Louisiana Governor emphasized the need for more boom barriers on the coast to combat oil spill

May 22nd, 2010 - 5:58 am ICT by BNO News  

COCODRIE, LOUISIANA (BNO NEWS) – Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal on Friday joined officials for a meeting and flyover of oil impacted areas off the Terrebonne Parish coast, stressing the need for more sand boom barriers.

Governor Jindal continued his call for quick approval of the dredging plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) filed for an emergency permit from the Army Corps of Engineers last week and the Governor continues to stress the importance of the plan’s quick approval. Once dredging begins, sand booms could be built within ten days.

He emphasized that he is not simply waiting for the Corps approval of the dredging plan though and he announced that the state has redirected a dredge conducting restoration work on East Grand Terre – which is east of Grand Isle – to immediately begin constructing a sand berm as called for in the state’s barrier island plan. Dredging was already underway to restore the barrier island in this area under the state’s coastal restoration program.

The sand berm can be constructed on East Grand Terre under the existing permit conditions and will help to remove oil offshore Louisiana’s mainland before reaching Louisiana’s intricate coastal wetlands and estuary.

Governor Jindal said, “It is clear from what we saw on Fourchon Beach and Whiskey and Trinity Islands that the oil is here. This is why we have said again and again that this spill fundamentally threatens Louisiana’s way of life. The oil is here and we are still waiting on the Corps to approve our sand boom plan – even after seeing how effective this strategy is at Thunder Bayou, and we are still waiting on boom for some of the critical areas west of the river – including Terrebonne and St. Mary Parishes.”

“These Coast Guard officials were also able to see today how effective our sand-booming strategy is from the sand bridge at Thunder Bayou that continues to actively hold oil back from travelling further inland. This further underscores the importance of the Corps taking quick action to approve our plan.”

Reiterating that while booming is only one tool in the toolbox, Governor Jindal said that it is absolute essential that boom is deployed.

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