Letter: Levee plan vital for Terrebonne

• Published: Sep 8, 2009 - Page: 6B

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RE: “Levee plan questioned,” The Advocate, Page 1, Aug. 31

The Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System is Terrebonne Parish’s best hope for survival in its war against the Gulf of Mexico.

After 18 years of studies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state of Louisiana and the people of Terrebonne Parish and neighboring Lafourche Parish agree with this premise. That is why it is so disheartening for out-of-town environmental groups to question our approved survival plan, especially when their leaders sit comfortably behind their own federally-funded levee system.

Morganza was authorized by Congress in 2007, and its alignment has been approved by the Corps of Engineers three times and is included in the State Master Plan for Coastal Protection and Restoration.

While we aggressively pursue federal funding, construction on a $200 million phase I of the project is moving forward with more than $130 million currently available in state and local funds, including a self-imposed dedicated parish sales tax.

We understand how important it is to provide hurricane protection to the more than 200,000 residents of Houma, Terrebonne Parish and northern Lafourche Parish and will not let those who don’t live and work here threaten construction of the only levee system that will keep our homes on the map.

In addition, Terrebonne Parish has, for many years, implemented elevation of homes and wetland restoration measures to reduce risk from hurricane tidal surge. In fact, in contrast to a quote attributed to Steven Peyronnin of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana in your article, we began “multiple lines of defense” long before that phrase was coined.

Since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Terrebonne Parish has elevated more than 700 homes and will spend tens of millions of dollars in additional federal recovery funds over the next few years to elevate more homes and repetitive-loss structures. Hurricane Ike in 2008 demonstrated the benefits of our elevation program. While Ike’s tidal surge was greater than Hurricane Rita and impacted a larger area of our parish, 25 percent fewer homes were flooded during Ike compared with Rita in 2005.

We also continue to fortify our barrier islands, conduct shoreline restoration and implement freshwater reintroductions to enhance our natural storm protection. Simply said, Terrebonne Parish has one of the most aggressive flood plain management programs in the state, but a significant feature is still missing — Morganza-to-the-Gulf.

A year after hurricanes Gustav and Ike wreaked havoc on our coastal communities and flooded thousands of homes and businesses, the protection that Morganza-to-the-Gulf will provide is more critical than ever.

Michel Claudet, president
Terrebonne Parish Government
Houma