Coastal impact funds OK’d by House

Funding to keep the U.S. federal government running at 2006 fiscal levels passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week but only after an amendment to continue funding the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) was placed in the bill at the request of U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon (D).

The program authorizes funds to be distributed to oil and gas producing states to use for coastal restoration and wetland creation projects. In many cases, the funds address mitigation of the impacts that drilling causes along the state’s coastline.

“Without this addition to the legislation, this vital coastal restoration project would have been put on hold for another year. Louisiana cannot wait any longer for Washington to pass a budget and get this project moving and I am pleased the House leadership recognized how important this funding is for our state,” Melancon said in a news release.

According to figures from his office, Louisiana is expected to receive some $540 million from the assistance program over the next four years for coastal enhancements.

The funding, which must also be approved by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee and also by the U.S. Senate is expected to continue the stream of monies coastal parishes have received in the past from the program. It will be the responsibility of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) to determine the funding allocations for the monies once the amendment clears all of the legislative hurdles of the U.S. Congress.

These allocations are typically based on criteria such as parish population and how much oil and gas activity is taking place off its coastal waters.