Coastal restoration money sorted

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Sep 27, 2008 - Page: 11A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Lawmakers divvied up $300 million in state surplus funds Friday for hurricane protection and coastal restoration.

The New Orleans area is slated to receive one-third of the money.

Southwest Louisiana legislators complained that funding for their area is falling short.

“I find southwest Louisiana really is kind of getting the shaft,” said state Sen. Nick Gautreaux, D-Meaux.

A largely unfunded channel project could have reduced the flooding in Vermilion, St. Mary and Iberia parishes that occurred during hurricanes

Gustav and Ike, Gautreaux said.

The western part of the state is getting $5.5 million for hurricane protection projects compared to $100 million for the New Orleans area.

State Sen. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles, said the storm surge poses a huge threat to southwest Louisiana because of the amount of land lost.

Mount said residents want to know why more is not being done to restore the southwestern coast.

“We’re getting tough questions from our constituency,” she said.

Her solution for securing federal funds is to shut off the energy supply that fuels the rest of the nation.

“We hold the key to the energy source of this country,” Mount said.

Garrett Graves with the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities said there are few federally authorized projects ready to be funded in southwest Louisiana.