St. Mary Excel reports on third-quarter activities

(Editor's note: The St. Mary Excel citizens group submitted this report on its activities from July through September.)
St. Mary Excel continues to implement recommendations of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) panel, “Morgan City and Berwick Louisiana: Building the Foundation for a New Economy Along the Atchafalaya River.” Download the report through a link on this story at StMaryNow.com.
St Mary Excel :
—Hosted a Local Interest Group meeting on Sept. 20. At the meeting, we used questions to process the recent hurricane but focused on the ULI recommendation of a resilience lab for our area. “Resilience” is a way that communities anticipate, prepare, and from storm, water, and economic events. Hurricane Francine presented a current reminder to focus on this need. The Water Institute will lead a panel of stakeholders and experts in setting the lab’s mission, objectives, and activities.
See https://youtu.be/U5ABaTFDLPU?si=n6II5-jYrAkkAA8y for the resilience lab planning discussion. A federal grant appeal has been submitted to fund the lab.
See also the second half of the Local Interest Group meeting. The second part focused on making state level funding appeals for area infrastructure and projects. It will be posted on the St. Mary Excel YouTube page.
—Awaited a grant appeal for funding activities of a resilience lab.
—Received notice that the Friends of the Atchafalaya National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) nonprofit is established. The organization will work with ANERR staff to sustain activities of the ANERR. The ANERR remains part of CPRA’s coastal master plan. NOAA and CPRA continue to work on the draft environmental impact statement and management plan with LUMCON as the lead state agency for ANERR management.
—Submitted a grant application to a private foundation to fund a neighborhood culture display for highlighting revitalization in one of the subdivision areas, the Coal Chute.
—Met with CPRA board chairman Gordy Dove and executive director Glenn Ledet to share the work that has been done to detail a coastal studies residential high school similar to theschool in Natchitoches.
—Continue inquiries to the LADOTD in a town hall meeting with state Rep. Beryl Amedee into current awarded bike/hiking trail grants:
1) placing pedestrian head crossings on three intersections identified as dangerous; 2) and placing trails from downtown Morgan City to South Louisiana Community College.