RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Narrative 

Department of the Treasury 

OMB Approval No. 1505-0250 

Directions: Use this form for the Initial Multiyear Plan and any subsequent amendments to an accepted Multiyear 

Plan. For amendments, include only new and/or materially modified activities. 

Multiyear Plan Version (Initial or Amendment Number): Amendment #2 

Date of Initial Multiyear Plan Acceptance: September 21, 2015 

Date of Last Multiyear Plan Acceptance: March 17, 2017 

Eligible Applicant Name: The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana 

Name and Contact Information of the Person to be contacted (POC) on matters concerning this Multiyear Implementation Plan: 

POC Name: Katie Freer 

POC Title: Project Manager 

POC Email: Katie.Freer@la.gov 

POC Phone: 225-342-4635 

NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION: 

1. A description of each activity, including the need, purpose, objective(s), milestones and location. Include map showing the 

location of each activity. 

This Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan (“Second Amendment”) 

is to revise two activities for the Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control Measure Project (aka, “Calcasieu-Sabine LargeScale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration Project”): an engineering and design activity and a construction activity. 

The first activity for engineering and design of the Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control Measure Project (aka, 

“Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration Project”) was accepted in the initial Multiyear 

Implementation Plan and revised in Multiyear Implementation Plan Amendment #1, and a Direct Component grant has 

been awarded. This Second Amendment changes the scope of this project from reducing the rate of land loss through 

salinity control to instead achieve that goal primarily through other restoration measures that reduce flood stress, such 

as marsh drainage improvements and marsh creation and nourishment. As described in more detail below, the need for 

this change in project scope was confirmed through an extensive re-analysis of the project benefits and alternatives 

considering updated regional monitoring data, changes in operations of existing water control structures in the region, 

and new published peer-reviewed literature. This Second Amendment also decreases the Direct Component funding for 

this engineering and design activity to reflect the currently-anticipated funding need. 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The 

valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505-0250. Comments concerning the time required to complete this information collection, including the 

time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should 

be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220. 
The second revised activity is the Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control Measure Project (aka, Calcasieu-Sabine LargeScale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration) – Construction. This Second Amendment increases funding to this construction 

activity. The scope of this activity will be based on the results of the engineering and design. 

This Second Amendment also removes the measures of success previously defined for this project in prior versions of this 

Plan; revised performance measures will be defined in a forthcoming grant amendment request. Below is the revised 

need, purpose, objectives, milestones, and location reflecting this change to both the engineering and design activity as 

well as the construction activity. 

• Need: The proposed Project is needed to reduce the conversion of land to open water as predicted by the Future 

Without Action (FWOA) model in the 2017 Coastal Master Plan. The FWOA model results predict the loss of 

approximately 470 square kilometers (116,000 acres) within the Calcasieu/Sabine Ecoregion over the next 50 

years (Alymov et. al. 2017). Additionally, past land loss within the Basin, from 1932–2016, totals approximately 

200 square miles (128,000 acres) (Couvillion et al. 2017). Wetland losses throughout this period coincided with 

significant alteration of hydrology in the Basin by expansion of navigation channels, impoundment of marshes, 

subsidence, and sea level rise. The recent analysis, Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin1 

(McGinnis et al., 2019), indicates that present environmental, structural, and operational conditions have altered 

processes in the Basin such that persistent inundation and resulting flood stress is currently the main contributor 

to marsh vulnerability in this system, while salinity is currently better controlled than it was in previous decades. 

Both flood stress and high salinity pose critical threats to marsh health if not controlled. 

The issues raised in the Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin (McGinnis et al., 2019) were the 

catalyst for a 1.5 year project reanalysis including literature review, consultation with experts, and alternatives 

analysis using a combination of desktop review, modeling using the Danish Hydraulic Institute’s physics-based 

MIKE model, and machine learning. 

Through this robust reanalysis of expected project impacts, CPRA concluded that the original project should not 

proceed because 1) the wetland salinity reductions the project would achieve would be marginal, 2) the life safety 

risks posed by high velocities through navigation sills in the project’s saltwater barriers and the reduction in 

fisheries access between the Gulf of Mexico and the lake would both be significant, and 3) mitigating the life 

safety and fisheries issues would reduce the already marginal salinity reduction benefits. 

The proposed path forward that CPRA identified through analysis of over 30 features and alternatives is a 

combination of large-scale marsh creation/nourishment and substantial marsh drainage improvements. The 

original project was designed to reduce the rate of land loss by maintaining brackish and, farther from Calcasieu 

Lake, fresh salinity regimes longer to maximize organic marsh accretion, thus maintaining sufficient elevation to 

mediate sea-level-rise-driven collapse for as long as possible. The project reanalysis showed that we can more 

reliably achieve and maintain marsh elevation through a combination of 1) continued active water management 

practices that reduce saltwater intrusion into the marshes through operation of the existing water control 

structures along the lake-rim, 2) implementing large-scale marsh drainage improvements that reduce the flood 

stress that is currently driving marsh vulnerability, and 3) constructing large-scale marsh creation and 

nourishment that increases elevation capital in some of the most degraded areas of the watershed. The 

geographic impact of the project no longer includes all wetlands connected to Calcasieu Lake, but based on the 

reanalysis the likelihood of project success is much greater across what is still a very large area. This approach will 

benefit the entire 65,000 acre Cameron Creole Watershed, which is the subregion of the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin 

where the original project benefits were predicted to be most concentrated. 

The project is consistent with marsh creation projects contained in the 2017 Coastal Master Plan (Projects 

004.MC.10, 004.MC.19, and 004.MC.23) and is needed to address historic and ongoing land loss, the former 

resulting mainly from saltwater intrusion and at present from persistent flood stress and storm damage in the 

1 The 2019 Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin is available at 

https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/RecordDetail.aspx?Root=0&sid=23810. 
Calcasieu-Sabine (CS) Basin. This project will also mitigate damage to fish, wildlife and natural resources which 

rely on healthy marshes, allowing for the maintenance of thousands of acres of wetlands which serve as critical 

wildlife habitat and nurseries for fisheries. 

Purpose: The purpose of the proposed project is to reduce the rate of land loss within the CS Basin. Specifically, 

the proposed project is intended to reduce stress from inundation (and, if possible, salinity) within wetlands in 

order to maintain vegetative productivity and reduce conversion of wetlands to open water. Solutions to the 

flood stress problem can involve raising marsh elevation, improving marsh drainage, or both. Restoring this 

coastal ecosystem and lowering the risk associated with sea level rise, subsidence, and tropical events along the 

coast will also improve the long-term economic health of the region. By protecting the wetlands of the Chenier 

Plain, this project provides storm surge protection to communities and ports in the Lake Charles area. 

Objective: Design, construction, and monitoring of features designed to reduce stress from inundation to 

maintain vegetative productivity and reduce conversion of wetlands to open water. By allowing for the 

maintenance of thousands of acres of critical marsh environment which provide essential fish and wildlife habitat, 

the primary eligible activity of this project is to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, 

marine and wildlife habitats and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. (Eligible Activity (1)). Additionally, the 

project will be carried out in the Gulf Coast Region as defined in 31 C.F.R. §34.2 because it is located in Cameron 

Parish, and is anticipated to influence hydraulic conditions within the Calcasieu-Sabine basin, which is in the 

coastal zone defined under section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 that border the Gulf of 

Mexico. 

•

•

• Funds Requested: The estimated total cost of the project is approximately $260.97 million. This includes an 

estimated $25.6 million for engineering, design and permitting, an estimated $235.37 million for construction 

and any monitoring and adaptive management. This cost estimate is a planning-level estimate that utilized 

professional judgment of an interdisciplinary team of engineers and existing data on known topography, 

bathymetry and geotechnical characteristics of the project sites. As design advances these cost estimates will be 

revisited and are subject to change. All costs are reported in present dollar values and do not represent inflation 

or escalation. 

CPRA has previously been awarded a grant in the amount of $25,602,755.88 from the Direct Component to 

support engineering and design. These previously awarded grant funds are estimated to be sufficient to complete 

the engineering and design process, including development of final plans and specifications for bidding. The State 

of Louisiana currently has an additional $72,686,879.03 in net allocations available, which includes approximately 

$10.8M of engineering and design funds from the First Amended Multiyear Implementation Plan, all of which we 

are requesting in this Second Amendment to use for construction of this project. The total estimated funds that 

will be requested for this project from the Direct Component are approximately $260.97 million, which includes 

the previously awarded grant funds for E&D (~$25.6M), the balance of the previously requested funds in our First 

Amended Multiyear Implementation Plan (~$20.6M), the additional currently available funds (~$52.1M) and 

approximately $162.7 million which will be paid into the RESTORE Trust Fund through Year 15 (2031) and is 

therefore not currently available. The information learned through the design process of this project will help 

inform the construction sequence and methodology that may ultimately be used for this project and will help 

determine the approach to funding the project through completion. Additional funds for this project may be 

provided in the future from funds in the State’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund, including without 

limitation revenues from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), and/or funds from other RESTORE 

funding components. 

The features currently proposed to reduce flood stress are 1) lake-rim drainage structures that would enable the 

marshes to drain into Calcasieu Lake more frequently and 2) large-scale marsh creation and nourishment. The 

15%, 30%, 60%, and 95% engineering and design task descriptions do not change with this Second Amendment, 
except to add stakeholder engagement and modeling to finalize feature selection and optimize the design 

concepts as part of the 15% design phase. 

• High Level Milestones: 

1. 15% Design: Development of the project to the 15% design level 

2. 30% Design: Development of the project to the 30% design level 

3. Environmental Permits to Implement the Project: Work on this task will begin following completion of 

15% engineering and design and will continue concurrently with the 30% and 95% design milestones 

4. 95% Design: Development of the project to the 95% design level 

5. Final Plans and Specifications for Bidding 

6. Award of Construction Contract 

7. Mobilization for Construction 

8. Completion of Construction 

9. Monitoring Events 

• Estimated Project Schedule: 

1. 15% design milestone: January 2022 

2. 30% design milestone: June 2022 

3. 95% design milestone: January 2023 

4. Construction Contract Award: May 2023 

5. Construction Mobilization: August 2023 

6. Construction Completion: May 2026 

The estimated timelines referenced above reflect an aggressive schedule which is driven by CPRA’s sense of urgency for 

implementing large scale restoration projects. Given that RESTORE funds are subject to a 15-year payout, CPRA 

anticipates that it may need to access alternative funding streams for construction through its Coastal Protection and 

Restoration Fund which would be reimbursed with RESTORE funds as those become available over time. CPRA is also 

exploring available accelerated financing options in order to meet the estimated timelines described herein. CPRA is 

evaluating alternative funding streams and accelerated financing options because Treasury cannot award a project grant 

for Direct Component funds until sufficient deposits are available for distribution based on the amount of funds shown in 

the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Allocation Tables on Treasury’s RESTORE Act website. 
Figure 1. Map of potential and likely project areas. The project will be located within the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin. The location will likely be within 

the 65,000 acre Cameron Creole Watershed, where the majority of the benefits of the original project were concentrated. 

2. How the applicant made the multiyear plan available for 45 days for public review and comment, in a manner calculated to 

obtain broad-based participation from individuals, businesses, Indian tribes, and non-profit organizations, such as through public 

meetings, presentations in languages other than English, and postings on the Internet. The applicant will need to submit 

documentation (e.g., a copy of public notices) to demonstrate that it made its multiyear plan available to the public for at least 45 

days. In addition, describe how each activity in the multiyear plan was approved after consideration of all meaningful input from the 

public and submit documentation (e.g., a letter from the applicant's leadership approving submission of the multiyear plan to 

Treasury or a resolution approving the applicant's multiyear plan). 

The reanalysis of the Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control Measures (aka, Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and 

Hydrologic Restoration) project, which led to the scope revision described in this Second Amendment, was presented and 

discussed at quarterly public meetings of the Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority on November 

19, 2019 in Lake Charles and on February 11, 2020 in Cameron. Additional project briefings at those quarterly public 

meetings were scheduled in May, July, and October 2020, but they were all cancelled due to COVID-19 and local hurricane 

impacts. A public meeting specifically dedicated to presenting the project re-analysis and proposed path forward and 

receiving public comments was held in Cameron on November 17, 2020. CPRA presented the re-analysis and proposed 
scope change to the CPRA Board during the December 9, 2020 public Board Meeting and (virtually) at the Chenier Plain 

Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority’s Board meeting on January 19, 2021. 

A draft of this Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan was published 

and made available for public review and comment for a minimum of forty-five (45) days in a manner calculated to obtain 

broad-based participation from individuals, businesses, Indian tribes, and non-profit organizations in accordance with 31 

C.F.R. 34.303(b)(8), was revised based on public comments received, and was adopted after consideration of all 

meaningful input from the public. 

This Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan was made available on 

CRPA’s website in draft form on December 9, 2020, and on December 10, 2020 CPRA issued a press release seeking public 

feedback until January 25, 2021, and directing anyone with comments to submit those via email to: coastal@la.gov, or 

via regular mail to: CPRA, Attn: Chuck Perrodin, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. 

Advertisements to solicit public comment on the Draft Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act 

Multiyear Implementation Plan were also placed in the following press outlets across Coastal Louisiana during the public 

comment period: 

Abbeville Meridional 12/16 

Baton Rouge Advocate 12/15 

Belle Chasse Plaquemines Gazette 12/15 

Cameron Pilot 12/17 

Franklin Banner-Tribune 12/16 

Houma Daily Courier 12/14 

Lafayette Daily Advertiser 12/16 

Lake Charles American Press 12/14 

New Orleans Advocate/Times-Picayune 12/15 

In addition, letters were sent via email and certified mail/return receipt request to the following federally recognized 

Indian Tribes to inform them of the public comment period for the Draft Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s 

RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan and inviting them to comment: 

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana 

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana 

Jena Band of Choctaw Indians 

Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe 

During the public comment period, CPRA received eight sets of public comments, three of which were from the same 

commenter. All public comments submitted during the public comment period were reviewed and considered by CPRA 

before preparing the final Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan. 

The Amendment was also revised and updated based on public comment, as detailed in Appendix A. 
The public comments received are summarized below: 

Comment: The Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority, representing Vermilion, Calcasieu and 

Cameron parishes, expressed strong support for the scope change for the Calcasieu Sabine Large Scale Marsh and 

Hydrologic Restoration project. 

Comment: The Cameron Parish Police Jury expressed strong support for the scope change for the Calcasieu Sabine Large 

Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration project. 

Comment: The Restore the Mississippi River Delta campaign (MRD), representing the National Audubon Society, the 

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, and the Pontchartrain 

Conservancy collectively expressed support for the scope modifications for the Calcasieu Sabine Large Scale Marsh and 

Hydrologic Restoration project and also recommended reconsidering feasibility-phase CS-65 alternatives in the 2023 

Coastal Master Plan and including number of acres restored and acres of coastal habitat loss prevented as measures of 

project performance. 

Comment: Commenter submitted three sets of comments. The comments (i) objected to the amendment, (ii) requested 

an extension of the public comment period and a well-publicized virtual hearing specific to the project in February, and 

(iii) requested inclusion in the record of all of Commenter’s previous comments and hearing testimonies starting in 1974 

with the founding of Commenter’s organization: Restore Explicit Symmetry To Our Ravaged Earth (RESTORE). 

Commenter’s objections are largely based on the following: a concern that saltwater intrusion is the primary ecosystem 

problem in southwest Louisiana, that the Calcasieu Ship Channel is a main driver of saltwater intrusion, and that CPRA’s 

justification for the scope change is based entirely on the Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin (McGinnis 

et al., 2019). Commenter also expressed strong concern about converting Calcasieu/Sabine wetland vegetation from 

freshwater to saltwater species. Commenter further requested that CPRA obtain data on cattle and cattle herbivory and 

their environmental impact in southwest Louisiana and strongly objected to restoration dollars being applied in any form 

to maintenance of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, recommending instead that it be allowed to return to its original condition. 

Comment: Commenter requested an extension of the public comment period and a well-publicized virtual hearing specific 

to the project in February. In the alternative, Commenter requested that project scientists and management arrange for 

a virtual briefing with known interested parties. 

CPRA acknowledges and appreciates all public comments received and has addressed the issues raised in these comments 

where possible. In cases where comments were either generally supportive or pertained to activities or recommendations 

that are outside of the purview of this Amendment, or are outside of the CPRA’s direct authority, CPRA has considered 

and appreciates those comments but has not revised this Amendment based on that input at this time. In cases where 

public input requested additional or clarifying information, the Amendment has been updated to address these requests 

where possible, as provided in Appendix A. 

CPRA also directly engaged commenters to provide additional information via a more detailed virtual briefing. CPRA 

remains committed to conducting additional briefings upon request. CPRA did not provide an extension to the public 

comment period given that the comment appeared to be based on an incorrect timeline of public engagement, a 

compelling basis for the extension was not provided, and the requesting party had sufficient time to submit three sets of 

comments within the original public comment period. 

After the public comments were taken into consideration, the CPRA Board was provided with an explanation for how the 

public comment was addressed. The CPRA Board approved each activity included in the State’s Second Amendment to 

the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan and approved the Amendment for submission to 

Treasury on February 19, 2021, in accordance with 31 C.F.R. §34.303(b)(9). 
3. How each activity included in the applicant's multiyear plan narrative meets all the requirements under the RESTORE Act, 

including a description of how each activity is eligible for funding based on the geographic location of each activity and how each 

activity qualifies for at least one of the eligible activities under the RESTORE Act. 

Under 31 C.F.R. §34.303(d)(1) activities proposed for Direct Component funding must meet the statutory requirements 

for eligibility. The Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration Project proposed for Direct Component 

funding under this Second Amendment is an eligible activity under 31 C.F.R. §34.201 because by allowing for the 

maintenance of thousands of acres of critical marsh environment which provide essential fish and wildlife habitat, the 

project’s primary purpose is to restore and protect the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region. (Eligible Activity (1)). 

Under 31 C.F.R. §34.303(d)(2), each activity designed to protect or restore natural resources proposed for funding under 

the Direct Component must be based on best available science. Under 31 C.F.R. 34.2, “best available science” is defined 

as “science that maximizes the quality, objectivity, and integrity of information, including statistical information; uses 

peer reviewed and publicly available data; and clearly documents and communicates risks and uncertainties in the 

scientific basis for such projects.” Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan is required by law to be updated every six years in order 

to take into account the best available science and the ever-changing conditions on the ground. (See La. R.S. 

49:214.5.3.A.(1); Coastal Master Plan at pp. ES-2, 28, 48 & 79). The Coastal Master Plan, on which this Second Amended 

Multiyear Implementation Plan is based, is guided by a mission which is comprehensive in scope and based on a broad 

range of objectives, principles, decision drivers, metrics, and constraints. (Coastal Master Plan pp. 47-49; 63). This mission 

represents the result of a broad-based collaboration among local, state and national stakeholders and uses cutting edge 

technical analysis to take a long-term view “by implementing high-priority projects that improve long-term sustainability 

of other projects” so that CPRA can ensure “a solid foundation for the future investments in the coast, regardless of when 

those investments are made.” (Id. at 45). All marsh creation and nourishment locations selected for the Calcasieu Salinity 

Control Measures (aka, Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration) project will be limited to those 

included in marsh creation projects consistent with the Coastal Master Plan. The Basin Summary Report for the CalcasieuSabine Basin (McGinnis et al., 2019) analyzed a decade of publicly-available monitoring data and concluded that drainage 

enhancements, including additional drainage structures on the Calcasieu Lake rim, would be beneficial to the marshes in 

the project area. Moreover, this project underwent a rigorous 1.5-year project scope reanalysis including literature 

review, consultation with experts, and alternatives analysis using a combination of desktop review, modeling using the 

Danish Hydraulic Institute’s physics-based MIKE model, and machine learning, as detailed in item 1 above. As such, this is 

a project that is based on the best available science. 

Additionally, the project will be carried out in the Gulf Coast Region as defined in 31 C.F.R. §34.2 because it is located in 

Cameron Parish, and is anticipated to influence hydraulic and wetland conditions within the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin, which 

is in the coastal zone defined under section 304 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 that border the Gulf of 

Mexico. (See also the map identified in response to Question 1 above). 

4. Criteria the applicant will use to evaluate the success of the activities included in the multiyear plan narrative in helping to restore 

and protect the Gulf Coast Region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Project performance measures will track the progress towards meeting management goals and objectives. Recommended 

Direct Component performance measures applicable to this project will include a) number of acres of wetlands restored 

and b) number of acres with restored hydrology. 

Detailed post-construction monitoring requirements will be finalized upon completion of the project’s engineering and 

design phase and further refined following construction. Monitoring will likely include the use of Coastwide Reference 
2 Website available at https://lacoast.gov/crms/. 3 Including Projects 004.MC.10, 004.MC.19, and 004.MC.23. 

Monitoring System (CRMS)2 data to monitor marsh inundation and salinity trends, surface elevation trajectories, 

emergent vegetation, and land change. Other monitoring parameters for this project could include additional monitoring 

of hydrologic conditions near project features, land change at the project scale, and fish and wildlife monitoring. 

5. How the activities included in the multiyear plan narrative were prioritized and list the criteria used to establish the priorities. 

The Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration has been prioritized for RESTORE Direct Component 

funding due to its regional nature and far-reaching benefits to the overall ecological and economic recovery of the Gulf. 

CPRA has a strong adaptive management program that both accommodates the dynamic nature of coastal processes 

while guiding a robust and continuous planning process consistent with the State’s Coastal Master Plan. (CMP pp. ES-2 & 

49). CPRA uses adaptive management in varying levels of project and program management – from the project level, to 

the larger hydrologic basin, to the overall master plan. (CMP p. 148). CPRA incorporates lessons learned every six years 

into updated master plans. The goal of this adaptive management program is to weave together an overarching 

framework that governs the master plan; all other CPRA planning efforts; and all other CPRA engineering, design, and 

monitoring activities. (See CMP p. 148 & Appendix F, Adaptive Management, to read more details). The Basin Summary 

Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin is part of this Adaptive Management program and is the first summary report 

written for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin by the CPRA. (See McGinnis et al., 2019, at p. 1). 

In addition to the restoration programs that have existed in the past for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin, new programs have 

been developed in the past decade to expand the scale of coastal restoration in the southwest Louisiana. (Basin Summary 

Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin (McGinnis et al., 2019) p. 50). Louisiana’s 2017 Master Plan proposes four (4) 

restoration strategies for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin: hydrologic restoration along the Calcasieu Ship Channel and the 

GIWW just west of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, marsh creation throughout the basin (8 sites covering 65,400 acres3

), 

shoreline protection along the Gulf of Mexico east of the Calcasieu Ship Channel (~4 miles), and oyster reef/living 

shoreline in the Calcasieu and Sabine Lakes. (CPRA 2017; see http://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/2017-coastal-master-plan/). 

The Calcasieu-Sabine Large-Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration project proposed for Direct Component funding in 

this Second Amended Multiyear Implementation Plan is designed to combine certain elements of these existing 

restoration programs for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin with the recommendations and findings in the Basin Summary Report 

for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin. Therefore, this program would serve as an umbrella both for (i) marsh creation in the 

Calcasieu-Sabine Basin, and (ii) flood stress relief measures that would address the most urgent problem in the CalcasieuSabine Basin of prolonged flooding including, without limitation, additional drainage structures on the Calcasieu Lake Rim 

to help alleviate some of the flood stress in the Cameron-Creole Watershed southeast of Calcasieu Lake. See Basin 

Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin, at p. 52 (McGinnis et al., 2019). 

6. If applicable, describe the amount and current status of funding from other sources (e.g., other RESTORE Act contribution, other 

third party contribution) and provide a description of the specific portion of the project to be funded by the RESTORE Act Direct 

Component. 

CPRA has previously been awarded funds in the amount of $25,602,755.88 from the Direct Component to support 

engineering and design. These funds are estimated to be sufficient to complete the engineering and design process, 

including development of final plans and specifications for bidding. The State of Louisiana currently has an additional 

$72,686,879.03 in net allocations available, which includes approximately $10.8M of engineering and design funds from 

the First Amended Multiyear Implementation Plan, all of which we are requesting in this Second Amendment to use for 

construction of this project. The total estimated funds that will be requested for this project from the Direct Component 
are $260.97 million, which includes the previously awarded funds, the currently available funds and approximately $162.7 

million which will be paid into the RESTORE Trust Fund through Year 15 (2031) and is therefore not currently available. 

The information learned through the design process of this project will help inform the construction sequence and 

methodology that may ultimately be used for this project and will help determine the approach to funding the project 

through completion. Given that RESTORE funds are subject to a 15-year payout, CPRA anticipates that it may need to 

access alternative funding streams for construction through its Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund, including 

without limitation revenues from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), and/or funds from other RESTORE 

funding components, which would be reimbursed with RESTORE funds as those become available over time. CPRA is also 

exploring available accelerated financing options in order to meet the estimated timelines described herein. CPRA is 

evaluating alternative funding streams and accelerated financing options because Treasury cannot award a project grant 

for Direct Component funds until sufficient deposits are available for distribution based on the amount of funds shown in 

the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund Allocation Tables on Treasury’s RESTORE Act website. 
Appendix A 

RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DRAFT SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA’S 

RESTORE ACT MULTIYEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

During the public comment period, CPRA received eight sets of public comments, three of which were from the same 

commenter. All public comments submitted during the public comment period were reviewed and considered by CPRA 

before preparing the final Second Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan. 

The public comments received are summarized below. 

Comment: The Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority, representing Vermilion, Calcasieu and 

Cameron parishes, expressed strong support for the scope change for the Calcasieu Sabine Large Scale Marsh and 

Hydrologic Restoration project. 

Response: CPRA appreciates this comment. 

Comment: The Cameron Parish Police Jury expressed strong support for the scope change for the Calcasieu Sabine Large 

Scale Marsh and Hydrologic Restoration project. 

Response: CPRA appreciates this comment. 

Comment: The Restore the Mississippi River Delta campaign (MRD), representing the National Audubon Society, the 

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, and the Pontchartrain 

Conservancy collectively expressed support for the scope modifications for the Calcasieu Sabine Large Scale Marsh and 

Hydrologic Restoration project and also recommended reconsidering feasibility-phase CS-65 alternatives in the 2023 

Coastal Master Plan and including number of acres restored and acres of coastal habitat loss prevented as measures of 

project performance. 

Response: CPRA appreciates this comment. We will confer with the 2023 Coastal Master Plan about the request 

to reanalyze project alternatives considered during the feasibility phase. CPRA also clarified the description of potential 

monitoring activities to better support tracking project performance related to the recommended measures. 

Comment: Commenter submitted three sets of comments. The comments: (i) objected to the amendment, (ii) requested 

an extension of the public comment period and a well-publicized virtual hearing specific to the project in February, and 

(iii) requested inclusion in the record of all of Commenter’s previous comments and hearing testimonies starting in 1974 

with the founding of Commenter’s organization: Restore Explicit Symmetry To Our Ravaged Earth (RESTORE). 

Commenter’s objections are largely based on the following: a concern that saltwater intrusion is the primary ecosystem 

problem in southwest Louisiana, that the Calcasieu Ship Channel is a main driver of saltwater intrusion, and that CPRA’s 

justification for the scope change is based entirely on the Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin (McGinnis 

et al., 2019). Commenter further requested that CPRA obtain data on cattle and cattle herbivory and their environmental 

impact in southwest Louisiana and strongly objected to any restoration dollars being applied in any form to maintenance 

of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, recommending instead that it be allowed to return to its original condition. 

Response: CPRA appreciates this comment and has engaged directly with the Commenter to discuss his concerns 

and will continue to do so as requested. CPRA has also revised the Amendment to confirm that saltwater intrusion remains 

a critical issue for Southwest Louisiana. CPRA has further included the following information in its Final Second 

Amendment to the State of Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan in order to address some of this 

Commenter’s concerns: 
The original project focused on re-channelizing the Calcasieu Ship Channel as a mechanism for reducing land 

loss. An early draft of the Basin Summary Report for the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin (McGinnis et al., 2019) raised 

critical questions about whether the original project would be able to achieve the intended large-scale land 

change benefits. Those questions triggered a 1.5-year reanalysis of project benefits and impacts to determine 

the implications of the report’s findings to the project. The project reanalysis effort included literature review, 

consultation with experts, and alternatives analysis using a combination of desktop review, modeling using 

the Danish Hydraulic Institute’s physics-based MIKE model, and machine learning. 

Through this robust reanalysis of expected project impacts, CPRA concluded that the original project should 

not proceed because 1) the wetland salinity reductions the project would achieve would be marginal, 2) the 

life safety risks posed by high velocities through navigation sills in the project’s saltwater barriers and the 

reduction in fisheries access between the Gulf of Mexico and the lake would both be significant, and 3) 

mitigating the life safety and fisheries issues would reduce the already marginal salinity reduction benefits. 

The proposed path forward that CPRA identified through analysis of over 30 features and alternatives is a 

combination of large-scale marsh creation/nourishment and substantial marsh drainage improvements. The 

original project was designed to reduce the rate of land loss by maintaining brackish and, farther from 

Calcasieu Lake, fresh salinity regimes longer to maximize organic marsh accretion, thus maintaining sufficient 

elevation to mediate sea-level-rise-driven collapse for as long as possible. The project reanalysis showed that 

we can more reliably achieve and maintain marsh health through a combination of 1) continued active water 

management practices that reduce saltwater intrusion into the marshes through operation of the existing 

water control structures along the lake-rim, 2) implementing large-scale marsh drainage improvements that 

reduce the flood stress that is currently driving marsh vulnerability, and 3) constructing large-scale marsh 

creation and nourishment that increases elevation capital in some of the most degraded areas of the 

watershed. The geographic impact of the project no longer includes all wetlands connected to Calcasieu Lake, 

but based on the reanalysis the likelihood of project success is much greater across what is still a very large 

area. This approach will benefit the entire 65,000 acre Cameron Creole Watershed, which is the subregion of 

the Calcasieu-Sabine Basin where the original project benefits were predicted to be most concentrated. 

The Basin Summary Report is not the basis for the project scope change; the 1.5-year reanalysis is. While it 

was in progress, CPRA gave presentations on the project reanalysis effort at quarterly public Chenier Plain 

Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority Board Meetings in Lake Charles and Cameron. CPRA also held a 

public meeting in November 2020 in Cameron to present and discuss the reanalysis results. CPRA also 

presented this effort and the Multiyear Implementation Plan amendment to the public at the December 2020 

CPRA Board Meeting and (virtually) during the January 2021 public meeting of the Chenier Plain Coastal 

Restoration and Protection Authority Board held in Abbeville and broadcast via Zoom. 

CPRA also appreciates the comment concerning the environmental impact of cattle herbivory in Southwest Louisiana 

but this issue is outside of the purview of this Amendment. 

Comment: Commenter requested an extension of the public comment period and a well-publicized virtual hearing specific 

to the project in February. In the alternative, Commenter requested that project scientists and management arrange for 

a virtual briefing with known interested parties. 

Response: CPRA appreciates this comment and has engaged directly with the Commenter to schedule the 

requested virtual briefing, which was held on Thursday, February 4 for two hours. CPRA will schedule any follow up or 

additional briefings upon request. 
RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Matrix — Department of the Treasury OMB Approval No. 1505-0250 

Applicant Name: Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority 

1. MULTIYEAR PLAN VERSION (INITIAL OR AMENDMENT NUMBER): Amendment #2 2a. DATE OF INITIAL MULTIYEAR PLAN ACCEPTANCE (mm/dd/yyyy): 9/21/2015 2b. DATE OF LAST MULTIYEAR PLAN ACCEPTANCE: 3/17/2017 

3. CUMULATIVE DIRECT COMPONENT ALLOCATION AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO APPLICANT: $98,289,634.91 4. TOTALALLOCATIONS PLUS KNOWN FUNDS NOT YET DEPOSITED IN TRUST FUND FOR DIRECT COMPONENT: $260,970,986.60 

5. Primary Direct Component Eligible Activity 

Further Described in Application (Static Field) 6. Activity Title (Static Field) 7. Location (Static Field) 

8. Estimated Total Funding Contributions For Proposed Activity(ies)(refer to Instructions) 9. Proposed Start Date 

mm/dd/yyyy 

10. Proposed End Date 

mm/dd/yyyy 11. Status (refer to Instructions) 8a. Direct Component 

Contribution 

8b. Other RESTORE Act 

Contribution 

8c. Other Third Party 

Contribution 

8d. Total Contribution 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex Terrebonne Basin $16,000,000.00 $18,389,521.00 $34,389,521.00 11-2016 04-2018 Initial MYIP Activity - Deleted in 

Amendment #1 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures 

Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion 

Parishes 

$16,000,000.00 $15,000,000.00 $31,000,000.00 11-2015 05-2018 Initial MYIP Activity - Funded 

Activity at $16,000,000 with no 

3rd party contribution 

Planning assistance Adaptive Management Louisiana coastal area $2,400,000.00 $2,400,000.00 11-2015 05-2018 Initial MYIP Activity - Deleted in 

Amendment #1 

Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex Terrebonne Basin -$16,000,000.00 -$18,389,521.00 -$34,389,521.00 Amendment #1 - Deleted 

Activity 

Adaptive Management Louisiana coastal area -$2,400,000.00 -$2,400,000.00 Amendment #1 - Deleted 

Activity 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures 

Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion 

Parishes 

$20,400,000.00 -$15,000,000.00 $5,400,000.00 06-2017 12-2019 Amendment #1 - Amended to 

add $20,400,000 in DC funds for 

a total project amount of 

$36,400,000 and delete 3rd 

party contribution of 

$15,000,000 from project 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures - Construction 

Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion 

Parishes 

$45,569,002.00 $217,226,998.00 $262,796,000.00 01-2020 12-2022 Amendment #1 - New Activity 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures - Construction 

Calcasieu, Cameron and Vermilion 

Parishes 

-$217,226,998.00 -$217,226,998.00 Amendment #2 - Amended to 

delete 3rd party contribution, 

increase DC share to 100% 
Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures (aka, Calcasieu-Sabine LargeScale Marsh and Hydrologic 

Restoration) - Engineering & Design 

Cameron Parish -$10,797,244.12 -$10,797,244.12 02-2021 05-2023 Amendment #2 - Changed 

activity description and reduced 

DC funds required for project 

E&D for a total project E&D DC 

amount of $25,602,755.88 

Restoration and protection of the 

natural resources, ecosystems, 

fisheries, marine and wildlife 

habitats, beaches, and coastal 

wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region 

Calcasieu Ship Channel Salinity Control 

Measures (aka, Calcasieu-Sabine LargeScale Marsh and Hydrologic 

Restoration) - Implementation: 

Construction & Monitoring 

Cameron Parish $189,799,228.72 $189,799,228.72 05-2023 05-2033 Amendment #2 - Revised the 

total project implementation 

amount to $235,368,230.72 

$0.00 

$0.00 

$0.00 

$0.00 

$0.00 

12. ESTIMATED TOTAL FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ACTIVITY(IES) (refer to Instructions) $260,970,986.60 $0.00 $0.00 $260,970,986.60 

Please note: Grant awards may reflect non-material changes in proposed dates and 

estimated funding. 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505-0250. Comments concerning the time required to complete this information collection, including the time to review instructions, 

search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220.