The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority(CPRA) has confirmed the official cancellation of the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion project. After years of planning, environmental assessments and litigation, the state’s Fiduciary Implementation Group endorsed the decision by declaring it unfeasible to implement in the current context.
Changes in the course of the Mid-Barataria project
The Mid-Barataria was designed to reconnect the Mississippi River to the Barataria watershed and rebuild degraded wetlands in the Plaquemines region. However, high costs, complex permitting processes, and legal disputes forced reconsideration of its feasibility. The CPRA has decided to prioritize the alternative Myrtle Grove project, within the scope of the LCA (Louisiana Coastal Area) program, with similar ecological restoration benefits.
Originally endowed with a budget of $2.26 billion through the Final Restoration Plan Phase II 3.2, the Mid-Barataria will see its allocation reduced to $618.52 million. This figure represents funds already used and will allow for the closing of pending operations and accountability to the area’s Trustees. The final financial reconciliation will be submitted by CPRA and NOAA upon completion of the closeout activities.
Remaining funds may be redirected to other initiatives within the Deepwater Horizon restoration framework in Louisiana, as assessed by the trustee group. This decision represents a strategic shift toward projects deemed more feasible and sustainable, with the same goal of protect coastal communities and restore critical habitats.
CPRA President Gordon Dove noted that while the abandonment of the Mid-Barataria project was difficult, the commitment to shoreline restoration remains intact and focused now on more efficient and realistic alternatives.
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Source: CPRA
Photo: Shutterstock
