New Orleans District commander makes announcement on Eastern Tie-In Project in Plaquemines Parish

Published Sept. 18, 2009

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Col Alvin Lee, Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District commander, announced the Corps will continue with the Eastern Tie-In Project at the original proposed location, just south of Oakville, which is the “proposed action” that was outlined in the draft Individual Environmental Report #13.

“The decision has been made to get the Eastern Tie-In built by the June 2011 deadline. This project is absolutely critical to the entire West Bank. Delaying this project any longer places hundreds of thousands of people at risk”, said Col. Lee.

Because of concerns and recommendations the Corps received at prior public meetings, four different options have been designed for how the Hwy. 23 closure could be built.

The possible designs are: a swing gate, a roller gate, an earthen ramp with floodgate, and an invisible floodwall.

On Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a public workshop to discuss the Eastern Tie-In portion of the West Bank and Vicinity risk reduction project and to provide an update on the federal project to incorporate the existing Plaquemines Parish Non-Federal Levees into the federal New Orleans to Venice Hurricane Project. The workshop will discuss:

• Eastern Tie-In (Individual Environmental Report 13 /IER 13) - The Corps will outline in detail the four alternatives that would connect the risk reduction features on the west side of Highway 23 to the east side of Highway 23 and tie in to the Mississippi River Levee. Presentations on each alternative will be repeated in 30-minute breakout sessions throughout the morning.

• Plaquemines Parish Non-Federal Levees (PPNFL) - The Corps will discuss the status of ongoing pre-construction efforts to incorporate the Non-Federal Levees into the New Orleans to Venice risk reduction project and outline in detail the proposed project alignment which would reduce risk to residences and businesses from the Eastern Tie-In to St. Jude, LA in a 90-minute breakout session.

Once constructed, these projects would reduce risk to residences and businesses from Algiers to St. Jude including English Turn, Belle Chasse, Belle Chasse Naval Air Station, Oakville, Jesuit Bend, La Reussitte, Alliance, Myrtle Grove and Point Celeste.

When: Saturday, September 19, 2009

Opening remarks begin at 9 a.m. – Belle Chase High School Auditorium

Breakout sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. – Auditorium and Classrooms

Where: Belle Chasse High School

8346 Highway 23

Belle Chasse, LA 70037-2694

The workshop will also include staffed Resource Room in which people who attend the meeting may learn more about the overall status of the hurricane system, get information on how to submit packages for borrow which could potentially be used in the hurricane system and learn more about the Corps’ environmental process.


Release no. 09-050