La. trustees approve marsh creation

The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group has approved the Final Phase 2 Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #3.3: Large-scale Barataria Marsh Creation: Upper Barataria Component. The project was initially evaluated for engineering and design funding in the 2018 Strategic Restoration Plan. The 1,207 acre marsh creation project approved in the plan will be led by NOAA, in partnership with other federal and state trustees, and private contractors. The project includes filling areas to create an intertidal marsh platform and support healthy wetland habitat; use approximately 8.4M cubic yards of sediment dredged from the Mississippi River; and a single construction phase to maximize cost effectiveness. The estimated construction duration is 26 months. Bids are expected to be solicited in 2021. The total estimated cost is about $176M, including previous design efforts. This project is intended to continue the process of using restoration funding to restore and conserve wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats in the Barataria Basin where the greatest oil impacts from the Deepwater Horizon spill occurred. The trustees will consider plans for additional wetlands, coastal and nearshore habitat restoration projects in the future. (Source: Gulf Spill Restoration 07/20/20) https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2020/07/louisiana-trustees-approve-massive-1200-acre-marsh-restoration-project-barataria-basin?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery