A.  Louisiana and its citizens have suffered catastrophic losses and human, economic, and social harm.  For the benefit and protection of the state as a whole, its citizens, and its localities, hurricane protection is vital to survival. Hurricane protection and coastal restoration must be integrated to achieve a long-term solution of coastal protection.  In addition to immediate needs for hurricane protection, coastal land loss in Louisiana continues in catastrophic proportions.  Wetlands loss threatens valuable fish and wildlife production and the viability of residential, agricultural, energy, and industrial development in coastal Louisiana.

B.  In the past, efforts by the state to address the myriad, interrelated problems of coastal protection have been inadequate, fragmented, uncoordinated, and lacking in focus and strong direction.  The state must have a single agency with authority to articulate a clear statement of priorities and to focus development and implementation of efforts to achieve comprehensive integrated coastal protection.  Without this authority, the safety of citizens, the viability of the state and local economies, and the long-term recovery from disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remain in jeopardy.

C.  The state must act to develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive integrated coastal protection plan.  The state must act to ensure that the plan incorporates a systems approach to integrate hurricane protection and coastal restoration efforts in order to achieve long-term and comprehensive integrated coastal protection.  Comprehensive integrated coastal protection must proceed in a manner that recognizes that the proper functioning of each protective element is critical to the overall success of the plan and that without such proper functioning the safety of the state and its citizens and the viability of the entire plan are threatened.  Further, comprehensive integrated coastal protection must proceed in a manner that recognizes the powers and duties of political subdivisions, including flood protection authorities, and levee districts, to fund and manage local activities that are consistent with the goals of a comprehensive integrated coastal protection plan.  The state must act to conserve, restore, create, and enhance wetlands and barrier shorelines or reefs in coastal Louisiana while encouraging use of coastal resources and recognizing that it is in the public interest of the people of Louisiana to establish a responsible balance between development and conservation.  Management of renewable coastal resources must proceed in a manner that is consistent with and complementary to the efforts to establish a proper balance between development and conservation.

D.  The legislature declares that it is the public policy of the state to develop and implement, on a comprehensive and coordinated basis, an integrated coastal protection program in order to reduce if not eliminate the catastrophic rate of coastal land loss in Louisiana.  Consistent with this goal, it is the policy of this state to achieve a proper balance between development and conservation and encourage the use of coastal resources.

E.  It is the intention of the legislature that comprehensive integrated coastal protection be elevated to a position within state government of high visibility and action and that hurricane protection, storm damage reduction, flood control, and conservation and restoration of the coastal area be of high priority within that structure.  To provide aggressive state leadership, direction, and consonance in the development and implementation of policies, plans, and programs to achieve comprehensive integrated coastal protection, including the encouragement of multiple uses of the coastal area and to achieve a proper balance between development and conservation, restoration, creation, and nourishment of renewable coastal resources, the legislature places responsibility for the direction and development of the state’s comprehensive master coastal protection plan with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board within the office of the governor.  In order to maximize the effectiveness of integrated coastal protection efforts, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board shall use an integrated effort to jointly coordinate master plan and annual plan development with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, state agencies, political subdivisions, including flood protection authorities, levee districts, and federal agencies.

F.  Notwithstanding any other provision of state law and in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act of 2006, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board is established, authorized, and empowered to carry out any and all functions necessary to serve as the single entity responsible to act as the local sponsor for construction, operation and maintenance of all of the hurricane, storm damage reduction and flood control projects in areas under its jurisdiction, including the greater New Orleans and southeast Louisiana area.

Acts 1989 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 6, §3, eff. July 14, 1989; Acts 2009, No. 523, §3, eff. July 10, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 604, §3, eff. June 7, 2012.