Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Support Strategy

Willis Gainer

U.S. Department of the Interior

Briefing Overview

RSF 6 and what it covers

Natural and Cultural Resource (NCR) Recovery Issues

Proposed recovery strategy (project review)

Current NCR cross-cutting projects

Pathway forward to recovery and beyond

Natural and Cultural Resources

Streams and Rivers – clogged channels, bank erosion, debris removal

Wetlands – flood damages, contamination, debris deposition

Fish and Wildlife – endangered species, invasive species, damaged habitat

Historic Properties – damaged museums, historic sites, archeological sites, damaged artifacts

Cultural Resources – damaged cultural venues/events, damaged cultural landscapes

Recreation resources – damaged park lands, recreational facilities, trails, and recreational waterways

Natural and Cultural Resources (NCR) Recovery Activities

In coordination with State agencies and FEMA, identified potential NCR projects

Coordinated with our State Agency partners in developing Resource Recovery Strategies.

Collaborated with Federal Agencies to seek assistance for State and local partners by providing expert guidance and potential grants for recovery projects.

Arranged for technical assistance and future training by subject matter experts to enhance grant opportunities or resource protection.

FDRC-RSF Timeline

NCR-Recovery Support Strategy: Issues

RecoveryResiliencySustainabilityPreparedness

Summary of NCR Recovery Issues

Repair/replace/mitigate historic structures & museums.

Develop a Statewide cultural resource geospatial database.

Build capacity within Louisiana to train cultural resource professionals to protect resources in disasters.

Reduce the impact of invasive species.

Protect surface and ground water quality.

Clean-up debris in ditches and culverts in watersheds.

Assist with repairs to State Parks and other publicly managed lands & prevent future repetitive losses.

Damage to Historical and Cultural Resources

St. Joseph’s Abbey & Seminary, Covington

Museums at Cassidy Park, Bogalusa

Roque House, Natchitoches

Repair St. Joseph’s Abbey & Seminary

Repair 31 of 35 buildings, many historic, some dating back to 1905.

Historic District Designation applied for by FEMA

Restoration & Accessioning of collections, library materials and historic art work.

Conversion of library material to digital format.

Damages to St. Joseph’s Abbey

Repairs to Structures and Planning Needs for St. Joseph’s AbbeyRecommendation

Repairs to structures and replacement costs

Funds obligated to date: Federal Share - $9.9million; State payout $1.7million

Additional costs to be determined

Develop landscape management plan for trees along river

Landscape management plan $75,000.

Accountability/Ownership

St. Joseph’s Abbey

LA Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism

Supporting

US Department of Agriculture

US Fish and Wildlife Service

US Army Corps of Engineers

Damages to Cassidy Park Museums - Bogalusa

Repair/Replace/Relocate Cassidy Park Museums

Purchase New Building:

Co-Locate Museums & Library

Recover artifacts from Cassidy Park soil

Restore/conserve collections

Catalog and accession both collections

Design and construct new displays

Preparedness planning

Outreach and marketing

Restore and Relocate Cassidy Park Museums

Recommendation

Purchase property in Bogalusa to restore and relocate the museums

Estimated costs including purchase and restoration - $1.2 million

Accountability/Ownership

City of Bogalusa

Supporting Agencies

LA Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism

U.S. National Park Service

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Damages to Roque House-Natchitoches

Mitigate the Roque House

Repair and Mitigate the Roque House in Natchitoches

Recommendation

Develop a preservation plan for the building and implement mitigation measures to avoid future flooding damages

Estimated Costs to be determined (National Park Service is coordinating)

Ownership

City of Natchitoches

Natchitoches Historical Foundation

Supporting Agencies

National Park Service

Caddo Adia Tribe

LA Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism

Increase Capacity for Cultural and Historical Resources Management

• Geocode and collect site specific data for every cultural resource (CR) site in LA

• Produce a Geospatial Map of CR Resources• Assemble CR data base for Louisiana• Develop CR Disaster Preparedness Plan• Training Program for staff of all 1780 facilities

based on WESTPAS model

Cultural Resources Geospatial Database Network Recommendation:

Develop all required descriptive and geographic data layers of known sites

Develop statewide geospatial database in accordance to the National Preparedness Plan

$2,000,000

Accountability/Ownership:

Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)

Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, State Historic Preservation Office

State Library of Louisiana

Louisiana State Museum

Louisiana Archives and Records Services

Supporting:

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Heritage Emergency National Task Force

Louisiana Arts Council

Preparedness Training

Capacity Building for Cultural Resource Disaster Planning Recommendation:

Train staff in 1500 cultural resource institutions in Louisiana at 10 training sites on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and collection salvage, including a scholarship program to defray travel costs, using training model developed by WESTPAS.

$1,900,000

Alternatives:

Conduct training programs in disaster planning using the training model developed by WESTPAS. No follow-up is provided to ensure institutions have created their plan or have practiced it. Without this training, fewer institutions would be prepared to address disasters, and fewer would have staff trained to carry out the plan.

$1.3 million

Accountability/Ownership:

Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, State Historic Preservation Office

State Library of Louisiana

Louisiana State Museum

Louisiana State Archives and Records Services

Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP).

Supporting Agencies:

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT)

Federal Emergency Management, Agency Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF)

Reduce Impact of Invasive Species on the Natural and Agricultural Resources and Water-borne Commerce of Louisiana

Study the Economic Impact of Invasive Species

Update Louisiana Invasive Species Management Plan

Determine Priority for development of Individual Species Plans

Implement Invasive Species Management Plans

Reduce Impact of Invasive Species

Economic Impact of Invasive Species

Recommendation:

Conduct economic impact analysis of invasive species

$175,000

Update state’s invasive species plan

$150,000

Accountability/Ownership:

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Louisiana Department of Agriculture

Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism

Supporting:

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Maintain the Ambient Surface and Groundwater Quality within the Limits Prescribed by the Clean

Water Act

Protect Surface & Ground Water Quality189,000 buildings flooded and potentially discharge wastes that threatened the safety of surface & ground water, critical habitat, recreation. Additionally, orphan drums contains contain hazardous substances that need to be characterized and suitably treated. The 7 Superfund sites across the state also threatened water safety, though there were no reported flooding impacts.

Protect Surface and Groundwater Quality

Recommendation

Continue current baseline water quality monitoring program by LDEQ

Clarify FEMA policy in order to apply public assistance funds to inventory and remediate the “orphan drums” issue

Costs - None

Accountability/Ownership

LA Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Supporting Agencies

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

Increase the Ability for Emergency Debris Removal From Watersheds

Recommendation:

Increase funding for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program

$3,000,000

Increase funding for USACE Continuing Authorities Program (CAP)

$6,000,000

Waiver for study process in CAP

Accountability/ownership:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)

Damages to Facilities & Infrastructure on State Public Lands

Louisiana State Parks:

Lake Bistineau

Chemin-A-Haut

Bogue Chitto

Tickfaw

Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries:

Waddill State Wildlife Refuge

Damages to State Public LandsLoss of Sewage Treatment Plant at Lake Bistineau

Damage to Cabins at Lake Bistineau and Chemin-A-Haut

Damage to Roads, parking lots, trails, docks and piers at Lake Bistineau and Chemin-A-Haut, Tickfaw, and Bogue Chitto

Damage to “splash park “infrastructure and campground electrical, bathrooms at Bogue Chitto

Damage to Visitor Ctr. @ Waddill State Wildlife Refuge

Damage to Resources in State Public Lands

Recommendation Obtain funding for any funding gaps needed to repair/replace all facilities

damaged in the floods Costs to be determined

Revise and update the State Park Master Plan in order to qualify for Federal funding

Accountability/Ownership LA Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism – Office of State Parks

Supporting Agencies U.S. National Park Service

LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

LA Office of Economic Development

Current Cross-cutting Projects

National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance

City of Gonzales

City of Denham Springs

City of Natchitoches

Poverty Point National Monument

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Technical assistance for “green infrastructure” to improve flood resilience

Watershed assessment projects

Going Forward: Implementation of the Strategy Strategy Issues Proposed Projects Funded by RTF

Implemented by RSF U.S. Department of the Interior

Continue support for recovery efforts

Provide technical assistance to State agencies and local governments

Seek additional funding thru private/public partnerships and grants

Continue partnerships and collaboration with Sate agencies and local governments