Two NOAA-sponsored habitat restoration projects in Louisiana have been approved for $53.5 million in funding in 2022 by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Program. Together, these projects will restore approximately 1,100 acres of wetland habitat. This work will help support resilient coastal communities and sustainable fisheries along the Louisiana coast.
NOAA works through CWPPRA to support resilient communities and sustainable fisheries in Louisiana. Today, the CWPPRA Task Force approved two NOAA-sponsored projects for construction funding:
- Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation (West) Project, which will restore approximately 561 acres of marsh in Plaquemines Parish ($26,459,920)
- No Name Bayou Marsh Creation Project, which will restore approximately 539 acres of saline marsh south of Calcasieu Lake in Cameron Parish ($27,022,820)
Coastal wetlands are Louisiana’s first line of defense during hurricanes and storms. They help protect communities and infrastructure from damage caused by wind, waves, and flooding. Wetlands also provide habitat for fish and shellfish, which support a statewide seafood industry valued at nearly $1 billion per year. However, Louisiana has one of the highest rates of wetland loss in the world, at an average rate of a football field every hour. Habitat restoration helps slow the high rate of land loss while sustaining the important benefits these habitats provide.
Since 1990, the CWPPRA Program has served as the primary means for responding to coastal wetland loss in Louisiana. Each year, large-scale restoration projects are approved for funding by the CWPPRA Task Force. The Task Force is composed of the State of Louisiana and five participating federal agencies:
- NOAA
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Since 1990, NOAA has been the federal sponsor for more than 40 wetland restoration projects through the CWPPRA Program. We have restored more than 12,500 acres of vulnerable coastline and helped build the resilience of coastal communities.
