Sep 30, 2026 - Climate

Coastal restoration efforts are working — but not fast enough

Chelsea Brasted

An aerial photo of marshland. — Coastal waters flow through deteriorating wetlands in Plaquemines Parish. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Louisiana's coastal restoration efforts from 1984 to 2025 built or saved about 153 square miles of land, according to new research cited by The Times-Picayune.

Why it matters: It's proof the state's mitigation efforts are working, even if the rate of land loss is only getting faster.

The big picture: U.S. Geological Survey researchers recently offered Louisiana officials a look at new data outlining impacts from more than 500 projects across the 40-year stretch, The Times-Picayune's Mike Smith reports.

Altogether, the projects reduced land loss during that period by about a quarter.

Yes, but: Louisiana still lost around one football field worth of land every 84 minutes, Smith reports.

What we're watching: A lot of Louisiana's coastal restoration projects have been funded by BP oil spill-related funds, but that runs out in 2032.

And it's not yet clear what will replace it.

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Coastal restoration efforts are working — but not fast enough

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