An overwhelming 88 percent of Louisiana voters want their legislators to vote for the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, according to a new statewide poll released yesterday, ‘Restore the Mississippi River Delta’ just announced.
The master plan is the state’s science-based blueprint for large-scale restoration and protection of Louisiana’s critical coastal areas.
The draft plan will soon be finalized and is expected to be approved by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board, the organization said.
It will be sent to the state Legislature for passage later this month.
The poll identifies extensive statewide support for the master plan, including 93 percent in the southwest coastal region, 92 percent in the Orleans metro region, 89 percent in the Bayou Central region, 88 percent in Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes, and 84 percent in north Louisiana.
“Our way of life in coastal Louisiana cannot continue without immediate action to restore and protect the coast,” said Steve Cochran, campaign director for Restore the Mississippi River Delta.
“Louisianians statewide agree that our coast is crucial to the safety of our residents and to the industries that support our economy – and they want their legislators to act to help protect us by passing the master plan.”
The poll found that 97 percent of voters statewide say that Louisiana’s coastal areas and wetlands are personally important to them.
Additionally, 74 percent of voters (87 percent of coastal and 66 percent of non-coastal voters) believe that coastal land loss will affect them personally in the future, and 85 percent believe this land loss poses a “very serious threat” to coastal cities and communities subject to hurricane storm surge.