Plaquemines Parish Inks Spanish Pass Agreements with USACE

Plaquemines Parish president Amos Cormier recently signed two agreements with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin the Spanish Pass projects on Tidewater Road in Venice, LA.

The projects are a part of the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material program better known as “BUDMAT”.

The parish government set a precedent in 2015 by becoming the first non-federal sponsor and beneficiary of the BUDMAT program in Louisiana.

This program uses dredged river sediment to build new barrier islands to protect Plaquemines Parish from hurricane storm surge. Prior to BUDMAT the dredged material was disposed of in the most cost efficient way possible, dumped off of the Louisiana continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico.

“2015 was the first year we got construction funding through Congress, and Plaquemines Parish was the first to partner with us for the West Bay project. Because it is cost shared, the program is a bargain for local governments like Plaquemines. As the program gained momentum we came back the following year and signed the Tiger Pass 1 agreement, and today we signed the Tiger Pass 2 agreement along with the right of entry agreement that allows contractors to begin work on the Tiger Pass 1 project,” said USACE Project Lead Darrel Broussard.

Late Parish President Amos Cormier, Jr. took the initiative to move forward with the cost sharing agreement with the Corps, and it has paid off successfully by creating land, all while saving tax dollars. The move to be involved in this program, followed by its success, caused the state of Louisiana to take notice. The US Army Corps of Engineers designed the Tiger Pass project to link into the state’s master plan project.

“This is a win all around. The corps has the duty to dredge the river and we have a need for that sediment. Rebuilding Spanish Pass ridge not only rebuilds our coastline but provides a speed bump to imposing hurricane storm surge not only for Plaquemines Parish, but our entire region,” said New Orleans District Commander & District Engineer Colonel Michael Clancy.

“This will create a two-mile long ridge about six feet high just north of Tiger Pass. We are excited to continue with our partnership with PPG. This was all started under the administration of Amos Cormier, Jr. and we are excited to carry on his legacy with his son President Amos Cormier,” added Colonel Michael Clancy.

The estimated completion date of Tiger Pass 1 and 2 is late summer 2018.