DEAR EDITOR: Louisiana has come to a crucial crossroads in the battle to preserve our failing coast. For more than a decade, various agencies, organizations and nearly every level of government have measured, studied and evaluated the numerous factors that contribute to coastal erosion in south Louisiana. Ultimately, they all arrive at the same conclusion. Louisiana must act now to restore our failing coastline or face dire consequences in the near future.

There can be no doubt that our coastal wetlands are vanishing at an astonishing pace and taking with them everything we value in Louisiana. Every day, the threat to our coastal economy and infrastructure grows larger and the longer we delay, the more severe the consequences become.

We face an unprecedented threat to our communities, our jobs and our future. In the face of the threat, voters must assume an unprecedented duty to know where candidates for state and federal office stand on the issue of coastal protection and restoration. No one can run for a statewide office in Florida without first becoming a champion for restoring the Everglades. Louisiana should expect the same attitude from our elected officials when it comes to our coast.

As voters make their choices in this and future elections, we must remember the vital role we play in charting the future of our coast and inevitably the future of Louisiana.

Mark Davis
Executive Director
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Baton Rouge