Eroding coastlines, sea-level rise, sinking land, and storms that strike the Gulf Coast with regularity mean communities and industries that depend on their proximity to the Gulf are facing increasing vulnerability. For industry, this changing landscape means the miles of marsh, coastal wetlands, and even forested ridges that used to separate facilities and infrastructure from the Gulf are now disappearing or already gone. With support from JPMorgan Chase and in partnership with the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Water Institute of the Gulf has brought together industry leaders to talk about how nature-based defenses could help protect critical infrastructure and communities.
"Under the banner of the Institute's 'Supporting the Working Coast' program, we created a public-private partnership among Port Fourchon, Chevron, Shell and Danos to address the challenges of coastal land loss on several fronts," said Water Institute President and CEO Justin Ehrenwerth. "In addition, the institute is working on a separate project in cooperation with the Port of Lake Charles to better understand sediment dynamics in the Calcasieu Ship Channel as well as evaluate nature-based solutions for dredged material management."
Companies like Shell and Chevron want help answering questions that will enable them to protect critical infrastructure in coastal areas like Port Fourchon so they can make their businesses more resilient to the challenges of working in dynamic coastal environments globally. "The institute, as a not-for-profit, independent research and technical services resource, has a mission of supporting resilient coasts and sustainable water management systems worldwide," explained Ehrenwerth. "In addition to helping coastal industries understand how natural solutions can help them manage erosion and reduce flooding risk, the application of modeling tools can help them plan for future sea-level rise, understand how coastal change influences their facilities and their workers, and seek additional return on investment -- whether that is monetary, carbon capture or [in] social terms."
The institute leverages its scientific knowledge and experience to produce practical approaches to meet the needs of the companies and engineer a resilient future. The companies work with the institute to identify their chief concerns and resources available and to pay for the work to be done.
"Working with Port Fourchon and the Port of Lake Charles has proven that we can bring the most advanced science in the world to protect critical infrastructure, improve the environment, create more resilient communities and capture carbon," stated Ehrenwerth. "We are proving that when we work together using nature-based defenses, the economy, environment and community benefit.
"The ports and companies partnering in 'Supporting the Working Coast' took a big step in recognizing the best way to reach the shared goal of a more resilient future is to work together through a science-based approach to address the challenges facing their distinct areas."
By joining the "Working Coast," companies can advance finding solutions to their specific needs without diluting their primary missions. Leveraging many companies together for a single common goal allows for larger projects to be built with a shared/reduced risk to each company. "Industry and communities have come to recognize that doing nothing is not an option if they wish to be sustainable in the long term," said Ehrenwerth.
To get involved, contact the institute, local ports or trade organizations like the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. "The program is growing, and the more industry partners get involved, the more that can be done to provide additional resiliency for our economic future," Ehrenwerth concluded.
For more information, visit www. thewaterinstitute.org or call (225) 448-2813.