Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board yesterday unanimously adopted a $748 million spending plan for coastal projects and programs in the coming fiscal year starting on July 1 and running through June 2020.
According to an official CPRA’s release , the Louisiana Legislature will be asked to approve the expenditure of anticipated funds outlined in the CPRA’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Plan for Integrated Ecosystem Restoration & Hurricane Protection in Coastal Louisiana.
This year’s plan outlines 108 active projects, with 58 in construction, and more headed in that direction after planning, engineering and design.
CPRA Executive Director, Bren Haase, said that the number of projects expected to go into construction is an increase over the draft report issued in January.
He cited project refinements and continued analysis as reasons for the projected increase.
“Our investment in planning, engineering and design is resulting in more construction,” said Haase. “That is quite evident in this year’s plan with 65 percent of anticipated funds going to construction, which is projected to increase to 75 and 81 percent for construction in the following two fiscal years.”
Board Chairman Chip Kline has also pointed out that CPRA has been building nonstop since it began implementing projects in 2007.