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Federal Water Projects Bill Funds Levees And Flood Gates

Tobin
/
Wikimedia
The Morganza flood control structure, part of the "Morganza to the Gulf" project funded by the Water Resources Development Act.

Capping a rare instance of congressional compromise, President Barack Obama signed a $12.3 billion water projects bill Tuesday, financing improvements ranging from a harbor expansion in Boston to levees and flood control gates in Louisiana.

Obama singled out two of the bill's main negotiators for praise — Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter.

The new law will pay for 34 new projects over the next 10 years. Its price tag is half the amount of the last water projects bill seven years ago.

According to Nola.com, the biggest Louisiana project in the bill is an almost 100-mile long stretch of levees and flood-control gates in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes called “Morganza to the Gulf."  That project carries a price tag of more than $10 billion, some of which will picked up by the state and local government.

All of the projects were recommended by the Army Corps of Engineers.

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