Welcome.   In 2005, the devastation and human tragedy of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made the entire nation aware that Louisiana's coastal land loss and flood concerns were not abstract or futuristic matters, but were instead very real and required action in the immediate present.

Today, in 2008, recovery and rebuilding continue.  State and federal legislation have been adopted to deal with the continuing impacts and effects of these hurricanes .  However, more work needs to be done, including the implementation of plans and goals to prevent the repeat of catastrophe. The goal of the Select Committee—to study and continue to raise public awareness of coastal land loss concerns, and what can happen if these concerns are not properly addressed—remains the same. Coastal protection, restoration, and flood control in Louisiana remain imperative.

As Hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed, coastal land loss in Louisiana is a national, state, and local issue.  Coastal land loss in Louisiana:

·       threatens the very existence of cities, such as New Orleans, as well as other localities;

·       exposes more and more people to an increasingly greater risk of harm, or even death, from flooding and storm-related events;

·       directly affects energy production, supply, and transportation vital to the rest of the country, and increases the risk of nationwide disruption and adverse economic impact due to hurricanes;

·       places in peril agricultural, business, and energy interests, and a seafood industry with a nationwide impact of over $1 billion per year;

·       impacts individuals, businesses, and communities statewide, concerning property, insurance, and other related issues; 

·       destroys a unique ecological habitat, leaving it unable to provide shelter and sustenance for numerous year-round and wintering species, including endangered wildlife; and

·       ends forever beauty and recreational activities that draw visitors to the Louisiana coastal area from throughout the world.

We urge you to become aware of coastal protection, restoration, and flood-control issues in Louisiana through these links and web pages. Thank you.