March 2, 2021
Harold Schoeffler (VP DTV) ,Harold Taylor (St Landry Parish Council), Bob Hammack (Director DTV), Attorney Glenn Armentor , and Attorney Harry Burdette and Dave Dixon (Pres DTV) had a telephone conference with Secretary LA DOTD Shaun Wilson regarding the issue in the basin with the Enterprise Dixie Pipeline Spoil Banks plugging drainage. This drainage path is one of 3 main drains for the entire watershed and has contributed to flooding in 2016 and again as recently as Hurricane Delta.
Location of Enterprise Dixie Pipeline in West Atchafalaya Floodway
DTV had worked with St. Martin and St. Landry Parishes in defining a project to address this issue back in 2019. We successfully gotten approval and funding for CRPA to address in the 2020 project budget.
When CPRA started working on the project it was discovered that there was no Environmental Impact Study (EIS) done when the project was originally installed in the 60โs. CPRA advised that this could result in a multi year delay in the US Army Corps of Engineers issuance of a permit.
After observing and investigating flooding from Washington to Alexandria after Hurricane Delta, as well as doing some data analysis, we came to the conclusion that this issue was contributing to the flooding and may in fact be the major flooding contributor for this particular drain. At that time we decided we needed a method to move the project forward faster as we believed a state of emergency existed. Harold Schoeffler recommended we attempt to get the Governor to declare a state of emergency to clear out some of the red tape involved with getting a Corps permit. We managed to get 5 parishes and 1 levee board to pass resolutions in support of doing so. We engaged LA Senate President Page Cortez and asked him to speak to the governor regarding the matter and he advised he did so. About the same time Bob Hammack suggested that we brief Glenn Armentor as he had a relationship with the Governor and could also get the issue in front of the Governor for his consideration.
About a month ago Harold Schoeffler was contacted by Brent Domingue a DOTD Engineer assigned to investigate flooding of roads leading to the WalMart Distribution Center in Opelousas that prevented access to the facility for several days during the 2016 flood. This is really important to WalMart as we had heard reports that the problem had to be fixed else the facility risk relocation. Note this facility is the largest employer in St. Landry ย Parish.
Flooding near WalMart Distribution Center in Opelousas
DTV began working with Brent advising that a number of our recommended flooding projects could address his issue without raising the roads to the distribution center.
Also about a month ago we met with Harry and Glenn to discuss the issue. Glenn felt we needed to convince LA Secretary DOTD Shaun Wilson first and they arranged the teleconference with him.
During the teleconference we briefed Shaun concerning the history of the issue and the efforts undertaken so far. Shaun was well aware of the issue as Brent Domingue had advised him concerning his work with DTV. Shaun reported he had already spoken to the Corps and CPRA management clearing the path for issuance of permits in a reasonable time frame. Additionally, Shaun had advised the Governor regarding the issue.ย As a result there is no need for the Governor to declare a state of emergency.
We owe thanks to all who listened and helped with this especially including Glenn, Harry, Page, ย Brent, Harold Taylor, and Shaun. If you see them please tell them thank you on behalf of all the flood victims in the watershed.
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Dredge the Vermilion (DTV) is a non-profit 501(C)(3) setup to inform the public about the need to identify and to perform regional drainage projects in the Teche-Vermilion watershed.
The board and advisors of DTV are all citizen volunteers with varying backgrounds from engineering, business owners, business management, medical, and legal.
Board of Directors
Dave Dixon โ President
Harold Schoeffler โ Vice President
Brent Logan โ Sec/Treasurer
Directors
Karen Hail
Jeffery Svendson
Jerimiah Supple
Darrell Fontenot
Bob Hammack JD
Tommy Guilbeau JD
Dr Pat Harrington MD
Dr Lewis Hill MD
Mike Waldon PhD
Advisors
Jennifer McKay โ Marketing and Social Media Advisor
Pam Granger PE โ Engineering Advisor
Gordon Schoeffler JD โ Legal Advisor
Michael Lunsford โ Technology and Political Advisor
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Website
Please see our website atย www.dredgethevermilion.orgย if you would like to make a donation. All donations help fund our website, Facebook and other marketing efforts, public outreach, and research.
Thank You,
Dave Dixon
President Dredge the Vermilion