Today, Mayor Cantrell celebrates the funding of the New Orleans Landbridge Shoreline Stabilization and Marsh Creation project intended to help create marshland and stabilize the area around the New Orleans East Landbridge.

The coastal restoration project has been granted funding through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA). This federal program provides funds for projects that create, restore, enhance, and protect wetlands around coastal Louisiana.

The CWPPRA Technical Committee approved more than $21 million in funding for construction of the project. That decision will now be sent to the CWPPRA Task Force for a vote in January 2019.

In a press release, Mayor Cantrell said,

“The future of New Orleans relies on increasting the stability of the coastal wetlands surrounding our city. I am encouraged by the state’s commitment to funding the New Orleans Landbridge Shoreline Stabilization and Marsh Creation project. This effort will result in increased protection from storm surges and waves, improved fish and wildlife habitat, and increased resilience of coastal wetlands.”

As climate change continues to raise the levels of the world’s oceans, New Orleans is becoming a coastal city. Coastal wetlands are one of the first lines of defense against storm surge. This project has received strong support not only from the mayor but also from New Orleans’ City Council and residents.

Ramsey Green, Deputy Cheif Administrative Officer for Infrastructure and Chief Resilience Officer states, “As a city, we must make our decisions with resilience in mind to ensure a better future for the next generation. Our Office of Resilience and Sustainability is in place to support projects like the land bridge and institutionalize resiliency initiatives so that they become city policy.”

The New Orleans Landbridge provides protection to more than 1.5 million people in the Greater New Orleans area parishes by reducing some of the pressure storm surges can place on levees around Lake Pontchartrain. In addition, it acts as a flood buffer along Chef Menteur Highway, which is an important evacuation route.

Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.