NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released a supplemental to an environmental report that outlines the proposed action for a vertical lift gate, operated by a winch system, at Bayou Bienvenue. The document details changes to the approved plan for a sector gate as part of the IHNC Lake Borgne Barrier.
The project would reduce impacts to communities in Orleans Metro, New Orleans East, the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish from a storm surge event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year.
“Individual Environmental Report (IER) 11 Tier 2 Borgne Supplemental,” is available for a 30-day public review and comment period. As described in the environmental document, the structure at Bayou Bienvenue would also include an independent vehicular lift bridge system, located on the protected side of the lift gate. This bridge would provide access for operation and maintenance purposes across the 56-foot-wide channel without lowering the gate. The change to a lift gate would result in a smaller and less complicated footprint and would greatly reduce maintenance costs.
All other features of the 1.8-mile surge barrier as approved in IER #11 Tier 2 Borgne would remain the same. The current construction schedule anticipates completion of the floodwall across the marsh and MRGO to a height of 14.75 feet by December 2009.
At the time of the completion of the IER #11 report, engineering details had not been finalized. Since then engineering designs and costs analysis have been further developed and revised and the IER Supplemental addresses the potential impact to the natural or human environmental as a result of these modifications.
Written or verbal comments on IER 11 Tier 2 Borgne Supplemental must be submitted to the Corps by midnight on Friday, November 6, 2009. Comments received during the public review period will become part of the official record.
Questions or comments concerning the Corps’ environmental process may be addressed to: Joan Exnicios, Chief of Environmental Compliance
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-1760
Fax: 504-862-2088