On Friday July 26, 2008, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal spoke to about 100 Thibodaux area residents at Nicholls State University. During the talk, Jindal promised to lobby the federal government for more funding for the restoration of coastal Louisiana. Of particular concern for Jindal is the federal government’s requirement that Louisiana provide $1.8 billion in matching funds for levee improvements in the next three years. If Louisiana is not able to pay this bill over much more than three years, this requirement will force Louisiana to spend much of the state’s discretionary funds on levee improvements. If these funds are used for levee improvments, it will impair ongoing and planned efforts at coastal wetland restoration among other things.
Jindal also spoke of the need to elevate La Hwy. 1 to Port Fourchon. Port Fourchon processes about 18% of the nation’s oil supply, and La Hwy. 1 is the only highway in and out of Port Fourchon. The improvements to La Hwy. 1 would cost about $250 million and will only be undertaken with substantial federal dollars being contributed. Jindal’s message to Washington was “To me, it’s wise to invest in the goose that’s laying the gold eggs.”
I could not agree more. The need to protect Port Fourchon is a national concern requiring a national commitment and a national response. It is much like most of the problems in coastal Louisiana.The federal government should not ask for any local funds to pay for the improvements to La Hwy. 1. Anyone suggesting the protection of Port Fourchon is a local Louisiana concern is making a suggestion akin to arguing that the protection and welfare of Washington DC is a local problem of concern only to Virginia and Maryland.
For more on Governor Jindal’s visit to Nicholls State, see Ben Lundin’s article in the Saturday July 26, 2008 Thibodaux Daily Comet entitled Jindal Speaks at Local Forum.