With Governor Jindal calling it a new era for coastal Louisiana, he announced the state will spend the most it has ever spent on coastal restoration, from east Louisiana all the way to the Texas state line.

WWL-TV

Gov. Jindal announced a major hurricane protection plan.

“If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times, I can’t say it enough. Let me be clear, we cannot protect our properties and our people with levees alone,” Gov. Jindal said at the press conference at the University of New Orleans. “For levees to work requires healthy wetlands and coastal restoration.”

“So today, absolutely is a critical part of hurricane defense. We are being proactive. Let’s make no mistake about it, Louisiana is not waiting for the federal government,” adding that the plan will constitute the world’s largest public works project.

“The time for studies is over. Now is the time to turn some dirt,” he said.

The state’s share of $1.8 billion will be used to rebuild levees, and the $1.1 billion from the state, the federal government and oil revenue is going to hurricane protection and coastal restoration.

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority approved where the $300 million in state surplus funds will go, and the greater New Orleans area will receive $100 million from that money.