from multiple sources including FEMA, Shell Oil Company, and GLPC itself as well as cooperation with landowners Edward Wisner Trust and Caillouet Land.
“ The Greater Lafourche Port Commission’s longstanding commitment to coastal restoration not only helps our natural environment but also demonstrates to business and industry the idea that restoration is integral to living, working, and investing in coastal Louisiana ,” said Simone Maloz, Executive Director of Restore or Retreat .
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Press Release, May 23, 2014