The Governor’s Advisory Commission On Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation met at the Capitol Wednesday to discuss The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's 2017 Master Plan.
Every five years, the CPRA updates its outlook on Louisiana’s coast, what’s required to protect the land and restore what’s eroded. But on Wednesday, the state’s budget outlook also came up.
Jason Lanclos is the Deputy Director of the CPRA. He explained mineral revenues have declined as a result of the drop in oil prices.
"We’ve gone from a $25 [million] or $30 million operating budget to about $14 [million] from those mineral revenues.”
In this Fiscal Year 2017, which ends June 30th, the state has a mid-year budget deficit of $304 million. Governor John Bel Edwards plans to address part of that by using $119 million from the Rainy Day Fund.
Alexandria Representative Lance Harris, Chairman of Louisiana House Republicans, proposed a plan to avoid that, instead cutting the entire $304 million from the budget.
One of those cuts would be $9.3 million from the Executive Department, where CPRA falls. The Governor responded with a statement opposing that plan, suggesting it would mean a cut in funding to the Coastal agency.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Houma Representative Jerome Zeringue (R) asked if cuts to the agency would mean an elimination of programs.
"Correct," said Lanclos. “It’s difficult when you have to take a step back and look at what you can and cannot fund. That’s really where the bulk of the emphasis of those cuts have taken.”
Lanclos said if cuts continue, “it will have a direct effect on our projects. It’s going to very much inhibit us in terms of how we can move and get these projects in construction.”