Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Restoration: The Recommended Corps Plan

RS22110 -- Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Restoration: The Recommended Corps Plan

April 11, 2005

Summary

The 109th Congress may consider legislation that authorizes activities to counter the widespread conversion of lands (mostly wetlands) to open water in coastal Louisiana. In its final report on restoring the coastal Louisiana ecosystem, released January 25, 2005, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) recommends congressional authorization of specific projects and general programs to both slow the process of conversion and reestablish land at some converted sites. The Corps estimates that this entire package of recommended activities would cost a total of $1,996 million. Included in this package are recommendations for immediate authorization ($1,123 million), further authorized investigation ($145 million), and projects that could be authorized in the future ($728 million). This CRS short report is limited to a summary of this Corps report and the next steps in implementation. It will be updated if Congress enacts implementing legislation. For general background on the causes of land loss, the social and economic costs that result from land loss, and earlier programs and proposals to respond to it, see CRS Report RL32673(pdf), Coastal Louisiana: Attempting to Restore an Ecosystem. To follow the likely legislative process, see CRS Issue Brief IB10133, Water Resources Development Act (WRDA): Army Corps of Engineers Authorization Issues in the 109th Congress.