By Emily Burleigh
Louisiana voters will consider just one amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot – expanding the dedication for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.
The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) hosted a webinar last week with Daniel Erspamer, CEO, Pelican Institute for Public Policy, Barry Erwin, president, Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) and Jan Moller, executive director, Invest in Louisiana. They discussed all 2024 constitutional amendments, including the amendment that will be voted on in November.
The trust fund –created in 1989 under the name the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund – became the main source of financing for projects and efforts in the Coastal Master Plan – the playbook created by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) to address coastal loss and improve hurricane resilience.
The master plan contains projects costing “billions and billions of dollars,” and only a “sliver” of the plan has been funded, said Melinda Deslatte, research director, PAR