Public Involvement

Trails and boardwalks throughout the Barataria Preserve were damaged by Hurricane Ida in August of 2021

NPS Photo

The National Park Service is committed to involving the public in its decisions on managing park resources. Links to any current public discussions are shown on this page.

You can also become part of the Jean Lafitte team by volunteering at the park.

Trail Improvements at Barataria Preserve

The trails and boardwalks of the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve were extensively damaged by Hurricane Ida which made landfall near Port Fourchon, LA, as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph on August 29th, 2021.

The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to repair hurricane-related damage to the trail network and:
• Evaluate rebuilding specific boardwalks and trails at a higher elevation to be more resilient to future storm events, sea level rise, and land subsidence;
• Evaluate segments or spurs of the trails that can potentially be removed and returned to a more natural state, including trail segments that are recurrently flooded for most of the year;
• Evaluate materials and methods for construction for resiliency and environmental impacts.

The National Park Service is requesting your input on the proposed Trail Improvements at Barataria Preserve. We will be accepting comments through September 18, 2023.

See more information and comment at this link: ParkPlanning - Trail Improvements at Barataria Preserve - 2021 Hurricane IDA DS22 (nps.gov)

Proposed Shoreline Protection Project

• A proposed shoreline protection project at Jean Lafitte's Barataria Preserve would install a rock breakwater along the eastern shorelines of Lake Cataouche, Lake Salvador, and Bayou Bardeaux. The period for public comments has closed, but you can learn about the project at the link.

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The red line on the Barataria Preserve map shows the existing power line that Entergy would like to rebuild/replace.

Entergy Transmission Line Project in the Barataria Preserve

Entergy has proposed to rebuild/replace an existing 115kV transmission line that crosses the Barataria Preserve. The line runs from the Ninemile Point Generation Switch Station in Westwego to the Barataria Substation in the preserve's southern portion near Crown Poinit (see the map; the transmission line is shown in red). The period for public comments on this project has closed, but you can learn more about the project at the link above.

 

Creating healthy wetland areas like this is the goal of the canal reclamation project at the Barataria Preserve.

Canal Backfill Project in the Barataria Preserve

A project to reclaim more than 20 miles of canals at the Barataria Preserve began in late spring 2010. Canals will be backfilled depending on funding availability, and the majority of the project remains unfunded. The environmentally sound methods used to fill the canals will work slowly and most will remain open for decades. Special care will be taken with regularly used canals so that users will continue to have access. For an overview of the project and the challenges of managing wetland areas, click here. For indepth information, visit the project page.

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Inclusion in the National System of Marine Protected Areas

In summer 2010, Jean Lafitte was included in the National System of Marine Protected Areas (MPA). The system

• helps protect American marine resources by providing new opportunities for regional and national cooperation
• supports the local and national economy by helping to sustain fisheries and maintain healthy marine ecosystems for tourism and recreation
• promotes public participation in MPA decision-making

Inclusion in the MPA system will not change the way the park is currently managed. Fishing, hunting, and trapping will still be allowed in the Barataria Preserve.

Being part of the MPA system will benefit Jean Lafitte by emphasizing its role in Louisiana's valuable coastal ecosystems. It will also help to provide for enhanced stewardship of park resources and new partnerships among federal, state, and MPA sites. Southeast Louisiana sites already in the MPA include Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Breton National Wildlife Refuge, and Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

 

Documents Open for Public Review

There are currently no projects with documents open for public review for Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

Other Plans and Projects

An archive of completed projects as well as projects without documents open for comment may be found on the PEPC website.

 

A proposed shoreline protection project at Jean Lafitte's Barataria Preserve would install a rock breakwater along the eastern shorelines of Lake Cataouche, Lake Salvador, and Bayou Bardeaux. The period for public comments has closed, but you can learn about the project at the link.