La. conflict of interest alleged to CoE

The outgoing president of Plaquemines Parish, La., and his staff, has raised questions to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about potential conflict of interests issues with the decision of state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Johnny Bradberry to accept a job as president of the company (GEC Inc.) overseeing part of the proposed Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion diversion’s federal permitting process. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Dec. 6 that Bradberry would be leaving his post Jan. 1 to become president of GEC Inc. GEC has a contract with Louisiana to oversee the writing of the environmental impact statement that is a key part of the Corps of Engineers’ (CoE) decision-making process on environmental permits for the diversion. Staff of Plaquemines Parish President Amos Cormier III, whose term expires Jan. 1, sent an e-mail Dec. 11 to CoE director, Col. Michael Clancy, with questions about the decision of Bradberry accepting the contractor job. It raises questions about whether GEC violated federal rules prohibiting it from taking actions that might prejudice COE and Louisiana's decision-making obligations, according to Vincent Frelich, coastal zone management director for the parish. In the letter, Frelich pointed to a Baton Rouge Business Report article indicating Bradberry had been discussing the job with GEC since September. (Source: NOLA.com 12/12/18)