Louisiana House Republican Whip Steve Scalise announced that he has secured $1.5 million in the Energy and Water Development, and related agencies subcommittee bill for deepening the Port Fourchon Belle Pass Channel.
This funding will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete environmental compliance and update the overall cost and dredge material disposal plans so the construction phase of the project can begin, the press release stated.
Dredging the Port Fourchon Channel will reduce the transportation cost of servicing offshore energy development out of Port Fourchon, promote future energy development and production, and allow for greater vessel access to Louisiana's ports and waterways.
“I am proud to have secured important funding for Port Fourchon in the Energy and Water bill," said Scalise. "Port Fourchon is a hub of economic activity for our nation, servicing nearly 20 percent of America’s domestically-produced oil and natural gas and generating billions of dollars annually for Louisiana."
Scalise said that deepening the Port Fourchon Channel will accommodate larger vessels so they can better navigate the waterways and conduct repair work at the port. He added that once complete, the project will strengthen Louisiana’s position as a leading export state and a top producer of our nation’s oil and natural gas.
The House bill also includes an amendment sponsored by Representatives Scalise, Garret Graves, and Troy Carter that provides an additional $6 million for projects that utilize beneficial use disposal options from federally maintained waterways.
“We applaud Representatives Scalise, Graves, and Carter for co-sponsoring this amendment on the House floor and securing its approval. The amendment will enable additional dredged material from federal projects to be utilized for coastal restoration efforts. Even today, far too much material from Louisiana projects is disposed of in open water. This amendment brings us closer to the point where all dredged material is treated as a valuable resource for coastal restoration purposes,” said Chett Chiasson, executive director for the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in a recent statement.