Mitch Landrieu: “On July 24, 2003, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the fiscal year 2003 Energy and Water…”

“On July 24, 2003, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the fiscal year 2003 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which included $55 million for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project. However, the current omnibus bill that we are debating regarding fiscal year 2003 appropriations only provides $40 million for this worthy project. Accordingly, Senator Breaux and I have offered an amendment which will restore funding to $55 million for this critical flood control project in the New Orleans metropolitan area. Although Senator Breaux and I have decided to withdraw our amendment from consideration by the full Senate at this time, we wish to inform the Senate of this project and emphasize its importance. The Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project is commonly referred to as SELA. Its purpose is to provide flood protection to handle a 10-year rainfall event and reduce damages arising from larger rainfall events in the New Orleans metropolitan area. In 1996, Congress authorized construction of this project. The SELA project is currently under construction and essentially involves adding pumps and increasing the number and size of drainage channels in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The total cost of this project is $647 million with a non-federal cost share of approximately 25 percent or $166 million. To date, $308 million in Federal funds have already been expended on SELA.”