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THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THIS CHENIER KAMATA BREAKWATERS.
THE KAMATA PROJECT IS NEAR COMPLETION.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT OUT FOR BID LAST SUMMER, AND CONSTRUCTION STARTED AROUND SEPTEMBER WITH THE IDEA IT WOULD BE DONE IN DECEMBER.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE LOW RIVER DEPTH, UM, GETTING ROCK TO THE AREA WAS, WAS MORE DIFFICULT.
SO THEY'RE STILL IN CONSTRUCTION NOW, WHAT'S ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED EITHER IN MAY OR THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE, WHICH GETS US A, IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR THIS YEAR'S STORM SEASON.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT IT'S DONE BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS HURRICANE SEASONS COMING AROUND THE CORNER, SO THAT'S A PLUS FOR US.
THAT'LL STOP, YOU KNOW, FROM WAVES COMING IN CUZ THE KAMATA PASSES WIDE OPEN.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR AND CYNTHIA AND THE COUNCIL, AND THEN WORKING WITH MY COUNCIL AND MY LEVEE BOARD IS AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO.
AFTER HURRICANE IDA, WE LOST A HUGE AMOUNT OF SAND IN THAT AREA, WHICH MADE THE WAVES ON THAT PART OF THE ISLAND JUST BECOME SO MUCH LARGER AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, CAUSING POSSIBLE HAZARD TO THE ROAD, NOT JUST THE HOUSES.
IT WAS AN EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT FOR THOSE ROCKS IN THE INSTALLATION OF THEM.
WE'RE THANKFUL THAT THE STATE COASTAL PROTECTION RESTORATION AUTHORITY PAID FOR CONSTRUCTION.
WE AS THE PARISH WERE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE DESIGN FEES FOR THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THINGS LIKE OUR GO MESA MONEY, WHICH COMES FROM OFFSHORE OIL REVENUES THAT ALLOW US TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THESE THAT WE CAN SEE THE BENEFIT RIGHT HERE IN OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS WEST GRAND TERRA, IT'S THE BARRIER ISLAND JUST TO THE EAST.
IT'S THE HOME OF THE PREVIOUS FORT LIVINGSTON.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN GRANDIAL GRAND ISLANDS AND INHABITED BARRIER ISLAND.
SO YOU GOT PEOPLE IN CARS AND ROADS WHERE THIS ONE IS JUST INHABITED BY BIRDS AND, AND TURTLES AND THINGS.
SO IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT BEING RESTORED.
IT, IT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT ISLAND THAT KEEPS THE BARIT AREA A PASS AS LIKE KIND OF A STREET WHERE BOATS COME IN, IN AND OUT.
THAT ISLAND WAS ROCK LINED AND THEN FILLED IN WITH SAND.
AND ON THE FRONT OF THE ISLAND YOU'LL SEE THINGS, UM, THAT YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE HERE IN LOUISIANA.
UM, AND THESE ARE FENCES THAT CAPTURE THE SAND AS THE SAND MOVES IN THE WIND, AND SO IT KIND OF BUILDS A DUNE THERE ORGANICALLY.
THE WEST GRAND TERRA PROJECT WAS OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS THAT, UM, IT WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PROJECTS THAT THE STATE HAS BUILT.
THE STATE BUILT THE PROJECT WITH FUNDING FROM THE BP OIL SPILL.
SO IT REALLY IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A DEVASTATION IN THIS AREA, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO BUILD BACK STRONGER AND REALLY HAVE THAT FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE THERE WITH THAT PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT TAKES A HUGE EFFORT TO REBUILD ALL OF THESE THINGS AND AS STORMS COME THROUGH, IT'S A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO REBUILD THEM.
THEY WANT TO COME IN AND I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING, AS LONG AS THERE'S ONE, ONE GRAIN OF SAND TO PLANT THE AMERICAN FLAG.
I PROMISE YOU GRA I AIN'T GOING NOWHERE.