APC to receive 2018 NADO Innovation Award

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Acadiana Planning Commission (APC) announces that is among the list of recipients to receive the 2018 National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Innovation Award.

Announced by NADO, APC will receive the award in recognition of work on the Acadiana Regional Watershed Initiative.

“APC is truly honored to be a recipient of the 2018 NADO Innovation Award,” said APC CEO, Monique Boulet. “Acadiana, working with FEMA, GOHSEP and the US Army Corps of Engineer, is leading an unprecedented collaboration, evolving into a long-term, multi-jurisdictional effort to manage Acadiana’s watersheds. The primary goal of this effort is to lower the flood plain and enhance disaster response efforts. The $25 million federal and state investment is the catalyst that will lead to long-term watershed sustainability.”

Recipients of NADO’s Innovation Award are honored for making significant impacts to their communities through creative approaches in advancing community and economic development and quality of life.

The 2018 awardees, which includes 87 projects across 24 states, will be honored at the 2018 NADO Annual Training Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 13-16. To view the entire list of awardees, click here.

As part of the watershed initiative, initially announced in August 2017, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the Acadiana region as a recipient of $25M in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding, from the Presidentially-declared Disaster (LA-4277), which impacted the Acadiana area in August 2016. The purpose of HMGP is to capitalize on opportunities to take critical mitigation measures which reduce the risks associated with loss of life and property from future disasters.

In February 2018, the Acadiana Planning Commission (APC) Board allocated $25 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding as part of Governor Edwards’ Louisiana Resiliency Recovery initiative. The list of projects includes the following:

• Regional Gauge Network $2.4M
• Coulee LaSalle Detention Pond – Alt. HMGP 1 $2.3M
• Coulee Ile Des Cannes – Lateral L8C Regional Detention Facilities Project – Alt. HMGP 1 $1.5M
• Coulee Ile Des Cannes Flood Control Project – Alt. HMGP 2 $2.4M
• Bayou Parc Perdu Regional Detention & Improvements Lake Peigneur Project $5.3M
• Bailey Grove Regional Detention Pond – Alt. HMGP 1 $5M
• Evangeline Parish Detention $1.4M
• Elevation of LA 14 Bypass in the City of Abbeville $2.7M
• Cypress Bayou/ Coulee La Salle Drainage Improvements $2M

The Acadiana Planning Commission (APC) serves the public sector through planning and implementation of Community, Economic, and Transportation Development throughout the Acadiana region.