Prior to 2005, Louisiana’s coastal protection and restoration efforts were handled by several local and state governmental entities with limited budgets and little to no coordination. As a result of the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the federal government agreed to provide financial support and expertise to help address Louisiana’s coastal crisis. For this assistance, the federal government requested there be one central authority that would represent the state and be accountable for oversight of all activities and funds. This authority would also have a coordinated plan of action with clear goals and achievable objectives.
Louisiana responded to this request by creating the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). The CPRA is the single state entity with the authority to develop, articulate, implement, and enforce a comprehensive Louisiana Coastal Master Plan. This plan would use the best available science to reduce tropical storm surge flood impact (note: not from rainfall), restore our natural resources, build land, and secure Louisiana’s coast now and for future generations. In addition to the Coastal Master Plan, the CPRA is also responsible for producing an Annual Plan for legislative approval.
The CPRA board must approve a final version of both the Coastal Master Plan (updated every six years) and the Annual Plan (updated every year) before submitting it for final approval by the Louisiana Legislature. (See Chapters 3 and 4 for more details on these plans.)
You can sign up to receive email updates from the CPRA here.
CPRA BOARD
The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board members serve at the pleasure of the Governor and represent various agencies and geographic areas in the pursuit of coordinated coastal restoration activities.
Duties of the CPRA Board:
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- Represent the state’s position in policy relative to the protection, conservation, enhancement, and restoration of the coastal area of the state;
- Oversee the Coastal Protection and Restoration Trust Fund;
- Enforce compliance with the Coastal Master Plan; and
- Develop a master plan and an annual plan for integrated coastal protection.
The CPRA Board includes the:
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- Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Activities (serves as Chair of the Board);
- Secretaries from the Departments of Natural Resources, Transportation and Development, Wildlife and Fisheries, Environmental Quality, and Economic Development;
- Commissioners from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Division of Administration, and Louisiana Department of Insurance;
- Representatives from the following basins: Teche/Vermilion, Barataria, Terrebonne, Breton Sound, Mississippi Delta, Pontchartrain, Atchafalaya, and Calcasieu/Sabine;
- Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation;
- Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness;
- Senate President (or designee); and
- Speaker of the House (or designee).
Members of the CPRA Board as of April 2021 include:
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- Chip Kline, Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Activities (Board Chair)
- Thomas Harris, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
- Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
- Jack Montoucet, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Dr. Chuck Brown, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
- Don Pierson, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Economic Development
- Dr. Mike Strain, Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
- Jay Dardenne, Commissioner, Louisiana Division of Administration
- R. King Milling, Chair, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation
- James Waskom, Director, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
- Jim Donelon, Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Insurance
- Kelly Richard, Representative of Teche/Vermilion Basin
- Scott Burke, Representative of Barataria Basin
- Dwayne Bourgeois, Representative of Terrebonne Basin
- Guy McInnis, Representative Breton Sound Basin
- Bill Bubrig, Representative Mississippi Delta Basin
- Monica Gorman, Representative of the Pontchartrain Basin
- Bill Hidalgo, St. Mary Levee District, Representative Atchafalaya Basin
- Laurie Cormier, Representative Calcasieu/Sabine Basin
- Senator Bob Hensgens, Designee of Senate President Page Cortez
- Representative Jerome Zeringue, Designee of Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder
To see the current representatives on the CPRA Board, visit https://coastal.la.gov/about/structure/cpra-board/members/
POINTS OF CONTACT
CPRA
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- Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Executive Director, Bren Haase
- Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Communications Director, Rachel Haney, Rachel.Haney@la.gov
- Restore the Mississippi River Delta Contact, Restore or Retreat, Executive Director, Simone Maloz simone.maloz@nicholls.edu
CPRA Board
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- Coastal Protection and Restoration Board, Chairman, Chip Kline
- Office of the Governor- Coastal Activities, Administrative Staff Officer/Policy Coordinator, Stephanie Stout: Stephanie.Stout@la.gov
- Restore the Mississippi River Delta contact, Restore or Retreat, Executive Director, Simone Maloz: simone.maloz@nicholls.edu