BATON ROUGE, La
- If you see debris in a
Louisiana public
waterway, "Report It!"
That is the message of a
coalition of federal and
state agencies behind
the Louisiana Marine
Debris program, which
was created to identify,
document and remove
marine debris caused by
Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita that continues to
litter the state's
waterways.
"Two and a half years
after the storms,
Louisiana still suffers
from the blight and
safety issues caused by
debris in our public
waterways," said Garrett
Broussard, Marine Debris
Coordinator for the
Louisiana Department of
Natural Resources (DNR),
the lead agency managing
the Marine Debris
program. "The ultimate
goal of this program is
to ensure that dangerous
debris is removed in a
timely, comprehensive,
cost-effective and
responsible manner."
The Louisiana Recovery
Authority (LRA) and the
Governor's Office of
Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)
called upon the federal
government last summer
to reactivate marine
debris removal in
Louisiana's waterways.
After Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita in 2005, the
Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA)
worked with the United
States Coast Guard (USCG)
to remove large pieces
of marine debris from
navigable commercial
waterways. However, much
debris - including
homes, boats and
appliances - remained,
posing a safety risk to
many recreational and
commercial boats.
As a result of the
efforts of the LRA and
GOHSEP, FEMA and the
USCG have agreed to
reactivate the Louisiana
Marine Debris program.
FEMA has assured the
state initial funding
for an estimated $400 to
$500 million marine
debris removal program
to be run by DNR.
"By working with our
state and federal
partners we are finally
able to clear the
fishing boats,
18-wheelers,
refrigerators and even
displaced homes that
have remained in
Louisiana's waterways
since the storms of
2005," said LRA Board
Member and Chair of the
Environmental Task Force
Tom Henning. "I
encourage all those who
have seen the hazardous
debris in our waterways
to 'report it.' The
participation of locals
is vital to the success
of this program and the
recovery of our state."
The Louisiana Marine
Debris program relies
heavily on local
residents who use
Louisiana's waterways
for commercial and
recreational purposes to
report dangerous debris.
Debris that is not
reported will not be
considered for removal
by the USCG.
Debris that is reported
is not automatically
eligible for removal. In
order to be eligible,
the debris must create
an economic,
environmental or safety
issue and have been
caused by either
Hurricane Katrina or
Rita. This program
focuses primarily on the
parishes south of the
I-10/I-12 corridor which
include: Calcasieu,
Cameron, Jefferson
Davis, Acadia,
Vermilion, Lafayette,
St. Martin, Iberia, St.
Mary, West Baton Rouge,
Iberville, Assumption,
Terrebonne, East Baton
Rouge, Ascension, St.
James, St. John the
Baptist, St. Charles,
Lafourche, Jefferson,
Orleans, Plaquemines,
St. Bernard, Livingston,
Tangipahoa and St.
Tammany.
Currently, a team of
state officials is
conducting
parish-by-parish
meetings to explain the
program and convey the
essential roles parish
governments will play in
this program. Once
debris points are
documented each parish
will have an opportunity
to meet with FEMA and
the USCG to ensure their
concerns are addressed
and to determine the
eligibility of
identified debris.
"We are enlisting the
help of government
organizations, marinas,
commercial charter
companies, boat dealers
and other private
businesses to help get
the word out by posting
and distributing flyers
and other information, "
said Leo Richardson,
State Marine Debris
Coordinator, GOHSEP.
"The message is simple -
if you see, hit, snag or
even hear about marine
debris, tell us where it
is."
To report debris visit
the Louisiana Marine
Debris Web site at
www.LouisianaMarineDebris.com
or call toll free at,
866.579.4DNR
(866.579.4367). The call
center will be manned
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Monday through
Friday. Callers can
leave messages 24 hours
a day, seven days a
week.
To help spread the word
about the Louisiana
Marine Debris program in
your area,
click here
for a copy of the flyer
that is being
distributed throughout
South Louisiana.
Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita devastated South
Louisiana, claiming
1,464 lives, destroying
more than 200,000 homes
and 18,000 businesses.
The Louisiana Recovery
Authority (LRA) is the
planning and
coordinating body that
was created in the
aftermath of these
storms to lead one of
the most extensive
rebuilding efforts in
the world. The LRA is a
33-member body which is
coordinating across
jurisdictions,
supporting community
recovery and resurgence,
ensuring integrity and
effectiveness, and
planning for the
recovery and rebuilding
of Louisiana.
