8/30/2023
This is important that you make a PUBLIC COMMENT regarding a proposed change to the LWI master Plan for the state.
Below is a link to a letter concerning Amendment 3
https://www.doa.la.gov/media/ygnlcg4n/08-09-2023-mit-apa-3-news-release.pdf
PLEASE make a PUBLIC COMMENT by SEPT 7th, in your own words regarding these issues. See questions below for more information. Public Comments are to be sent to the following email :
Executive Summary
This is concerning the proposed changes to LWI which will impact funding for the round 3 projects. You need to know that LWI is proposing to stand up a new district 9 (formerly the state had only 8) and dedicating $100M to this district in parishes east of Baton Rouge and not conducting a Round 3 for projects. This will probably affect nearby regional drainage projects in our watershed’s funding. We know from DTV’s meetings in Avoyelles Parish that they had several projects related to Bayou Des Glasises and the Chatlin Lake canal which help Avoyelles but also divert water to the Atchafalaya river instead of sending flood flows southward to St. Landry, St Martin, Iberia, Lafayette, and Vermilion Parishes. St Landry also has a flood gate project between Bayou Courtableau and Bayou Amy. This project is also truly regional and will benefit a number of parishes in the watershed in addition to St Landry including Avoyelles, St Martin, Lafayette and Vermilion. All of these projects(and more) were waiting on completion of modeling from the statewide modeling effort before proceeding with their project submittals in Round 3. Now as Round 3 is being proposed to being canceled as per changes in Amendment 3 these regional projects are in danger of not receiving consideration and funding. Additionally, all of these parishes in our watershed, except Lafayette, are low to mid household income and are a perfect fit for the intent of the HUD funded LWI initiative.
I was also told some of this one time LWI funding will be used to setup a new water management bureaucracy with no underlying ongoing funding by ad-valorem taxes.
The bottom line is public comments need to be made to shine the light on what’s happening if we are going to make this process fair. I have been advised by Rep Clay Higgins office that Public Comments are our only tool to slow this change down to make sure all parishes, towns, and cities are treated fairly when the LWI monies are allocated.
Some Questions?
- If the amendment goes through as proposed, then why do all of the watershed modeling which has cost over $140M?
- For areas that didn’t submit because they were asked to wait until modeling was complete will there be any other adjustments or considerations to help them?
- Lots of money has been spent waiting and on modeling but it will not be used in any of the funding so what is the purpose of continuing and spending more money on modeling that won’t be used?
- Is it right after 7 years to not have the courtesy to notify elected officials, especially in the 10 MID parishes that this amendment # was proposed and actively solicit their public comments?
- How about the fact that soon we will have many newly elected officials? Should we not wait until after the elections to propose this major change to the plan so these newly elected officials be briefed about the plan and the proposed changes?
- While we understand that a lot of damage to the proposed new District 9 area occurred but did parishes outside of the 10 most impacted parishes (MIDs) get more money than some of the 10 MIDS? Note – the 10 MIDs were proposed to get 51% of the project monies in the original plan
- If the funding is sent to one area based upon the impacts shouldn’t the state have allocated all of the funding from the beginning within the 10 most impacted parishes(3 of the 10 are in our watershed – Lafayette, Vermilion, Acadia) based upon impact rather than waiting 7 years and only doing that for one area of the state?
- It has been 7 years since the flooding and now is when the state wants to allocate funding based upon where damages occurred?
- Why not have a few public hearings and a longer public comment period before such a large change to the Action Plan besides minimum requirements for notification?
- Isn’t the entire change on how we address drainage and watershed management based around working together and going beyond the minimum yet we decide to only meet minimum requirements regarding public comment and notification? Why??
I know this is a big ask, and a complex issue, but this is important.
Below is an example of the PUBLIC COMMENT I made today.
Dear LWI,
I believe significant changes as proposed in amendment 3 deserve a statewide round of Public Hearings such as the one I attended in Lafayette hosted by Mr Pat Forbes so the public may be adequately notified and given a chance to question the impact on projects in our local watershed regions.
Regards,
Dave Dixon
President Dredge the Vermilion
Commissioner Bayou Vermilion District
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐨n
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, banking, and legal.
If you wish to help with our efforts please like and share our posts on Facebook(search “Dredge the Vermilion”)
Website
Please see our website at www.dredgethevermilion.org 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