Levee Board Consolidation Legislation Southeast Louisiana and Greater New Orleans

1. Levee Board Consolidation LegislationSoutheast Louisiana and Greater New Orleans

2. Objectives • To demand that focus be on flood related duties • To remove opportunities for patronage • To create regional levee protection • To provide constitutional protection of the new district Governor Blanco’s letter dated December 10, 2005

3. Additional Considerations “Provided further, That none of the $12,000,0000 provided herein for the Louisiana Hurricane Protection Study shall be available for expenditure until the State of Louisiana establishes a single state or quasi-state entity to act as a local sponsor for construction, operation, and maintenance of all of the hurricane, storm damage reduction and flood control projects in the greater New Orleans and southeast Louisiana area…” - Appropriations Conference Report December 2005

4. The Solution • Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority (SLFPA) • SLFPA – East • SLFPA – West Bank Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) = Single State Entity

5. Coastal Zone Boundary SLFPA – East

6. Coastal Zone Boundary SLFPA - West Bank

7. SLFPA Membership & Nomination Process SLFPA – East: National Academy of Engineering National Society of Black Engineers National Society of Professional Engineers American Institute of Hydrology American Society of Civil Engineers Association of State Floodplain Managers UNO - College of Engineering SU – College of Engineering Tulane - School of Science and Engineering LSU - Louisiana Geological Survey Public Affairs Research Council (PAR) Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) Selection Process for the Board: Nominating Committee Submit Nominations to the Governor for Appointment(1 nominee for professional appointment and 2 nominees for others) SLFPA – West Bank: All of the Above Harvey Canal Industrial Association Our Lady of Holy Cross College Senate Confirmation

8. SLFPA Membership & Nomination Process • SLFPA – East • Total of 11 Members of which no more or no less than one member from each parish in the SLFPA - East. • 3 At-Large members • 5 members who shall either be an engineer or a professional in a related field such as geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental science • 3 members who shall be a professional in a discipline other than that occurring in (# 3 above) with at least 10 years of professional experience in that discipline • SLFPA – West Bank • Total of 7 Members of which no more or no less than two members from each parish in the SLFPA – West Bank. • 2 At-Large members • 3 members who shall either be an engineer or a professional in a related field such as geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental science • 2 members who shall be a professional in a discipline other than that occurring in (# 3 above) with at least 10 years of professional experience in that discipline • Nominating Committee shall recommend one name for those members listed in #3 above and two names for those listed in #2 and #4 above for each board position to the Governor • The Governor shall appoint from the list of nominations • Senate Confirmation Required • Term Limits • Staggered Terms • Members prohibited from political activity similar to Louisiana Board of Ethics

9. SLFPA Structure • Establishes Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority (SLFPA) – East (St. Bernard, Orleans, East Jefferson, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, St. Charles*, & St. John*) as a regional political subdivision for the specific purpose of constructing, maintaining, & managing regional flood protection. * St. Charles and St. John remain in the Pontchartrain Levee District but are part of the East Bank Region • Establishes Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority (SLFPA) – West Bank (West Jefferson & Algiers Area) as a regional political subdivision for the specific purpose of constructing, maintaining, & managing regional flood protection

10. SLFPA Structure • Eliminates the Levee Boards of existing districts • Maintains existing levee districts • Allows those portions of St. Charles and St. John Parishes within the Pontchartrain Levee District to remain a part of the Pontchartrain Levee District and simultaneously allows them to be a part of the East Bank Region of SLFPA. • Creates two new levee districts (one for each of those portions of St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa, within the Coastal Zone of these respective parishes, which is the southern border of Interstates 10 & 12 ) • Does not allow for co-mingling of revenues or assets from individual districts • Will not impact collection of taxes of individual districts • Provides for cooperative endeavor agreements between districts to accomplish projects of mutual benefit

11. SLFPA Structure • Establishes the SLFPA Board - East as the single governing authority of the individual districts and the regional district on the East Bank • Establishes the SLFPA Board – West Bank as the single governing authority of the West Bank and the regional district • SLFPA – East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards shall have authority over administrative, personnel, and budgetary matters over their respective districts • SLFPA - East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards will not acquire the debt or ownership of flood control assets but is responsible for management of those assets in their respective territories • Transfers management of non-flood control assets (i.e. marinas, airports, etc.) to the appropriate state agency but requires profits from management or disposition of non flood control assets to be returned to the individual districts to be used exclusively for flood control efforts. Gives political subdivisions, within the parish in which the assets are situated, the preference of future ownership.

12. SLFPA Structure • Prohibits direct engagement of police but allows for a corporative endeavor agreement with law enforcement agencies for police security services • Allows for SLFPA – East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards to propose taxes in the name of individual districts or in the name of the regional district in excess of current imposed taxes, only through a vote of the people. This, in effect, removes the opportunity for any new taxes to be imposed without a vote of the people. • Prior to being submitted to a vote of the people, a regional project must first receive a 2/3 vote of the SLFPA – East Board or the SLFPA – West Bank Board, as appreciated. In addition: • East Bank Regional projects must be approved by a majority of the electors participating in the election, and must be approved by 100 % of the parishes in the East Bank Region. • West Bank Regional projects must be approved by the majority of the electors participating in the election, and must be approved by 100 % of the parishes in the West Bank Region.

13. SLFPA Structure • Authorizes the SLFPA – East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards to execute agreements with federal, state, and local governments • Requires the SLFPA – East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards to coordinate pumping operations with political subdivisions • Establishes minimum qualifications for the Regional Director of the SLFPA – East and SLFPA – West Bank Boards • Civil Service is maintained for those districts that are governed by a Civil Service plan • Domicile of Authority to be decided by the Board • Mandates access through private property for levee inspections • Attorney General as general counsel • Establishes the Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority (CPRA) as the single state entity to comply with federal legislation.

14. CPRA’S Role “Not withstanding any other provision of state law and in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act of 2006, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is established, authorized, and empowered to carry out any and all functions necessary to serve as the single entity responsible to act as the local sponsor for construction, operation and maintenance of all of the hurricane, storm damage reduction and flood control projects in areas under its jurisdiction, including the greater New Orleans and southeast Louisiana area.” - Senate Bill 8

15. The People Governor Louisiana Legislature CPRA SLFPA East SLFPA West Bank Plaquemines Parish Government Grand Isle Independent District South Lafourche Levee District Lafourche Basin Levee District Pontchartrain Levee District Atchafalaya Basin Levee District Terrebonne Levee & Conservation District St. Mary Parish Government North Lafourche Levee District Southwestern Louisiana - TBD Cameron, Vermilion, & Iberia

16. CPRA Formulate the comprehensive plan Integrate coastal restoration & hurricane protection efforts Articulate clear statement of priorities Mandatecomprehensive inspection program Coordinate& focus federal involvement in Louisiana Update the legislature on an annual basis Overtakenon compliant levee districts GOCA CORPS DNR Levee Boards CWPRRA DOTD