Coast 2050

Coast 2050
Name	Coast 2050
Location	Louisiana Coastal Zone
Established	1998
Proponents	Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana; United States Army Corps of Engineers; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Area	Mississippi River Delta, Barataria, Terrebonne, Breton Sound
Objective	Coastal restoration and hurricane protection

Coast 2050 Coast 2050 is a comprehensive coastal restoration and protection plan developed to address land loss and storm vulnerability in the Louisiana Mississippi River Delta region. The plan synthesizes proposals from federal agencies like the United States Army Corps of Engineers, state entities such as the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, and stakeholders including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, academic institutions like the Louisiana State University Coastal Studies Institute, and conservation organizations such as the Nature Conservancy. It frames large-scale interventions across estuaries like Barataria Bay and Terrebonne Bay to benefit urban centers like New Orleans, industrial hubs like Plaquemines Parish, and cultural landscapes like the Cajun and Chitimacha regions.

Background and Purpose

Coast 2050 was formulated in response to accelerating land loss documented by entities including the United States Geological Survey, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, and researchers at Tulane University and University of New Orleans. Drawing on precedents such as the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project and reaction to events like Hurricane Betsy and later Hurricane Katrina, the plan sought to integrate coastal restoration with flood risk reduction for municipalities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and port facilities like the Port of New Orleans and Port Fourchon. It aimed to reconcile competing interests represented by industry actors including Shell Oil Company, ExxonMobil, and Chevron Corporation with conservation priorities championed by organizations such as the Audubon Society and federal mandates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Program Components and Strategies

The plan outlines a portfolio of interventions influenced by scientific work from the Environmental Protection Agency, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and international models like the Room for the River program. Major components include diversion projects modeled after historical practices at the Bonnet Carré and proposals referencing the Atchafalaya Basin hydrology, sediment nourishment akin to techniques used by the Netherlands, marsh creation using dredged material employed at sites such as Big Lake, and barrier island restoration for Grand Isle and Chandeleur Islands. Strategies feature sediment diversions, channel management near Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) and Bayou Lafourche, shoreline stabilization for estuaries like Breton Sound, and creation of wetlands to support habitats for species protected under the Endangered Species Act and managed by the National Park Service at locations like Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

Implementation and Timeline

Initial planning occurred in the late 1990s with technical reviews by Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District and environmental assessments involving the National Marine Fisheries Service and Environmental Defense Fund. Early projects moved forward in phases, with pilot marsh creation and barrier island work through the 2000s and accelerated delivery following the Hurricane Katrina recovery programs and legislative acts such as the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA). Implementation timelines integrated short-term demonstration projects, medium-term diversion and marsh-building initiatives, and long-term adaptive management through 2050, coordinating with state plans like Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) 2012 Coastal Master Plan and federal funding cycles tied to agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Funding and Governance

Funding mechanisms combined federal appropriations from Congress, state allocations via the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, and industry mitigation dollars negotiated with corporations like BP in the aftermath of events such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Governance structures involved interagency coordination among the Department of the Interior, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, and state bodies including the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. Financial instruments included cost-sharing arrangements, bonds issued under state statutes, and grant programs administered by entities such as the Environmental Protection Agency and philanthropic partners like the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.

Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts

Projected environmental benefits emphasized restoration of habitats for migratory birds tracked by Audubon Louisiana and fisheries supported by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, recovery of marshlands monitored by the USGS National Wetlands Research Center, and increased resilience for coastal forests such as those near Barataria Preserve. Socioeconomic effects targeted protection of port operations at Port Fourchon and communities in Plaquemines Parish, sustaining fisheries dependent on species regulated by the National Marine Fisheries Service and cultural economies centered in Houma and St. Bernard Parish. Studies by academics at LSU and Tulane projected benefits for employment in sectors tied to restoration contractors and for reducing disaster recovery costs subsequently borne by FEMA and state agencies.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques arose from environmental advocates including Sierra Club and local tribes like the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana over concerns about diversion impacts on traditional fisheries and cultural resources, while industry stakeholders such as American Petroleum Institute raised issues about navigation and access to energy infrastructure. Legal challenges and debates involved interpretations of statutes administered by the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and disputes over compensation tied to settlements like the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment. Scholars at institutions including Harvard University and Princeton University have commented on the trade-offs between engineered solutions and natural-process approaches, and international comparisons to projects in the Netherlands and Venice informed ongoing policy discussions.

Category:Louisiana coastal restoration