CPRA Approves Coastal Annual Plan While Advocates Call for Clearer Vision and Transparency
NEW ORLEANS (March 18, 2026) – Today, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) board voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Plan, which included more than 140 projects aimed at restoring and protecting Louisiana’s coast with a total cost of $1.54 billion, up from 130 projects and $1.27 billion outlined in the draft released at the end of last year.
Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local organizations working to restore Louisiana’s coast, issued the following statement:
“Many of the investments in this year’s Annual Plan will help sustain communities, wildlife habitat, and a working coast economy, and we are encouraged to see them move forward. However, the plan still falls short of what Louisianians deserve—a vision that matches the scale of the challenge, meaningful efforts to reconnect the river and restore natural processes, and regional restoration projects that deliver real benefits well into the future.
Changes in the coastal program during the Landry Administration raise important questions about the path forward. Last year’s alarming cancellation of the Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton sediment diversion projects creates uncertainty for the future of the Barataria and Breton basins and disregarded the state’s Coastal Master Plan that had these projects as the cornerstone. While roughly $700 million in funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were spent on those projects, Landry’s cancellation decision resulted in no benefits for our coast. This plan does not outline a path forward following those decisions and coastal communities deserve greater clarity on the direction the State is taking for their future.
Throughout the year—and especially during Annual Plan discussions—CPRA should clearly communicate the risks facing coastal basins, its plans for remaining Deepwater Horizon restoration funding, and its capacity to deliver these projects. For two decades, coastal communities have expected this level of clarity. Louisianians deserve transparent decision-making and smart investments in long-term, large-scale solutions like river reconnections, and regional restoration projects that restore natural processes and provide lasting benefits over time.”
About Restore the Mississippi River Delta:
Restore the Mississippi River Delta is working to protect people, wildlife and jobs by reconnecting the river with its wetlands. As our region faces the crisis of land loss, we offer science-based solutions through a comprehensive approach to restoration. Composed of conservation, policy, science and outreach experts from Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation and Pontchartrain Conservancy, we are located in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; and around the United States. Learn more at MississippiRiverDelta.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.