Louisiana lawmakers, business community and local leaders discussed federal tax reform, economic development, coastal restoration, flood protection and the $200 billion infrastructure grant package on Friday during the annual River Parishes Economic Development Breakfast.
Hosted in Washington, D.C., by the Port of South Louisiana and the parishes of St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and St. James, which are known as the River Region Economic Development Initiative (RREDI), the event was attended by members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation.
Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucoin, who moderated the event, discussed the important role of Louisiana’s ports and called for support for the state’s maritime infrastructure.
“Look at the amount of cargo that passes through the nation’s port system,” Aucoin said. “In 2017, over 307 million short tons of cargo passed within the Port of South Louisiana alone.It’s a number that’s projected to increase as the $23.262 billion of announced capital investment begins to come online. We must do everything in our power to maintain the health of our maritime infrastructure which includes dredging the mouth of the Mississippi River, which is crucial to our economic growth.”
Aucoin outlined the port’s tonnage growth and recent capital investments fueling economic development in the river region.