SR 144 — WATER/WATERWAYS: Establishes the Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force, provides for an assessment of the basin, and requests a suspension of approving certain permits.

SLS 26RS-3777 ORIGINAL Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

144 BY SENATOR WHEAT WATER/WATERWAYS.A RESOLUTION To establish the Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force;

Establishes theUpperPontchartrainBasin Task Force,provides for an assessment of the basin, and requests a suspension of approvingcertain permits.

A RESOLUTION To establish the Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force;

WHEREAS, the Upper Pontchartrain Basin, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, their tributaries, wetlands, and cypress-tupelo swamps, represents one of Louisiana's most valuable and environmentally sensitive estuarine ecosystems, supporting fisheries,wildlifehabitat,floodprotection,navigation,recreation,andculturalheritage;and WHEREAS, the basin serves as a natural bufferfor surroundingparishes,surrounding parishes, including Livingston,Tangipahoa,St.JohntheBaptist,St.Tammany,andOrleans,byprovidingstorm surge protection, water filtration, and critical ecological balance;

and WHEREAS, numerous state and federal actions have previously recognized the Pageenvironmentalsensitivityofthebasin,includinglitigationandenvironmentalreviewrelating 1to shell dredging operations, restrictions on oil and gas activity in portions of 6Lake SLSPontchartrain, 26RS-3777prohibitions ORIGINALon SRshrimp NO.trawling in Lake Maurepas, coastal restoration initiatives, levee and flood protection projects, and implementation of the Lake Maurepas Freshwater Diversion Project;

144 environmentalsensitivityofthebasin,includinglitigationandenvironmentalreviewrelating to shell dredging operations, restrictions on oil and gas activity in portions of Lake Pontchartrain, prohibitions on shrimp trawling in Lake Maurepas, coastal restoration initiatives, levee and flood protection projects, and implementation of the Lake Maurepas Freshwater Diversion Project;

and WHEREAS,proposalsforadditionallarge-scaleindustrialactivity,includingbutnot limited to energy generation facilities and associated infrastructure, raise significant questionsPage concerninglong-term1 impacts on fisheries, wetlands, wildlife habitat, hydrology, water quality, storm resilience, and the overall ecological integrity of the6 basin;SR NO.

144 ENROLLED questions concerninglong-term impacts on fisheries, wetlands, wildlife habitat, hydrology, water quality, storm resilience, and the overall ecological integrity of the basin;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana herebyestablisheshereby establishes the Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force, hereinafter referred to as the "task force", to receive the study and updates of the assessment conducted by the Water Instituteasprovidedherein,reviewitsfindings,andmakerecommendationsconcerningthe future protection, management, permitting, restoration, and sustainable use of the basin.

Page(4) 2The secretaryof the Louisiana Department of 6Energyand SLSNatural 26RS-3777Resources, ORIGINALor SRhis NO.designee.

144 (4) The secretaryof the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, or his designee.

(a)Page Jefferson2 Parish.of 6 SR NO.

144 ENROLLED (a) Jefferson Parish.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may meet as often as necessary and shall meetuponmeet upon submission ofupdatesandofupdatesandthefinalreport of the finalassessment reportconducted ofbytheWaterInstituteandshall submit recommendationsonorbeforeMarch1,2029,to the assessmentlegislatureandthegovernorconcerninganystatutory,regulatory,administrative,orfunding conductedactions Pagenecessary 3to ofprotect 6the SLSlong-term 26RS-3777sustainability ORIGINALof SRthe NO.Upper Pontchartrain Basin.

144 bytheWaterInstituteandshall submit recommendationsonorbeforeMarch1,2029,to the legislatureandthegovernorconcerninganystatutory,regulatory,administrative,orfunding actions necessary to protect the long-term sustainability of the Upper Pontchartrain Basin.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request The Water Institute to conduct a comprehensive scientific assessment of the Upper Pontchartrain Basin in collaboration with and utilizing the expertise, data, monitoring resources, and institutional knowledge of the Pontchartrain Conservancy and Southeastern Louisiana University in the design and execution of the assessment.Page 3 of 6 SR NO.

144 ENROLLED assessment.

(7) Impacts on coastal restoration, freshwater diversion, hurricane protection, flood Pagemitigation, 4and ofresilience 6projects. SLS 26RS-3777 ORIGINAL SR NO.

144 mitigation, and resilience projects.

(9)Watersamplingandaquaticspeciestestingwith(9)Watersamplingandaquaticspeciestestingwithconsiderationandintegrationof considerationandintegrationof existing studies, sampling programs, and scientific data currently being conducted and compiled by Southeastern Louisiana University and Pontchartrain Conservancy.

(13)Page The4 consequences of wind-energy6 infrastructure.SR NO.

144 ENROLLED (13) The consequences of wind-energy infrastructure.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the governor, state agencies, and political subdivisions to suspend the approval or advancementof permits for new orexpandedor expanded industrial activities within the Upper Pontchartrain Basin, for which a state or federal permits have been applied for or pending, or are anticipated but not yet finalized, until submission of the comprehensive scientific assessment to the task force and the public has an opportunity to review the findings.

Page(1) 5Flood ofcontrol, 6hurricane SLSprotection, 26RS-3777coastal ORIGINALrestoration, SRresilience, NO.sediment diversion, levee improvement, or hydrologic restoration projects.

144 (1) Flood control, hurricane protection, coastal restoration, resilience, sediment diversion, levee improvement, or hydrologic restoration projects.

BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDthatanyactivityclaimedundertheseexceptionsshall remain subject to reviewbythe appropriateappropriatepermitting permitting authorityto ensure that such activity is not a pretext for, nor materially supportive of, future industrial development within the basin.

BEPage IT5 FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this6 ResolutionSR beNO. transmitted to the governor of Louisiana, The Water Institute, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Conservation and Energy, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Pontchartrain Conservancy.

144 ENROLLED BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the governor of Louisiana, The originalWater instrumentInstitute, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the followingDepartment digest,of whichEnvironmental constitutesQuality, nothe partDepartment of Conservation and Energy, the legislativeDepartment instrument,of wereWildlife preparedand byFisheries, Senateand LegislativePontchartrain Services.Conservancy.

ThePRESIDENT keyword,OF summary,THE andSENATE digestPage do6 not constitute part of the6 law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] DIGEST SR 144 Original 2026 Regular Session Wheat Establishes the Upper Pontchartrain Basin Task Force.

Requests the Water Institute to conductacomprehensivescientificassessmentofthebasin.Requeststhegovernorandstate agencies to suspend permitting for certain industrial activities within the basin pending completion of the assessment.

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