$50 Billion, 50 Years – A New (and Contentious) Vision for NOLA

When the levee system that protects the NOLA region’s shores began to be constructed roughly 80 years ago, they halted a natural process of silting that protected some of the coastal ecosystem. Today, with rising ocean levels, the shoreline lacks the natural protection it once had when silt was allowed to build up. A new 50-year, $50 billion master plan in Louisiana proposes to cut into or remove some levees–which are currently being built higher–and allow silt build up and some flooding. This massive restoration plan will dramatically impact some communities, actually removing their protection from floods. Read more in an engaging article from the Los Angeles Times.