Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Sue Over Illegal Development of Wetlands

Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association – West (LCPA-West) and Atchafalaya Basinkeeper are suing Mallard Basin Inc. and Whiskey Bay Island, LLC for alleged illegal development of wetlands in the Atchafalaya Basin. The lawsuit seeks the removal of and remediation for the dredging and damming of Bayou Cane, as well as the removal of a water control structure, stopping access by fish and people into Fisher Lake and over 1,000 acres of wetlands south of I-10. Plaintiffs allege the defendants placed a water pump in the north end of the lake and dug a ditch into the wetlands to artificially control water levels in the lake, all without a permit and in violation of the Clean Water Act. The water control structure is blocking navigation, which is prohibited by Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act without a permit.

The lawsuit is necessary since no action was taken by state and federal agencies against these flagrant violations of the Clean Water Act. We see lawsuits as signs of failure, reflections of the lack of commitment of our state and federal agencies to uphold the rule of law and protect the best interests of our nation and its people. Without enforcement, all laws are useless and there is no future for any of our wetlands.

Atchafalaya Basinkeeper and LCPA-West are committed to protecting the integrity of the Atchafalaya Basin for future generations and the right of the public to access public waters of the U.S.

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