Coastal Louisiana: Attempting to Restore an Ecosystem

Publication Date: October 2004

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Environment

Type:

Coverage: Louisiana

Abstract:

About 15,000 acres of wetlands in coastal Louisiana are being converted to open water each year. This loss of wetlands is attributed to several factors, some natural and others the result of human activity. This loss has substantial ecological, economic, and social costs. Ecological costs center on loss of wetland habitat critical to many plant, animal, and fish species, including ones that have commercial or recreational value. Economic and social costs include an increased exposure to storms with greater potential for damage to property, and smaller seafood harvests. While these costs are concentrated in Louisiana, they can affect the regional and national economy, as the Mississippi River bisects coastal Louisiana and a significant amount of oil and gas enters the national distribution system through this region.

Since the wetland loss problem was initially recognized about 35 years ago, several federal agencies, the state, and local universities have been working to better understand why these losses are occurring, and how to slow and eventually reverse this process. Numerous projects with restoration benefits have been initiated at specific sites, especially since legislation increased federal funds in the early 1990s. These projects are neutralizing conditions that lead to loss at some sites, and are reestablishing some wetlands. These projects are expected to have many ecological, economic, and social benefits. A July 2004 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report, a draft ecosystem restoration study, identifies more than 150 possible remedies.

Congress continues to consider legislative options to address wetlands loss in coastal Louisiana. Some legislative proposals would dedicate some federal revenues from offshore oil and gas development to restoration efforts. Other proposals would authorize specific restoration projects or activities, or further examination of the causes and effects of loss.