April 28, 2023 | From City of New Orleans
City of New Orleans Awarded Second Federal Grant Award for Restoration of Bayou Bienvenue Wetlands Triangle in Lower Ninth Ward
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans announced today that it has been awarded a $489,813 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities. This grant will add additional funding for public outreach and design for restoration of Bayou Bienvenue located in the Central Wetlands in the Lower 9th Ward of the city.
"The Bayou Bienvenue Wetlands Triangle was once an area of natural beauty and recreation for New Orleanians, particularly for our Lower 9th Ward residents. I'm excited to partner with the Lower 9th Ward community to bring this important area back to life,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We are thankful to NOAA and our federal partners for their continued support of a project that will improve our community’s natural resilience and quality of life.”
NOAA’s Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities will contribute to the restoration or enhancement of natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, mangroves, forests, coastal rivers, and barrier islands. These natural buffers can help reduce the impacts of storms, rising sea levels, and other extreme events on nearby communities and habitats.
The Bayou Bienvenue wetlands extend from the Lower 9th Ward in the City of New Orleans to the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. The wetlands and surrounding communities were heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and have been identified as a priority restoration project in Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan. Models from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) show that the area will continue to see habitat degradation and wetland loss without significant action.
Rehabilitation of the wetlands will include a combination of wetland creation, vegetative planting, and hydrologic restoration. The proposed work will use a structured decision-making process to develop a restoration plan that considers project costs, sediment availability, and land ownership issues. The City will then use this plan to develop preliminary designs for the restoration of the area.
Partnering with the City of New Orleans on the project are The Water Institute of the Gulf, Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, National Wildlife Federation, and Nunez Community College.
The City of New Orleans and other coastal Louisiana communities face significant expected wetland loss without action to restore and rehabilitate these habitats.
“This money from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be instrumental in restoring the Bayou Bienvenue in the Lower 9th Ward,” said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. “We must prioritize restoring our coasts and helping our neighbors fight against the worst effects of the climate crisis. I will continue to support mechanisms that create jobs and boost economic and environmental outcomes for coastal communities. I’m serious about protecting Louisiana’s coast and culture and proudly voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which secured these funds.”
“Louisiana works hard to protect and rebuild our eroding coastline,” said Louisiana Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy. “This funding from the infrastructure law aids our restoration efforts and protects our way of life.”
“The importance of this grant will provide a keen impact to major components to enhancing the quality of life for the Lower 9th Ward community,” said Arthur Johnson, Executive Director of the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. “Educating and engaging residents, community leaders and business owners will finally be included in this development for the betterment of our community.”
The award for the City of New Orleans was one of 35 awards and part of nearly $25 million in Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities awards made nationwide. More information can be found here.
Mayor Cantrell’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Task Force crafted the City’s proposal. The City created the multi-departmental IIJA Task Force in January 2022 to analyze infrastructure needs within the City and secure funding from the new infrastructure law.
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