Plaquemines Port and Corps of Engineers Execute Tiger Pass Agreement

Plaquemines Port and Corps of Engineers Execute Tiger Pass Agreement Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, and Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District gathered on August 14th, 2019, to sign the Design Agreement for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program (BUDMAT) project aimed to beneficially use dredge material from Tiger Pass in Venice, LA.

According to USACE, dredged material for the project will come from the routine maintenance dredging of the Tiger Pass federal navigation channel, which begins just south of the Venice Marina. The total design cost is estimated at $1.6 million under a 75-percent federal/25-percent non-federal cost-sharing agreement and will create about 150 acres of new habitat. The non-federal sponsor responsible for up to $410,000 of the design cost is the Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District (PPHTD).

PPHTD Executive Director Sandy Sanders called the project well within the mission of the port since it improves navigation within the port jurisdiction and helps to restore coastal areas also within the jurisdiction. “Our parish is facing tough economic times right now and we are pleased the port can provide these funds so that vital dredging and restoration projects can continue.”

The project is part of the overall LCA BUDMAT program, which aims to restore and create coastal landscape features such as marshes, ridges and islands that provide wildlife and fisheries habitat, reduce the loss of existing coastal landscape features and provide risk reduction to Louisiana’s coastal infrastructure utilizing dredge material which may have been disposed of in non-beneficial ways.

Local officials praised the agencies working together for the benefit of Plaquemines. “We appreciate the Port and Corps stepping up and working together to maximize and revolutionize the economy in our parish. We thank them both for their unwavering support, now and into the future,” said Plaquemines Parish President Kirk Lepine.

“I am appreciative of Plaquemines Port, a state agency, collaborating with the local and federal government to save our coast and enhance waterborne commerce in our parish,” said State Representative Chris Leopold.

Once the design is completed, the project will depend on the next regular or special appropriation of funds for dredging of Tiger Pass. Colonel Stephen F. Murphy, head of the New Orleans District and Sanders were on hand to execute the documents. Port Commissioners Benny Rousselle and Trudy Newberry, Port Deputy Director Paul Matthews and Plaquemines Coastal Director John Helmers were also in attendance at the signing.