BATON ROUGE – On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) toured part of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Project, currently being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Cassidy secured funding for the project via the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022 and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.
“I was in Congress when Hurricane Isaac flooded the Florida Parishes,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I’ve worked since to bring resources to complete this flood protection system. It was important for me to be on the ground at the construction site to see how the money is being spent. It has taken some time, but the river parishes will be protected.”
The project is specifically located on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the aforementioned parishes. During Hurricane Isaac, storm surge inundated approximately 7,000 homes in the area, and the interstate was submerged for several days. The project will prevent such tragedies with a 100-year-level risk reduction system extending from the Bonnet Carre Spillway to Garyville. It will include 18.5 miles of levees, 11 flood walls, 7 drainage structures, 5 gates, 2 pump stations and 1 bridge.
The Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022 included $450 million for the project. That’s in addition to $760 million provided by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Cassidy has also previously secured hundreds of millions of dollars for other Army Corps of Engineers projects in Louisiana, including the Morganza-to-the-Gulf and Comite River Diversion projects.
Cassidy specifically looked at the construction taking place that was authorized by Contract 102, which is 48% complete and scheduled to be finished by Fall of 2027. That includes construction of the Montz Canal Drainage Structure, and the I-10 East Floodwall. He was led on the tour by Colonel Scotty Autin, the commander and district engineer for the Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District.
“Senator Cassidy’s site visit and assessment of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain construction underscores the Nation’s commitment to reduce the risk of storm surge damage for more than 60,000 residents of St. Charles, St. John and St. James Parishes,” said Colonel Autin. “The Corps is focused on fulfilling this commitment by delivering this vital piece of infrastructure.”
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