More money: Gov. John Bel Edwards wants to broaden Louisiana’s flood aid program to include more homeowners with flood insurance and to boost grant amounts. The Associated Press reports the proposed changes to the $1.3 billion homeowner rebuilding program will go to the state recovery board for approval Friday. Initial limits were set because of concerns Louisiana wouldn’t have enough money to help homeowners who had some insurance coverage. Of those with flood insurance, only a limited number of elderly, low-income homeowners were eligible for the rebuilding aid. But Edwards says as grants have been awarded, the state determined it can expand the aid to more homeowners and increase grant sizes.
Budgeted: An appropriations bill moving through the House next month will not slash Gulf revenue-sharing funding for states under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, Congressman Garret Graves told the South Central Industrial Association. As The Courier reports, Graves said he sees some positives from the Trump administration, but he won’t rubber stamp everything the president wants. President Donald Trump’s proposed 2018 budget called for a 37% cut of GOMESA funds to Louisiana and other Gulf states—a move met with a backlash. Keeping the offshore money means the Louisiana’s coastal restoration revenue will continue to flow into projects that will fight flooding and land loss, Graves said. Read more in The Courier.
Dissolved: After his main council of top corporate leaders disbanded earlier today, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to say he’s dissolving a pair of executive councils “rather than put pressure” on the execs. The New York Times reports the decision comes after a dozen prominent CEOs on the Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum held a conference call to discuss how to proceed following the president’s controversial remarks equating white nationalist hate groups with the protesters opposing them. At least seven business leaders defected from his councils as a result of the remarks. Read more in The New York Times.
