MAYOR CANTRELL DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
DUE TO FRESHWATER INUNDATION
NEW ORLEANS – Mayor LaToya Cantrell today declared a state of emergency in response to the recent inundation of freshwater from the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway this past spring and the influx of river water through the Spillway and into brackish lakes, waterways and estuaries of Orleans Parish.
"This inundation threatens the state’s natural resources, including land, water, fish, wildlife, fowl and more in the Pontchartrain Basin," said Mayor Cantrell. "We are being mindful of New Orleans as a hub for the state’s commercial fishing industry — particularly in New Orleans East, which has been hit hard. That is why I am committing to doing everything in my power to mitigate the impact of this serious threat to our waterways."
With this proclamation, Mayor Cantrell has the authority to suspend the provisions of any regulatory ordinance that prescribes the procedures for the conduct of local business along with other potential impediments to necessary action in coping with the emergency.
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, blue crab catches are down 60 percent below long-term averages in the Pontchartrain Basin. Recreational trips in the Pontchartrain Basin are down more than 11 percent. The full extent of damages from this inundation won’t be known for several months.
Similarly, St. Bernard Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Plaquemines Parish each have declared states of emergency.
Read the proclamation by clicking on this link.
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