Louisiana SCR 25: FLOODS/FLOODING: Creates the Comite River Diversion Canal/Amite River Basin Task Force.

Bill Text

2024 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25
BY SENATOR HODGES
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To create the Comite River Diversion Canal/Amite River Basin Task Force and to authorize
the task force to study and make recommendations on actions necessary to complete
construction of the Comite River Diversion Project and mitigate flooding caused by
the Comite and Amite rivers.
WHEREAS, the Amite River and its tributary, the Comite River, are major causes
of catastrophic flooding in the Greater Baton Rouge Metropolitan Area and all impacted
downstream communities of East Baton Rouge Parish, Livingston Parish, and Ascension
Parish; and
WHEREAS, during the floods of 1983 and 2016, substantial portions of the parishes
of East Baton Rouge, Livingston, and Ascension were inundated with flood waters; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Comite River Diversion Canal Project is to divert
flood waters from the upper Comite River to the Mississippi River; at its maximum capacity,
the project will divert twenty thousand cubic feet per second by gravity flow; and
WHEREAS, once completed, the Comite River Diversion Canal could divert fifty
percent of the flood waters from the upper Comite River, which would substantially reduce
flood stages along the lower Comite and Amite rivers; and
WHEREAS, following the displacement of thousands of residents from the New
Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina, East Baton Rouge Parish experienced an explosive
population growth and is now the most populous parish in the state, making the Comite
River Diversion Canal Project all the more important and urgently significant; and
WHEREAS, the work of the task force originally began pursuant to House
Concurrent Resolution No. 51 of the 2014 Regular Session and continued pursuant to House
Concurrent Resolution No. 66 of the 2015 Regular Session, House Concurrent Resolution
No. 39 of the 2016 Regular Session, House Concurrent Resolution No. 90 of the 2019
Regular Session, House Concurrent Resolution No. 62 of the 2020 Regular Session, and
House Concurrent Resolution No. 17 of the 2022 Regular Session.
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SCR NO. 25 ENROLLED
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
create the Comite River Diversion Canal/Amite River Basin Task Force and authorizes the
task force to meet and make recommendations to the legislature and the appropriate state and
federal agencies on actions necessary to complete the construction and maintenance of the
Comite River Diversion Canal Project, including strategies to comply with mitigation
requirements and right-of-way acquisitions, mitigation of flooding caused by the Comite
River, other required mitigation projects and flood plain planning throughout the Amite
River Basin, and the actions of the watershed initiative pertaining to the Amite River Basin
to maintain transparency to the citizens of the Amite River Basin.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised of the
following members:
(1) The state senator for Senate District 13, who shall serve as the chairman of the
task force.
(2) Two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate whose
districts are directly impacted by the Amite River Basin.
(3) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
House of Representatives whose district corresponds with Senate District 13, who shall serve
as the vice chairman of the task force.
(4) Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
House of Representatives, whose districts are directly impacted by the Amite River Basin.
(5) One member appointed by the members of the Louisiana congressional
delegation representing the district in which the Amite River Basin is located.
(6) The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, or his
designee.
(7) The executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, or his
designee.
(8) One member appointed by the chairman of the task force who is a former member
of the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District board of commissioners.
(9) One member appointed by the director of the Louisiana Geological Survey.
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SCR NO. 25 ENROLLED
(10) The director of the Department of Public Works of East Baton Rouge Parish,
or his designee.
(11) One member appointed by the president of the Louisiana Home Builders
Association, who is a home builder within the area impacted by the Amite River Basin
District.
(12) One member appointed by Louisiana REALTORS who is a realtor in the area
impacted by the Amite River Basin District.
(13) One member appointed by the director of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Louisiana Recovery Office.
(14) One member appointed by the Louisiana Landowners Association, Incorporated,
who is a landowner in the area impacted by the Amite River Basin District.
(15) One member appointed by the president of the board of commissioners for the
Amite River Basin Drainage and Wa