NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District Commander, Col. Alvin Lee signed the Decision Record for the Western Tie In project on Jun. 12, 2009. The Western Tie In project will connect the Westbank and Vicinity levee system to the Mississippi River Levee system in St. Charles Parish. Once constructed, it will effectively close the West Bank and Vicinity project area from surges that come from the western side of Barataria Bay.
Individual Environmental Report 16 entitled, “Western Terminus Levee, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana,” will reduce risk for residences and businesses in Jefferson and St. Charles Parish from a storm event that has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year.
“Each Decision Record signed by Col. Lee brings the Corps closer to completing the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System while meeting all environmental requirements necessary for a federal project,” said Jeff Williams, project manager.
The Western Tie-In project will consist of a series of levees and floodwalls along the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion eastern guide levee and the Outer Cataouatche Canal, with a navigable closure structure across Bayou Verret for maritime access. These features will link to a levee, an elevated crossing at Hwy 90, two railroad gates, and end with a tie-in structure at the Mississippi River Levee.
A video describing the project is available here: http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps2/videos/tiein/tiein_video.asp
Alternative arrangements with the President’s Council on Environmental Quality allow the Corps to expedite the environmental process required of all federally funded projects while fully complying with the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act.
Questions or comments concerning Individual Environmental Reports or the Corps’ environmental process may be addressed to:
Gib Owen, PM-RS
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-1337
Fax: 504-862-2088
E-mail: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil.
For more information or to sign up to be on a meeting notification list please visit the following web site: www.nolaenvironmental.gov.