Gov. John Bel Edwards is announcing $34 million in federal funding for 13 flood risk reduction projects recommended by regions throughout the state as part of the Local and Regional Projects and Programs – Round 1. Today’s Round 1 funding announcement follows $61.6 million awarded in May to 16 projects, as well as about $213 million awarded earlier this year for 20 state projects and programs. The local and regional Round 1 projects and grantees awarded today are as follows:
Region 1
* $2.27 million for Foxskin Bayou Drainage Improvements, Haughton
•$3.43 million for East Natchitoches Drainage Improvements, Natchitoches Parish
Immediately after today’s Round 1 announcement, the state launched Round 2, which includes a $100 million Design Support Pilot to address technical issues with Round 1 applications and support building local and regional project development capacity. In addition, the state’s eight watershed regions submitted final recommendations to the council today on frameworks for regional floodplain management to guide the creation of long-term, regional watershed coalitions.
The recommendations request statewide legislation to create these regional watershed entities. To support implementation of the coalitions, the council approved Phase 2 of the Regional Capacity Building Grant program today. Phase 2 of the RCBG program allocates another round of funding—$800,000 per region—totaling $6.4 million for continued regional, watershed-based planning and coordination for the next four years.
For more information about LWI, visit the website or email watershed@la.gov