Funding for Louisiana coastal restoration in Obama's budget

By Editorial page staff, The Times-Picayune

February 03, 2010, 6:29AM

Louisiana's fight to save its shrinking coastline will get vital help in the Obama administration's proposed 2011 budget, which includes $35.6 million for larger coastal restoration projects.
It's the first time that the Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration program has received federal construction funding, a significant milestone for the state.
"The fact that coastal restoration in Louisiana is one of the only new construction projects requested by the president ... is a clear message that the tide is turning,'' said Garret Graves, adviser to Gov. Bobby Jindal. "For over 80 years, our state has lost over 2,300 square miles of coastal land; finally the federal government can join us in implementing solutions.''
That's critically important given the short window of time -- less than a decade -- that experts say remains for restoring the coast.
Projects that have been designed and are ready to build will get $19 million of the money, with the biggest share going to build wetlands with sediment removed from the Mississippi River during routine dredging. That's a smart approach that makes use of a resource that's now being wasted.