?Public Notice
Final Notice and Public
Explanation of a Proposed
Activity in a 100-Year
Floodplain or Wetland
Project Name: Cameron Parish Police Jury’s Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project
Location: LA Hwy 82 and Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Cameron and Vermilion Parishes, Louisiana (Latitude: 29.678711 N; Longitude: -92.600876 W)
HUD Grant Number: B-18-DP-22-0001
To: All interested Agencies (Federal, State, and Local), Groups, and Individuals
This is to give notice that the Cameron Parish Jury has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Orders 11988 and 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Projects Grant Program: State Projects and Program (HUD Grant Number: B-18-DP-22-0001). The proposed project is located at LA Hwy 82 and Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Cameron and Vermilion Parishes, Louisiana (Latitude: 29.678711 N; Longitude: -92.600876 W). The objectives of the Mermentau Basin Inundation Relief Project is to reduce prolonged periods of inundation to relieve flooding stress from five (5) parishes (Cameron, Vermilion, Acadia, Evangeline, and Lafayette) within the Mermentau Basin during high rainfall, flooding, and disaster events. The project is located within the lower Mermentau Basin and part of the plan is to divert water into the marsh areas that will benefit from the freshwater, nutrients, and sediment before flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Pursuant to Executive Orders 11988 and 11990, the Cameron Parish Police Jury has determined this area to be in the 100-year floodplain.
The proposed infrastructure improvements for this project are as follows:
· Element 1 is the enhancement/upgrades/repairs to the existing East End Lock structure on the Rockefeller Refuge.
· Element 2 is the installation of four (4) new water control structures on the Rockefeller Refuge and dredging of Joseph Harbor Canal.
Element 3 include the drainage improvements designed to increase the flow of water south to and across LA Highway 82, through Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, and into the Gulf of Mexico. Project elements include replacement of one (1) existing 54” reinforced concrete pipe with three (3) new 48” reinforced concrete pipes, mechanical dredging and excavation of five drainage channels, rehabilitation of existing drainage structures under LA Highway 82, and earthen terrace construction.
The project is located entirely in the 100-year floodplain. The project area is approximately 105 square miles (67,200 acres). The project area includes water bodies and wetlands.
The Cameron Parish Police Jury has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to be taken to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial values:
Locate the Project Outside of the Floodplain
This alternative involves construction at a location outside the 100-year floodplain. This alternative is not feasible since there are no sites available outside the floodplain to build a project to reduce prolonged periods of inundation and relieve flooding stress during high rainfall, flooding, and disaster events in the lower Mermentau Basin. Therefore, this alternative was not considered feasible.
No Action Alternative
If no action is taken, the Parishes in the lower Mermentau Basin will continue to face significant threat from prolonged periods of inundation and flooding during high rainfall, flooding, and disaster events. The no-action alternative will have significant negative impacts to the people, properties, and infrastructure during high rainfall, flooding, and disaster events. Therefore, this alternative was not considered feasible.
Locate the Project at the Proposed Location
The proposed project is located in Cameron and Vermilion Parishes within the lower Mermentau basin and will divert water into marsh areas that will benefit from the freshwater, nutrients, and sediment before flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. The reduction in the upstream water surface and reduced inundation period within the watershed will result in personal property and life preservation, and the restoration and protection of wetlands. Upstream impacts are all positive and downstream impacts are non-existing due to the project being in close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. Since the outlets of the Mermentau basin provide drainage for nine (9) civil parishes, the project will enable resilient infrastructure design having multi-jurisdictional impacts that historically show the need of regional water management. This drainage project will help mitigate the flood risk by preventing prolonged periods of ponding and positively impacting thousands of acres of wetlands. It will significantly reduce the damages and costs to critical infrastructure such as LA Hwy 82 used as an evacuation route and transportation for emergency responders, residences, businesses, tourists, and industry during frequent flood events. The project will not cause any increased flooding to the neighboring properties. This alternative is considered most desirable since it will provide community benefits without causing any adverse impacts to the surrounding properties.
The Cameron Parish Jury included the following mitigation measures in the project to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial values:
A. Element 1: The project will upgrade/repair the East End Locks (the main structure regulating water flow to the Gulf of Mexico via the Joseph Harbor Canal) with new control gates that would allow floodwaters to more efficiently at a more frequent discharge. All work will be performed in the adjacent gravel parking lot and/or from barge mounted equipment.
B. Element 2: The project would construct four (4) new water control structures in the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge that would allow for an increase in flow of water from the upper basin out to the Gulf of Mexico. Erosion control mats would be installed to prevent erosion at each new structure location. Dredged material will be placed on existing levees, therefore no wetland impacts are anticipated. No fill will be placed on existing marsh or outside of the existing levee footprint.
C. Element 3: The project will install numerous drainage structures crossing LA Hwy 82 and along LA Hwy 82 and into the East End Locks and into the Joseph Harbor Canal (the primary drainage outlet to the Gulf of Mexico). The unavoidable impacts to vegetated wetlands are expected to be mitigated off-site, with one on-site mitigation component. The access routes utilize existing waterways and will not require any further excavations to reach the project location. Contractors will be instructed not to operate equipment nor stage materials within the vegetated wetlands outside of the project area.
The Cameron Parish Jury has reevaluated the alternatives to building in the 100-year floodplain and has determined that it has no practicable alternative. Environmental files that document compliance with steps 3 through 6 of Executive Order 11988 and 11990, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplains and wetlands and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplains and wetlands can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains and wetlands, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments will be received by the Cameron Parish Police Jury at the following address on or before 10/13/2023
Mr. Joe Dupont, President
Cameron Parish Police Jury
P.O. Box 1280
Cameron, LA 70631
Phone: (337) 775-5718
e-mail: jbdupont@camtel.net
A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday, at the Cameron Parish Police Jury, 148 Smith Circle, Cameron, LA 70631. Comments may be submitted to the Cameron Parish Police Jury until 3:30 PM, 10/13/2023, via email at kbonsall@cameronpj.org.
RUN: Oct. 5 (O 19)