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ists on .!-,@7@SPRI,&ATION CEJN7;4p ,dmmpp-@ cr r.)uisiana Ameri*ca's L.\tst QH 541.5 .M3 C75 1988 If a clod of earth be washed away by the sea, the continent is the less. JOHN DONNE, 1623 America's coastline is in trouble. Slowly, disappear forever. The loss is a national tragedy, but relentlessly, wetlands are disappearing. what does it really mean ... The loss threatens a nationally significant - to the more than 2 million people who live and resource on every shore - in the work and play in Louisiana's wetlands? - to the seafood industry that distributes 1.6 billion northeast, the southeast, on the Gulf of pounds of fish and shellfish from the Louisiana Mexico, on the Pacific coast. But it's in marshes to the nation each year? Louisiana - with 40 percent of the coastal - to the people who buy over 2 million fur pelts marshes in the continental U.S. - that harvested from Louisiana's wetlands each year? 80 percent of the loss takes place. - to the 230 vessel operators who use Louisiana's inland waterways to transport their 104 million tons of In Louisiana, a world is being lost - the unique and cargo each year? varied, almost unbelievably productive world of coastal marshes. This world is a national resource Louisiana's Wetlands: that produces billions of dollars ... an ecosystem that a National Resource supports over 30 percent of the nation's fisheries, 22 percent of the nation's oil and gas production, and The wetlands along the nation's coastline are a one of the country's oldest bilingual cultures. unique resource of immense value and multiple functions. By their mere presence, coastal marshes buffer destructive tidal surges caused by hurricanes and storms and reduce flood damages. Marshes trap and hold the fresh water that is a major water supply source for coastal communities, agriculture, and industry. Marshes retard saltwater intrusion into these coastal freshwater supplies. The Loss The growth and decay of the marsh provides essential ingredients to fuel the productive coastal Each year, somewhere along Louisiana's coastline, ecosystem, a feeding, spawning, and nursery ground 40 to 60 square miles of incredibly fruitful marsh for a wealth of fish, shellfish, and wildlife. V 6L. OF NATION'S 80% COASTAL MARSHES JIM OF NATION'S COASTAL MARSH LOSS Z16 0- 4@_ 1986 REGIONAL COMMERCIAL FISHERIES LANDINGS Billions of Pounds 0 .5 1 1.5 2 EAST -4w -oft- -4w -41W COAST 77- SOUTH- T", EAST F 5 GULF _4" b COAST" -000 ;R' Ys@ WEST _4W COAST LOUISIANA e- -4"b e- ;4*weqow Opp *Less Louisiana. 1.6 billion pounds of fish and shellfish are distributed to the notion each year from Louisiana's marshes - more than from any other coastal region in the country. The Contribution to the Nation islands of coastal Louisiana are at the southern end Some 40 percent of the coastal marshes in the of the major U.S. wild bird migration route, the continental United States are located along Mississippi Flyway. Waterfowl hunting in this flyway is Louisiana's Gulf of Mexico coastline. This watery valued at $58 million annually. Nearly four million world on the coast of Louisiana is one of the earth's ducks and geese - more than 66 percent of the most productive ecosystems. waterfowl that use the Flyway - find a winter haven Each year, Louisiana's marshes produce ... in these wetlands. - a commercial fish and shellfish harvest worth These coastal marshes are ideal for sport fishing, $680 million. hunting, and water-oriented recreation. It's where the weekend fisherman measures the catch in the number - 40 percent of the nation's wild fur and hides of ice chests filled rather than the number of fish on a harvest, a harvest with an estimated value of $17 stringer. The out-of-pocket expenses of those who million. recreate in Louisiana's coastal wetlands exceed The wetlands, estuaries, and barrier beaches and $337 million annually. 164 -AL 4R -7 7:'- V,@ The Nation's Investment The United States, the State of Louisiana, parishes To make the area safe to live and work in, levee and municipalities, and private industry have made a systems have been built to prevent flooding. tremendous investment in the coastal area to develop A land transportation system has been built for nationally important resources and provide for the interstate commerce. needs of the people who live and work in the coastal Extensive mineral reserves beneath the wetlands wetlands. and offshore waters have been tapped to supply a Federal, state, and local interests and private large percentage of the nation's oil and natural gas industry have constructed an extensive inland needs. In 1985, $27.1 billion in crude petroleum and navigation system and deepwater ports to link major natural gas was extracted from the wetlands - 16 U.S. producers with worldwide consumers. New percent of the nation's total production of petroleum Orleans is the terminal point for an inland navigation and 29 percent of the total production of natural gas. system that has the largest capacity of any in the This investment, along with the abundance of world - the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers system. natural resources, has made enormous economic Three deepwater ports in Louisiana are ranked in the growth possible - growth that has contributed top twenty in the nation for total shipping tonnage significantly to the national economy. New Orleans is No. 2, Baton Rouge is No. 5, and Lake Charles is No. 20. @- eR Each year, barges transport 104 million tons of crude petroleum, gasoline, and fuel oil distillates, coal, grain, basic chemicals, nonmetallic minerals, and other cargo on Louisiana's Inland waterways. Jc@- 91 3 MISSISSIPPI TEXAS LOUISIANA LOSS GAIN 52W, PROJ ABU law-P P PRESENTLCUIMANA Sy 204 Loulslaft'A shor*Nm-.' to"101ov"t ao@au*,S* 33 M1,108 _Z 1n $01" ar"s - a 10" Of Mow* W than, 111111111116" ser". The Vanishing Wetlands Why Are Louisiana's Wetlands But, today we face a crisis. In the midst of this Disappearing? wealth of productivity and development investment, Coastal and deltaic processes are too complex to devastating land loss threatens the future of permit easy answers. No single cause can be pointed Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The rate of loss is now to as the culprit in the loss of the wetlands. Each estimated to be 80 percent of the nation's annual loss human-induced and natural force acts upon the other, of coastal wetlands. synergistically intensifying the effect of each cause. Between 1956 and 1978, about 560,000 acres of The figure "Major Causes of Wetland Loss" shows the marsh were lost along Louisiana's coast, mostly by continuous interrelationship among all these causes. conversion to open water. This translates into an These 10 major causes of wetland loss account for average yearly loss of 40 square miles. Over the differing percentages of the total loss. years, another 790,000 acres of wetlands have been converted to agricultural, urban, and industrial uses. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that The impact of Human Activities between now and the year 2040 nearly one million The activities of people in the coastal wetlands more acres of wetlands will be lost - an area 11/3 contribute significantly to wetland loss. Indispensable times larger than the State of Rhode Island. This flood protection in the floodprone lower Mississippi means that a total of 2.4 million acres of wetlands will Valley and nationally important economic develop- have been lost or converted to other uses by 2040. ment in the Louisiana coastal wetlands have caused a If the rate of marsh loss is not reduced, the Gulf major part of the wetland loss. shoreline will advance inland as much as 33 miles in Since the great flood of 1927, protecting states some areas. If the sea invades the Louisiana coastal along the lower reaches of the Mississippi River and wetlands this far, Federal, state, local, and private its tributaries from the devastation of annual flooding investments will be jeopardized. Municipal and has been a national imperative. Recognizing this, the industrial water supplies will be threatened. Coastal nation has invested $5.9 billion in building the world's communities will be more vulnerable to hurricane tidal largest flood control project - the Mississippi River surges and flooding. Fish and wildlife and recreational and Tributaries Project. Since 1928, the MR&T Project resources will be lost. 4 SUBSIDENCE ANGE RISE Major Causes of land Loss NEW MADRID airo FLOODWAY MISSOURI ENTUCKY Tft 1111111"T Prellild vw lowff ARKANSAS *" dbogimn TIl SWh a do MY Awd - 211100 w*%o ken 1111111somW to L"Wens 11111,1141"- 411141M 13,104* int Vm* ko*m - ftod dowaps ftd ow Memphis $IjbuL%n in itows taw& _TENNESSEE_ MISSISSIPPI ARKANSAS I SSI I RIVER LOUISIANA b cksburg BAY OLD R C TROL LAKE Apr salt vbt BONNET LEVEE LEVEE 41111111111111111@ 4 41 MORGANZA MISSISSIPPI CARRt LAND SUBSIDENCE FLOODWAY LOUISIANA SPILLWAY Baton -- ATCHAFALAYA Rouge BASIN FLOODWAY New BAY L r tAKE t rE Orlean Am % Source: U.S. FM & Wildife Service (NWRC) THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA IN TRANSITION Over 98,000 acres - 51% - of the wetlands within the Mississippi River delta were lost between19- has prevented $111.3 billion of flood damages. and replaced with open water ponds. These new open But, the flood control levees of this huge project water areas increase the interface between water a have confined the river between its banks and wetlands, causing even more erosion. Without the-- changed the natural annual hydrologic regime. In a annual flow of fresh water containing enriching natural hydrologic cycle, the swollen Mississippi River X nutrients and sediment, most of Louisiana's wetlands would overflow its banks every spring, flooding the are sinking out of sight. adjacent marshes with nutrient- and sediment-rich In this fragile coastal environment, economic water. These sediments and nutrients would build and development activities interact with and intensify sustain the diversity of the marsh. natural processes. Leveeing, channelization, oil Since levees were built for flood control and for exploration, and agricultural, urban, and industrial protection of national and international navigation, expansion accelerate the rate of wetland loss. about the only water that flows into the wetlands is The wetlands are laced with 8,200 miles of rainfall. In addition, the Mississippi River carries 183 navigation, drainage, and petroleum access canals. million tons of sediment down to the Gulf of Mexico Wetlands are lost during excavation of the canals and each year. Much of this sediment is not building new are buried as the dredged material is piled next to the wetlands, but instead is dropping off the edge of the canals. Canals interrupt water and sediment flow over continental shelf into the deep waters of the Gulf. the wetlands. These canals also segment the With no annual overbank flood of fresh water from wetlands and expose them to erosion. Saltwater the Mississippi River to push back intruding saltwater, quickly flows into the wetlands through these canals the wetlands that aren't tolerant to salt are being killed and causes even greater erosion. Nature's Share of the Loss What Does It Mean to Lose Nature is also responsible for a share of the wetland I Million More Acres of Wetlands? loss. The long-term forces of subsidence, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and erosion have caused Without action now, the Gulf of Mexico estuarine- significant changes in the relative land and water dependent fishery will probably decline as another surface elevations. 1 million acres of wetlands are lost between today and Subsidence causes the wetlands to sink an the year 2040. This decline will mean that by 2040 estimated 1.8 feet per century. Rising sea levels cover commercial fish and wildlife harvests will be down to the wetlands with an additional one-half foot of water about 70 percent of the present harvest. The loss of per century. such a large part of the present harvest will have a The sinking land and rising sea levels together national impact. Almost 60 percent of the entire Gulf of Mexico annual shrimp harvest comes from the Gulf account for much of the wetland loss. These factors intensify saltwater intrusion and erosion and waters of Louisiana's rich coastal marshes. This is accelerate the conversion of wetlands to open water. 46 percent of the nation's annual shrimp harvest. Other minor wetland losses occur as a result of A Multi-Billion Dollar Threat storm-generated waves along Louisiana's 40,000 Loss of the coastal wetlands will threaten most of miles of tidal shoreline and barrier islands. the development investment the nation and the state have made in the coast and will severely diminish related job opportunities. An estimated 155 miles of banks in portions of major waterways built by Federal and state governments - the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, the Barataria Waterway, the Houma Navigation Canal will be affected. The banks of these waterways will be lost to open water, requiring increased maintenance dredging and expensive efforts to stabilize the eroding banks. About 55 miles of hurricane protection levees and floodwalls - part of the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, New Orleans to Venice, and Larose to Golden Meadow projects - will have to be shielded from erosion and enlarged to maintain the current level of p riotection. In some locations, new hurricane protection projects will have to be built because the natural protection provided by the wetlands will be lost. Nearly 100 miles of Federal and state highways, about 27 miles of railroad tracks, 1,570 miles of oil and 'gas pipelines, and 383 miles of gas, water, electric d telephone lines will have to be relocated. power, an About 1,800 businesses, residences, camps, schools, storage tanks, electric power substations, *-r control structures, and pumping stations for gas, 'Vd water will have to be protected or relocated. 10jection and relocation of all this development ',;ost billions of dollars. 7 ll@ -,- - ,) A 00, The Search for Answers Corps of Engineers now has the authority to construct two of the three freshwater diversion structures. One Past Accomplishments structure will be built at Caernarvon, Louisiana, and In the early 60's, it became frighteningly apparent will divert fresh water into the wetlands in Breton that Louisiana was facing catastrophic loss of its Sound. The second diversion structure will be built at wetlands. Since then, Federal, state, and local Davis Pond and will divert water into the Barataria government agencies have been developing ways to Basin wetlands. study and understand the problem. Federal agencies The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has with large-scale construction and regulation recommended approval of a plan to construct a third responsibilities, as well as state agencies with the structure adjacent to the Bonnet Carr6 flood control basic charge to preserve and maintain the wetlands spillway. Fresh water diverted at this point will retard and implement measures to protect them, have saltwater intruding into the Lake Pontchartrain conducted studies and research, probing for reasons Basin and western Mississippi Sound and reduce for the wetland loss and potential responses. wetland loss. Massive inventories of data on fish and wildlife In 1971, the State of Louisiana formed the Advisory resources in Louisiana's wetlands were assembled Commission on Coastal and Marine Resources to to identify the effects of habitat loss. Extensive address coastal wetlands loss. The Commission characterizations of wetlands types were assembled developed draft legislation to demarcate the coastal over a 20-year span to determine how the wetlands zone and to establish the Louisiana Coastal have changed and where the loss is most severe. Resources Program. In 1969, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers brought Local agencies in the most threatened coastal together a blue ribbon panel of fish and wildlife parishes as well as private interests have used some biologists, botanists, estuarine ecologists, hydrologists, of this information to try to stop the worst of their and water resources engineers from Federal, state, wetland loss problems. Each of these efforts shed and local agencies. The panel attempted to determine more light on the enormity of the problem and the most favorable environmental conditions, including confirmed that a piecemeal approach could never be salinity levels, for fish and wildlife in Louisiana's effective for long. wetland-estuarine complex. This essential research and planning has yielded a Over the years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clearer understanding of the unique dynamics in the refined the salinity data and developed a plan to divert coastal area and identified three ways that can be fresh Mississippi River water into the wetlands of used to approach the loss of the wetlands. southeast Louisiana at three sites. The U.S. Army FRESHWATER DIVERSION PLANS Diverting fresh Mississippi River water Into southeast Louisiana will retard saltwater intrusion, slow down marsh loss, and Improve fish and wildlife productivity. BONNETCARRt--, 1W DAVIi POND \1,,.BONNET 6AIA The Approaches Atchafalaya Basin Plan, which presents another As a result of studies and research conducted by opportunity for wetland preservation by controlling the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Army Corps of floodwater flows into Atchafalaya Bay. Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wetiand creation to replace lost wetlands. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Marine The State of Louisiana has created marsh by Fisheries Service, the Minerals Management Service, diversion of sediment-laden waters through outlets in the Soil Conservation Service, the U.S. Geological river banks and is sharing the costs of US. Army Survey, and university research centers, three Corps of Engineers marsh creation studies. approaches have been singled out that could The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has created effectively reduce coastal wetland loss. Several marsh by disposal of sediment dredged from agencies are now using these approaches. navigation channels. Wettand preservation to prevent further wetiand loss. The State of Louisiana is planning to preserve wetlands by restoring and maintaining the barrier shores and islands and is sharing the costs of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers barrier island erosion studies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership The Corps dredges and maintains with the State of Louisiana, will continue to develop navigation on 2,8W miles, of inland freshwater diversion plans. waterways In Louisiana. Where It's The State of Louisiana, the Environmental Protection feasible, the Corps puiopOw Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the dredged sediment kio@bObn water-,. U.S. Department of Interior are implementing the areas so marsh can develop. 7- 7 7 T Q The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation Wetland regulation to control development with the State of Louisiana, the Environmental in coastal wetlands. Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The State of Louisiana administers the Louisiana and the National Marine Fisheries Service is Coastal Resources Program. investigating alternatives to optimize wetland creation The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers administers the in Atchafalaya Bay. Department of the Army Regulatory Program. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service has created The Environmental Protection Agency has marsh by planting marsh vegetation on exposed soils. developed guidelines for wetland regulation as part of the Clean Water Act. Together, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have a shared Federal responsibility for regulation of wetlands and other waters of the nation. LOUISIANA COASTAL PROTECTION MASTER PLAN BATON ROUGE LAKE CHARLES 3 NEW ORLEANS 2 1 5 4 3 4 HOUMA 2 1 SHORE AND BARRIER ISLAND RESTORATION PROJECTS 1 Holly-Peveto Beach 2 Isles Dernieres WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECTS 3 Shell Island 1 Pass a Louire 3 Labranthe 5 caernarvon 2 St. Bernard 4 Montegut 4 Grand isle The state's master plan brings together nine state and Federal projects and plans that deal with wetland loss problems. An Action Strategy There are no easy ways to deal with the complex, The State of Louisiana has been working with all critical problem of wetland loss in Louisiana. Any these Federal and local agencies and private interests attempt to address the problem will require a in an effort to solve the wetland loss problem. Through well-conceived strategy that uses the skills and the years, however, a partnership has existed abilities of the Federal, state, and local agencies and between the state and the U.S. Army Corps of private interests active in coastal Louisiana. Engineers. This partnership has been strengthened in Developing such a strategy will take time. But the recent years as costs of studies and projects that loss of wetlands that happens every day on address wetland loss have been shared. Louisiana's coast urgently demands that something The State of Louisiana continues to recognize and be done right now, even while an overall strategy is support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Federal being created. The answer is to deal with the problem leadership role in any long-term plan for dealing with of wetland loss on both an immediate and long-term coastal wetland loss. This support was recently basis. reaffirmed by the Governor of Louisiana in a letter to the New Orleans District Commander of the U.S. Louisiana Coastal Protection Master Plan Army Corps of Engineers. In his letter the Governor The State of Louisiana is developing a response stated, that meets the most immediate threats to the wetlands and deals with the need for long-term action. The the Corps is uniquely qualified to state has designated the response "The Louisiana join with the State as the lead Federal Coastal Protection Master Plan." The master plan agency In the development of a brings together nine projects and plans that were comprehensive wetland restoration designed by state and Federal agencies to implement program. With assistance from other the three wetland loss approaches identified in earlier Federal and state agencies, the State studies. and the Corps can work together to The plan has two phases. Phase 1 efforts will address restoring the wetlands protection function of coordinate the development of a truly the barrier shores and islands and encouraging comprehensive program to restore wetland creation and growth. An overall long-term and protect our diminishing coastal comprehensive coastal protection plan will be wetlands ... We request that the New developed in this phase. In Phase 2, the focus will be Orleans District initiate a cooperative on maintaining projects that were started in Phase 1 effort with the State to develop such and implementing the comprehensive coastal plan. a program." The Phase I projects will buy time for development and implementation of long-term action. The next step for all these agencies, organizations, and groups active within coastal Louisiana is the Long-Term Action development of a long-term comprehensive coastal An integral part of the Louisiana Coastal Protection plan. Master Plan is development of a long-term action plan. Two basic ingredients of this long-term action are already in place. First, the three most promising approaches to the problem of wetland loss have been determined: wetland preservation, wetland creation, and wetland regulation. Second, the Federal, state, and local agencies and private interests that have responsibilities in the coastal zone and their capabilities have been identified. "State and Federal Activities in Coastal Louisiana" (page 12) shows the activities of the 11 state and Weral agencies with the greatest responsibilities in coastal Louisiana. Many parish and municipal agencies and private interests and industries have demonstrated potentially useful capabilities that will complement the state and Federal efforts in a comprehensive coastal plan. If State and Federal Activities in Coastal Louisiana STATE OF The State of Louisiana, through the Provides recommendations to Federat and LOUISIANA following activities, maintains a leadership state coastal permitting agencies and to role in the coastal wetlands. the private sector to conserve coastal develops, coordinates, and implements wetlands and other important fish and the state's Coastal Protection Master wildlife resources. Manages extensive Plan, which includes development of a U.S. FISH coastal wetlands in the Delta, Sabine, and Comprehensive Wetland Restoration & WILDLIFE Lacassine National Wildlife Refuges. WWI* Plan. SERVICE Conducts, research on coastal wetlands - administers the Louisiana Coastal and associated fish and wildlife Resources Program and water bottoms populations. leasing programs for oysters and the dredging of shell, sand, gravel, and other fill material. - performs public works functions of the Coordinates with Federal and state state related to highways and bridges, agencies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate Louisiana Dept. of surveying and mapping, soil 6Q.- U damages to wetlands that result from Environmental conservation, reclamation, flood and Federally funded or permitted activities. V-0 Quality drainage control, navigation, water Conducts fisheries research and supply, and other water resources U.S. NATIONAL recommends measures directed toward development p@ojects and studies. MARINE the protection of coastal and marine - monitors water quality throughout coastal FISHERIES habitats which support living marine Louisiana. SERVICE resources. This research and these - conducts fish, shellfish, and wildlife measures are used in planning and Louisiana Dept. of research and operates wildlife monitoring Federal projects. Natural Resources management areas, refuges, and sanctuaries. coordinates with Federal agencies to '90FO srq)@, '41 Coordinates with Federal and state avoid, minimize, and mitigate damages to agencies to avoid, miNmize, and mitigate wetlands and living terrestrial, freshwater, and marine resources that result from damages to wetlands that result from Louisiana Dept. of Federally funded or permitted activities. A0, Federally funded or permitted activities. Transportation Regulates both the discharge of pollutants & Development - funds scientific, economic, and technological research and shares in the U.S. within coastal wetlands and waterways and cost of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ENVIRONMENTAL the disposal of dredged and fill material studies and projects addressing flood PROTECTION gulfward of Louisiana territorial waters. Develops estuarine basin plans to enhance control, navigation, and the wetland loss AGENCY wetland habitats, Funds and conducts problem. wetland and contaminant research. Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries Has responsibility for detailed soil surveys that are the basis for marsh management plans. Conducts field trials of marsh plants to identify superior strains of plants for U.S. SOIL erosion control in the coastal zone. Works CONSERVATION wfth local Soil and Water Conservation Districts to help landowners meet their Federal SERVICE objective of wetland resou ,rce use within regulatory constraints and guidelines. Plans, constructs, and maintains navigation, Provides interdisciplinary technical flood control, shoreline protection, and assistance to wetland landowners in wetland enhancement projects. Funds and developing multiple-use management conducts research in support of such plans. US Army Corps projects. Administers the Dept. of the Army of Engineers Wetlands Regulatory Program. Principal Federal water-data agency. Collects and disseminates much of the Coordinates with Federal and state water data currently used by numerous agencies to ensure that Federally- Federal; state, local, private, and- other Permitted activities are consistent with agencies to manage coastal resources. Louisiana's Coastal Resources Program. U.S. GEOLOGICAL Conducts and shares in the cost ,of y INI 0 Studies potential impacts of Outer SURVEY the collection of basic hydrologic data, U.S. MINERALS Continental Shelf activities and impacts of interpretative studies, and research MANAGEMENT wetland management activities on coastal projects of water flow, subsidence, and SERVICE wetlands and associated fish and wildlife sediment-transport processes within the resources. coastal wetlands. The Comprehensive Coastal Plan on the efficient, protected navigation channels through A comprehensive coastal plan for long-term, multi- Louisiana's coastal area - people who know that faceted use of the wetlands will be the necessary Louisiana's wetlands are truly a "Sportsman's action strategy. The plan must be built on the Paradise." successes and experiences of the past. What You Can Do To develop this plan, a framework must be It's time now for you to make a commitment to established that will assure the involvement of the restore and enhance Louisiana's coastal wetlands - Federal, state, and local agencies and private one of the nation's most valuable renewable industries and interests active in coastal Louisiana. resources. A commitment to learn more about Teamwork among these agencies and interests is problems associated with wetland loss. A commitment essential to the success of the comprehensive plan. to assist in developing and implementing plans. A Capabilities and expertise of each organization need commitment to support the agencies able to take to be coordinated. Ways to use new techniques action. This brochure is intended to give you the should be found and research needs identified. information to make that commitment. Cost-sharing responsibilities need to be established. The comprehensive coastal plan will pull together all the resources available to use in the effort against wetland loss. The ultimate respurce will be a fully developed long-range comprehensive plan. Such a plan will involve a long-term partnership between the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other Federal and local agencies and private interests. The common goal of this partnership - this team effort - will be to more efficiently and effectively confront and resolve the national problem of wetland loss in Louisiana. L Conclusion Changes Must Be Made Many forces, both natural and human, have interacted to produce the serious wetland loss problem we face. Many plans are being proposed to deal with the forces of nature. However, the activities of humans must also be addressed. 7 This human part of the wetland loss problem presents a major challenge. Federal, state, and local agencies and private interests have made a number of individual decisions between development and wetland preservation over the years. When taken together, these decisions have had a very damaging effect. Changes in such a decision process are required at all levels of government or wetland loss will continue. Other human changes are also required: changes in outlook, changes in planning guidance, changes in hese institutional and fiscal procedures. Many of t X Ar- changes will have to come from the agencies, task forces, and commissions involved in preserving and restoring the wetlands, as well as from Congress. But some of the changes must come from the people - people who live in the coastal area people who think eating Louisiana seafood is the closest thing to heaven - fishermen whose families depend on a continued harvest of that seafood for their livelihood - shippers whose businesses depend 13 US Army Corps of Engineers THE LOUISIANA COMPREHENSIVE COASTAL PLAN An action strategy to efficiently and effectively confront and resolve America's problem of devastating wetland loss in coastal Louisiana. The comprehensive coastal plan for Louisiana will involve a long-term partnership among the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and these six Federal agencies. The plan will pull together the expertise and capabilities of Federal, state, and local agencies and private interests in a coordinated effort to address the critical wetland loss problem. Experiences and successes of the past will be the foundation of the plan. But the teamwork of those concerned about wetland loss - their cooperation and commitment-- will be essential to development of the final working plan. 3 6668 14102 1115 Published by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Now Orleans District, in cooperation with the State of Louisiana