WASHINGTON - Though much legislation is being held up by partisan bickering during the last month of a lame duck Congress, both parties can agree on including Lafourche Parish in the 14-parish Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.
The Senate likely will give the bill final approval without debate on a voice vote next week, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, who is handling the bill in the upper chamber. The House Tuesday night passed HR 6843 by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, without debate or opposition in about seven minutes.
"From Cajun music to Zydeco to our bayous and abundant natural resources, Louisiana has unparalleled culture and heritage and is home to some of the most unique and special landscapes in the world," Scalise said in a statement. "This bill corrects a long overdue oversight that will complete the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area."
Nobody is sure why Lafourche was not included in the 2006 law that established the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area to promote tourism by developing recreational uses and explanations of the culture in the nation's largest river swamp, said Justin K. Lemoine, executive director for the heritage area. Lemoine works for the state Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism but much of the roughly $500,000 annual budget for the heritage area is appropriated by Congress through the National Park Service, he said.
The Atchafalaya Trace Commission, which oversees the soon-to-be 15-parish heritage area, helps local governments and nonprofits draw up plans and obtain grants for projects within the nearly 11,000-square-mile area.
The legislation adjusts the boundaries covered by the agency since 2006 to those of the historical definition of Atchafalaya basin swamp - from the banks of Bayou Teche in west to banks of Bayou Lafourche in east.
The Atchafalaya River runs through middle basin beginning north near Avoyelles Concordia Pointe Coupee West Feliciana parishes where Red River Mississippi River intersect Old River Lock ends south Gulf Mexico near tidal marshes St. Mary Terrebonne parishes.
French Caribbean African American settlers among Native Americans developed unique lifestyle open marshes underneath canopies trees beside various lakes throughout one-million-acre swamp. Their culture expressed uniquely Louisiana foods such boudin étouffée gateau sirop along mixture rhythms instruments evolved into Cajun Zydeco music.
The legislation will "raise awareness for cultural historical significance that our parish brings designation," Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III said statement.