The Amite River Basin Commission praised Governor Jeff Landry’s signing of HB 802 by Representative Paul Sawyer and SB 367 by Senator Rick Edmonds, legislation establishing the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund for the Amite River Basin.
The new law creates a dedicated funding mechanism for watershed restoration, reclamation, conservation, and flood-risk reduction efforts in areas impacted by sand mining activity. Under the law, funds will be received by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which will distribute the funds to the Amite River Basin Commission for eligible projects.
ARBC leaders said the structure creates an important partnership between state coastal and restoration expertise and the regional body charged with addressing flood risk in the Amite River Basin.
The legislation comes during the tenth anniversary year of the Louisiana Floods of 2016, including the historic August 2016 flood that devastated communities throughout the Amite River Basin and the Capital Region. It is the most substantial piece of state legislation addressing the 2016 flood since Act 490 of the 2022 Regular Session reformed the ARBC.
“This is a major step forward for the Amite River Basin,” said ARBC President John Clark. “The partnership between CPRA and the ARBC gives us a responsible, accountable pathway to put restoration dollars to work in the places where they can reduce flood risk and improve watershed conditions. We are grateful to Governor Landry, Representative Sawyer, Senator Edmonds, and the Legislature for recognizing that the Capital Region still has serious work to do.”
ARBC Vice President Jack Harris said the legislation gives the Commission a practical tool to advance long-term watershed restoration.
“The 2016 flood showed us that flood protection cannot be handled parish by parish or project by project alone,” Harris said. “This fund supports a basin-wide approach. It allows us to look at restoration, drainage, conservation, and flood risk together. That is exactly the kind of regional thinking the Amite River Basin needs.”
Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment said the law represents meaningful progress for communities downstream in the basin.
“Ascension Parish knows very clearly that what happens upstream affects everyone downstream,” said Cointment. “This legislation recognizes that flood protection is a regional responsibility. By investing in watershed restoration and working through the ARBC and CPRA, we can make smarter decisions that benefit families, businesses, and taxpayers across parish lines.”
Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte said the bill responds directly to the lived experience of residents impacted by repeated flooding.
“For the people of Livingston Parish, the August 2016 flood is not history — it is personal,” Delatte said. “Families lost homes, businesses lost years of work, and communities are still focused on reducing the risk of another disaster. This legislation is an important step in our continued fight for flood protection in the Capital Region.
“As we mark ten years since the devastating floods of 2016, we are reminded that flood risk does not end when the river leaves one parish and enters another,” said St. James Parish President Pete Dufresne. “St. James Parish sits at the bottom of the Amite River Basin, where we face the combined challenges of riverine flooding moving downstream through the watershed and storm surge pushing inland from the Gulf. Those overlapping risks make regional watershed management and flood mitigation critically important. This legislation is an investment in the long-term health of the entire basin and recognizes that reducing flood risk upstream benefits communities downstream.”
East Baton Rouge Parish Commissioner Fred Raiford said the legislation helps connect state resources with regional implementation.
“I believe the Amite River Basin needs sustained attention, not one-time promises,”
Raiford said. “This law creates a structure where CPRA and the ARBC can work together to move restoration and flood mitigation efforts forward with transparency and accountability. It is a strong example of state and regional partners working toward the same goal.”
The Amite River Basin Commission will continue working with CPRA, local governments, legislative partners, and stakeholders across the basin to identify restoration and flood mitigation opportunities that reduce risk and strengthen long-term resilience
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