Governor Jindal and Garret Graves Issue Statements on the White House's Gulf Coast Roadmap for Restoring Ecosystem Resiliency and Sustainability

Statement

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal and Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman (CPRA) Garret Graves issued statements on the White House's Gulf Coast Roadmap for Restoring Ecosystem Resiliency and Sustainability:

Governor Jindal said, "The Working Group's report is a welcome road map to advance restoration and protection activities in South Louisiana. The current federal process is broken and fundamental change is needed to restore our coast and protect the more than two million Louisianans that live in coastal Louisiana. This road map is a good first step that clearly demonstrates a positive shift in direction, but must be coupled with aggressive action on the ground -- turning dirt. There is no time for delay."

Graves said, "We have been working closely with the White House and federal agencies to aggressively address coastal restoration and hurricane protection needs in our state. The challenges we face are complex and require the full attention and high-level participation from numerous federal agencies. This report lays out how the federal government can join the state by coordinating resources from various agencies to reverse our extraordinary coastal loss and proactively address vulnerabilities that have developed over the last 80 years.

"One important lesson we learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is the need for a comprehensive vision. As the state begins working with the White House on the implementation of this plan, we must insure the inclusion of all aspects of a multiple lines of defense strategy to protect our citizens in addition to the coastal ecosystem."

"We look forward to continuing our close coordination with White House officials to implement the work plan and projects that will protect our communities for generations."

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