POLLY'S COMMENTS ON COASTAL RESTORATION

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

• Since 1930, Louisiana has lost 1900 square miles of coastal wetlands.
• If nothing is done, Louisiana stands to lose another 700 square miles by 2050.
• Louisiana is losing her coastal wetlands, presently at a rate of 24 square miles per year.
• Louisiana contains 40% of the coastal wetlands of the continental U.S. and is experiencing 90% of the nation's coastal wetland loss.
• Louisiana's economy relies heavily, directly and indirectly, on healthy and extensive coastal wetlands.
  • Louisiana's coastal wetlands provide 40% of the fisheries of the continental U.S.
  • 95% of all commercially important (and tasty) species use coastal wetlands as nurseries.
  • Need an indirect example? The entire chicken industry is based on a steady supply of fish meal, and fish meal comes from the menhaden (pogy) crop that feeds on plankton that derives its nutrition from organic matter from the coastal wetlands.
• Coastal wetlands protect Louisiana's coastal cities from hurricane damage (each 2.7 miles of healthy coastal marshes reduce storm surge by one foot).

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

• Educate, unite, and focus Louisiana's legislature on the plight of our coast.
• Convince the state's political leaders that coastal restoration is one of our top priorities.
• The Louisiana Team must convince Congress that a $14 billion investment in Louisiana over the next 50 years will protect a $300 billion economic engine for the nation.
• The state must continue to develop and expand Wetlands Trust Funds to use as a match when attracting the federal dollars (in order to avoid taxing citizens).
• The state must follow the Coast 2050 plan.
• The state must take whatever steps are needed to protect the public interest, and treat fairly those citizens who are hurt during the process.

HOW DOES THIS TIE IN TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANK?

• Nursery grounds for our fisheries.
• Huge value of existing infrastructure (cities, highways, oil & gas, shipping)
• "Economic web" - that is, all the business that depends on the infrastructure and other existing business in the coastal zone.
• Protection from hurricanes and other storms.
• Half the citizens of the state, and much more than half of its economic activity, are in the coastal zone.

---