St. Mary Excel reports on second quarter activities

(Editor's note: The St. Mary Excel citizens group submitted this report on its activities in the second quarter of 2023.)

St. Mary Excel continues to implement recommendations of the Urban Land Institute panel, Morgan City and Berwick Louisiana: Building the Foundation for a New Economy Along the Atchafalaya River. See https://2os2f877tnl1dvtmc3wy0aq1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uplo...

St Mary Exel hosted a Local Interest Group Meeting on May 10. . See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0smLD8Zlis0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VIMVfA0oo8&t=7s

—Provided letters of support for the city of Morgan City’s applications for: infrastructure on the Lake End Parkway, completion of the Bike Morgan City plan in a $2.8 million
grant application, and RAISE Capacity Building grant.

—Provided a letter of support for furnishings to Nicholls State University Coastal Center.

—Made comments to the draft of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan.

—Continued to follow St. Mary Parish’s RESTORE grant application for an Atchafalaya Resilience Lab at Coastal Morgan City and provided an update on the work to the Atchafalaya Intracoastal Coalition leadership.

The funding would allow St. Mary Parish to contract with The Water Institute of the Gulf to detail the lab.

—Continued inquiries into current awarded bike/hiking trail grants: 1) placing pedestrian head crossings on three intersections identified as dangerous; 2) placing trails from downtown Morgan City to South Louisiana Community College, and 3) continuation of trail from the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau to David Drive. The St. Mary Parish Council previously dedicated $100,000 in the 2023 budget to advance the work.

—Collaborated with the city of Morgan City, the town of Berwick, and the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau for the La. 182 bridge over the Atchafalaya Bridge to open for hiking and biking on April 15 and May 13..

—Worked to share Atchafalaya National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) advancement by:

—Continuing work with the PEW Institute to organize community engagement in the soon-to-be-released draft Atchafalaya National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) management plan. The plan will include all facets on reserve operation in the Atchafalaya zone.

—Partnering with the Atchafalaya Intracoastal Coalition and with Morgan City and Berwick administrations to host a ANERR leaders’ photo opportunity atop the La. 182 bridge during the last two scheduled hiking/biking events.

—Congratulating the Louisiana University Marine Consortium (LUMCON) on its designation as lead agency in ANERR management and encouraged prominent connection with all universities for a complete river system impacting deltaic reserve core areas, the Wax Lake Outlet and Atchafalaya Delta.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahMenBhcHAQ

—Shared initial ANERR office site possibilities in the local area with CPRA.

—Worked with legal services to transition St. Mary Excel from a 501(c) (6) designation to a 501 (c) (3) to support the organization’s capacity for community service.

—Participated in a second zoom meeting with THRIVE Allen County, Kansas, administrators on best practices for sustaining and advancing St. Mary Excel community service.

—Continued to encourage the public to visit and subscribe to St. Mary Excel’s YouTube channel and website.