Summit at Sea Level to Accelerate Coastal Resilience in Louisiana

Summit at Sea Level to Accelerate Coastal Resilience in Louisiana

© U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have agreed to a joint commitment to overhaul bureaucratic processes and accelerate coastal resilience efforts.

The agreement follows the "Summit at Sea Level," hosted by CPRA and DOTD on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Baton Rouge. The event marked a convergence of top national, state, and local figures, bringing them together with federal partners, major industry associations, local governments, levee boards, ports, and private sector leaders to improve project delivery and maximize impacts, aiming for Louisiana to be the example for the rest of the country.

Key leaders of this effort included Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, USACE Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations Major General Jason Kelly, as well as executive leadership from CPRA and DOTD, and Gov. Jeff Landry and members of his administration.

The catalyst for the Summit was to drive action under the broad reforms of Assistant Secretary Adam Telle's "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" initiative. Attendees from across the public and private sectors together identified 19 priority actions designed to tear down administrative red tape, align complex permitting requirements, and significantly shorten project delivery timelines.

As a roadmap for future progress, CPRA, DOTD, and USACE will immediately begin working toward the following 19 identified action items: