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Houma, La. -- Some of those most affected by the state's Coastal Master Plan greeted its unveiling two months ago with a loud thud.
However, the Jindal Administration has won over some early critics thanks to changes in the plan.
In Terrebonne Parish, for example, the original plan called for rebuilding barrier islands and ridges, but it envisioned very little in the way of marsh creation.
Since then, the state has taken from projects in southwestern Louisiana and put the resources closer to population centers, such as Houma.
"We see it as a tradeoff," said Reggie Dupre, Executive Director of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District. "We're willing to have a less sustainable project in order to protect communities."
Supporters concede some of the marsh projects in the revised plan might be more vulnerable to salt water intrusion and, over time, could succumb to the same forces that caused land there to melt into the sea.
However, the parish also wants to introduce fresh water and river mud from the Atchafalaya.
That could involve pumping sediment over 30 or 40 miles to the eastern parts of Terrebonne Parish, an effort that state officials fear would drive project costs into the stratosphere.
"It is an expensive project," conceded Parish President Michel Claudet. "But when you look at the benefits to us in the long run, it's certainly substantially cheaper than many of the projects shown in the master plan.
Claudet points out the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has also agreed to consider an on-going parish study, which aims to show sediment projects can be managed more cheaply than standard estimates today.
"I don't think it's to the point where it's cost prohibitive," Claudet said.
Other parish governments also have warmed to the plan as the state rearranged timetables for projects.
In Jefferson Parish, ring levees for the town of Jean Lafitte, Barataria and Crown point were originally envisioned to be built after 2032, money permitting.
This week, Jefferson Parish President John Young praised the state's decision to move the levees into an early phase.
Young put out a statement saying, "the restoration and preservation of Louisiana's coastline, before it completely vanishes, is essential to the personal safety and economic prosperity of all Louisiana citizens."
In Orleans parish, the central wetlands-- a cypress forest lost to salt water intrusion from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet-- is now included in the master plan.
All of the projects depend on the state's ability to piece together billions of dollars in funding over the next half century.
"What they're trying to do is narrow down some realistic goals that can be done, assuming that we raise $50 billion over 50 years," Dupre said.
However, he conceded the $50 billion estimate is "very aggressive. We don't know if that's even close to reality."
However, the Jindal Administration has won over some early critics thanks to changes in the plan.
In Terrebonne Parish, for example, the original plan called for rebuilding barrier islands and ridges, but it envisioned very little in the way of marsh creation.
Since then, the state has taken from projects in southwestern Louisiana and put the resources closer to population centers, such as Houma.
"We see it as a tradeoff," said Reggie Dupre, Executive Director of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District. "We're willing to have a less sustainable project in order to protect communities."
Supporters concede some of the marsh projects in the revised plan might be more vulnerable to salt water intrusion and, over time, could succumb to the same forces that caused land there to melt into the sea.
However, the parish also wants to introduce fresh water and river mud from the Atchafalaya.
That could involve pumping sediment over 30 or 40 miles to the eastern parts of Terrebonne Parish, an effort that state officials fear would drive project costs into the stratosphere.
"It is an expensive project," conceded Parish President Michel Claudet. "But when you look at the benefits to us in the long run, it's certainly substantially cheaper than many of the projects shown in the master plan.
Claudet points out the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has also agreed to consider an on-going parish study, which aims to show sediment projects can be managed more cheaply than standard estimates today.
"I don't think it's to the point where it's cost prohibitive," Claudet said.
Other parish governments also have warmed to the plan as the state rearranged timetables for projects.
In Jefferson Parish, ring levees for the town of Jean Lafitte, Barataria and Crown point were originally envisioned to be built after 2032, money permitting.
This week, Jefferson Parish President John Young praised the state's decision to move the levees into an early phase.
Young put out a statement saying, "the restoration and preservation of Louisiana's coastline, before it completely vanishes, is essential to the personal safety and economic prosperity of all Louisiana citizens."
In Orleans parish, the central wetlands-- a cypress forest lost to salt water intrusion from the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet-- is now included in the master plan.
All of the projects depend on the state's ability to piece together billions of dollars in funding over the next half century.
"What they're trying to do is narrow down some realistic goals that can be done, assuming that we raise $50 billion over 50 years," Dupre said.
However, he conceded the $50 billion estimate is "very aggressive. We don't know if that's even close to reality."
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