Meeting Summary

The SCP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee met on November 21, 2025, to adopt a strategic coastal restoration plan, hear detailed training on coastal permitting systems, and review active permit applications. The committee unanimously adopted the St. Charles Parish SHIELD Plan, a comprehensive strategy for shoreline protection and habitat restoration that has been coordinated with the state coastal master plan. The Office of Permitting and Compliance provided extensive technical training on how the committee can access and review coastal use permit applications through online mapping and database tools.

Watch Items

The committee is planning to discuss Davis Pond diversion operations and monitoring at its December 9, 2025 meeting, ahead of a December 12 Davis Pond Advisory Committee meeting. Committee members expressed concern that current Davis Pond operations prioritize salinity for oyster and brown shrimp production rather than serving St. Charles Parish's broader community interests in fisheries, hunting, and property protection. The committee is considering requesting real-time salinity monitoring at parish access points and exploring additional monitoring funded through NOAA or other sources to track estuary conditions.

The SHIELD Plan projects have been submitted to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority for potential funding through the 2029 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan. A public comment period on these projects is expected from CPRA, and the committee will receive updates on that process.