The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, established by Louisiana state law in 2006 and initiating operation the following year, consists of two regional levee boards which oversee flood protection in the Greater New Orleans area on the east and west banks of the Mississippi River. Effective in 2007, the boards replaced the Orleans Levee Board.
Contents
- Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East
- Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority West
- References
At that time, levee boards still existing were: Algiers), the East Jefferson (Parish) Levee District, the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District (St. Bernard Parish), the St. Tammany (Parish) Levee District, the Tangipihoa (Parish) Levee District, and levee boards for the east banks of St. John the Baptist and St. Charles Parishes. The several pre-existing boards, while subservient to the SLFPA, remained in operation until existing projects, bonds, and tax millage rates either are consolidated under the new board or expire.
Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority - East
The SLFPA-East consists of nine members, all of whom are appointed by the Governor of Louisiana from nominations provided by a blue-ribbon nominating committee. The nominating committee by statute consists of representatives of universities, national professional associations, and local civic groups. At least five members of the board are required to be engineers in geologically-relevant fields, such as hydrology. One member must be a civil engineer, and another member must be a geologist.
The enabling statute stipulates that the SLFPA-East Board be composed of eleven members, one from each parish within the territorial jurisdiction of the authority.
In February 2014, State Senators Donahue and Nevers, together with State Representatives Cromer, Burns, Hollis, Pearson, Ritchie, and Simon, pre-filed Senate Bill # 342 to make St Tammany Parish independent of SLFPA-East.
Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority - West
The SLFPA-West board is composed of seven members, two from each parish within the territorial jurisdiction of the authority. Members are appointed by the governor from nominations submitted by the nominating committee. Three members are engineers or professionals in related fields such as geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental science. Of those three members, one is a civil engineer and one a geologist or hydrologist. Two members are professionals in other disciplines with at least ten years of professional experience. One member of these must reside in Orleans Parish on the west side of the Mississippi River. There are two members at-large, one of whom must reside on the west side of the Mississippi River.