East Baton Rouge Parish is receiving nearly $4 million in federal funding to develop a comprehensive Stormwater Master Plan to alleviate flooding in the area, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s office announced today.
The new round of money is being awarded by FEMA, which previously gave the parish $11.9 million for the project. Cassidy and other stakeholders have requested that the federal cost be increased from 75% to 100%.
“A city shouldn’t flood after every heavy rain,” says Cassidy, a Baton Rouge Republican, in a prepared statement. “Modernizing drainage systems allows reduced flood events and allows stormwater to drain properly.”
The federal dollars will be used to evaluate drainage projects to determine the best method of increasing drainage capacity. It is intended to provide the road map for stormwater and floodplain management in terms of development guidance and requirements, protection of natural resources, 20-year flood risk reduction and capital improvements, along with plans for financing options, educating the public and managing the current system.
The project is expected to be completed in three years.
