The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved Louisiana’s action plan for spending $1.2 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funds, allowing the state to move forward with a plan aiming to reduce flood risk for Baton Rouge and other cities.
HUD’s stamp of approval comes nearly six months after the department announced it would grant Louisiana $1.2 billion in flood mitigation money.
The plan outlines the state’s approach to funding mitigation projects, data collection, watershed modeling and policy measures that align with the long-term resilience objective of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative. This includes an additional $100 million funding opportunity for projects geared toward addressing immediate flood mitigation needs throughout the state.
In preparing its action plan, Louisiana identified 46 parishes as most impacted and distressed, which HUD approved in addition to the original 10 parishes the department had also identified as most impacted and distressed. East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension parishes were among the HUD-identified areas, while the state added the nearby East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes, as well as others, to the mix. The federal funds must be used to benefit these parishes.
LWI has recognized eight watershed regions and is working alongside corresponding regional steering committees to guide flood mitigation decisions and investments.
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office expects the funding to become available in spring 2020, after which LWI will make “significant investments in low-risk, high-impact projects” to reduce flood risk throughout the state.
The state is prepared to begin using these funds “as soon as they are available,” according to the governor’s office, but it’s unclear when exactly that will be.
