John Bel Edwards urges Louisiana lawmakers to ensure coastal projects are funded

Governor John Bel Edwards smiles just prior to making a presentation to Sen. John Breaux. On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of CWPPRA, Governor John Bel Edwards and the CPRA Board recognize and thank Sen. John Breaux for making a big difference in how Congress views and funds our stateÕs coastal efforts Wednesday Oct. 21, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. In 1990, long before Louisiana created the CPRA or had any substantial federal funding for our endangered coast, U.S. Senator John Breaux introduced and passed legislation that set us on the path to a fighting chance to make a real difference for coastal Louisiana. Thirty years ago the ÒBreaux ActÓ was passed and signed into law by President George Herbert Walker Bush. The Breaux ActÑformally known as the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)Ñcreated the first-ever partnership between federal agencies and our state to fund and build substantial coastal and ecosystem restoration projects. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority was created to take on the full time job of coordinating and accomplishing a system-wide approach to addressing our coastal problems. And 30 years later, the legacy of John Breaux and the ÒBreaux ActÓ lives on. The CWPPRA partnership still exists and is a large part of the funding and work CPRA oversees. On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of CWPPRA, Governor John Bel Edwards and the CPRA Board will, on behalf of the people of Louisiana, recognize and thank Sen. Breaux for making a big difference in how Congress views and funds our stateÕs coastal efforts.