NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District Commander, Col. Alvin Lee, has signed the decision record for an environmental document confirming that the Corps will improve the West Return Floodwall by building a new concrete T-wall parallel to the existing floodwall.

“The new West Return Floodwall will stretch three and a half miles along the boundary of Jefferson and St. Charles Parish,” said Stuart Waits senior project manager of floodwalls.

Col. Lee signed Individual Environmental Report 2, the document outlining the impacts of the Corps’ action, on Monday, Jul. 21. The Corps has presented details of the alternatives under consideration and the impacts this project may have to the human and natural environment at several public and neighborhood association meetings.   The project team’s next step is to complete design of the concrete T-wall which will cost approximately $200 million to construct.

The West Return Floodwall is part of the lakefront levee project and will reduce risk to communities in Jefferson and St. Charles parishes including Metairie, Kenner and St. Rose.

After Hurricane Katrina the Corps divided the metropolitan area into 17 different project areas.  Together they compose the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System.  Alternative arrangements allow the Corps to expedite the environmental process required of all federally funded projects while fully complying with the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act.  

Questions or comments concerning Individual Environmental Reports or the Corps’ environmental process may be addressed to:

Gib Owen, PM-RS

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

P.O. Box 60267

New Orleans, LA 70160-0267

Phone: 504-862-1337

Fax: 504-862-2088

E-mail: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil.  

For more information or to sign up to be on a meeting notification list please visit the following web site: www.nolaenvironmental.gov.