help restore wetlands
10:36 PM CDT on Monday, September 22, 2008
Bigad Shaban / Eyewitness News
What was once a strong first line of defense against hurricanes, is now disappearing along the coast. On Monday, scientists met in St. Bernard to discuss how to turn back the clock.
Video: Watch the Story The conversation centered around some 30,000 acres of wetlands bordering Orleans and St. Bernard parishes and how sewage could be the answer to rebuilding that protection.
"In fact, it would be the largest project of this type in the world,” said Wetlands Ecologist Dr. John Day.
The idea is called ‘wetlands assimilation,’ and the plan calls for treated sewage water to be pumped into the marsh.
"At that point it's no longer sewage,” said Day. “It's treated. It's relatively clean. It's disinfected so it doesn't have pathogens in it. We're putting that water on the wetlands to help restore them."
The nutrients from the fresh water are supposed to combat the negative impact from the salty deposits of the Gulf of Mexico.
"We have yet before now to have a comprehensive long term plan that everyone at the table is now pulling the same direction,” said Craig Taffaro, St. Bernard Parish President.
But Taffaro acknowledges more needs to be done, like securing some $60 million in funding for the project
"We don't have any money in hand just yet,” said Taffaro.
And the dozens of property owners that border the proposed site and stand to be effected, still need to be contacted.
"Anytime you’re dealing with private land, you have to get buy in from private land owners,” said Taffaro.
In the meantime, scientists hope to plant Cyprus trees along a small stretch of land they've already secured along the coast, which ecologists hope would also thrive off the treated sewage.
"Conceivably in a year, we could be beginning to discharge water,” said Day.
Significant results in the rebuilding of the wetlands, however, could still take several years.
St. Bernard resident Richard Childress says his community, already in the midst of a serious recovery, can't afford to wait that long for a solution.
"That's too long,” said Childress. “We've already waiting a few years, we need something now.
Thanks to the state's share of oil and gas revenues, Taffaro says other coastal restoration projects should also start up soon in St. Bernard. While Louisiana isn't expecting that money for about another nine years, last week Governor Bobby Jindal vowed to bond the funds out, allowing the state to spend their share now.
