Coastal studies lab has opening

BATON ROUGE, La. - Gov. John Bel Edwards attended an opening of Louisiana State University's new coastal laboratory - the Center for Coastal Studies – on Jan. 29. The center is to be used to test the viability of restoration projects that address the state's alarming rate of coastal land loss. The $18M laboratory was paid for by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority from BP oil spill restoration funds. The new laboratory and education building features a scaled model of the Mississippi River between Donaldsonville and the Gulf of Mexico. The 45,568-square-foot building also houses researchers who will use the model to analyze flood control and land-building projects, part of the state's efforts to keep 24 parishes from disappearing into the Gulf. (Source: NOLA.com 01/29/18)