§214.3.1.  Governor's Executive Assistant for Coastal Activities

A.  The executive assistant

(1)  The executive assistant shall be appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and shall serve at the governor's pleasure.  He shall report directly to the governor.

(2)  The governor, through the executive assistant, consistent with the legislative intent as expressed in R.S. 49:214.1, shall coordinate the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of any state agency relative to integrated coastal protection.

(3)  The executive assistant shall employ necessary staff to carry out the duties and functions provided in this Part or as otherwise provided by law and may seek and utilize the assistance of personnel of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority or any state department or agency to carry out his duties, functions, and responsibilities as provided in this Part or otherwise provided by law.  He shall manage his personnel as provided by law and shall manage his budget, office, and related functions as provided by law.

(4)  Repealed by Acts 2012, No. 604, §5, eff. June 7, 2012.

B.  Functions and responsibilities

(1)  The governor, through the executive assistant, shall:

(a)  Coordinate all state departmental budget requests for programs and projects pertaining to integrated coastal protection as well as all requests for funds to be appropriated from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.

(b)  Coordinate and focus the functions of all state agencies as they relate to integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and wetlands conservation and restoration, and mitigation projects related to wetlands in the coastal area.

(c)  Review and reconcile state agency comments on federally sponsored integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection, water resource development projects or permitted conservation and restoration activities to establish and present the official state position which shall be consistent with the policies of the authority.

(d)  Represent the policy and consensus viewpoint of the state at the federal, regional, state, and local levels with respect to integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and wetlands conservation and restoration, and mitigation projects related to wetlands in the coastal area.

(e)  Appraise the adequacy of statutory and administrative mechanisms for coordinating the state's policies and programs at both the intrastate and interstate levels with respect to integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and wetlands conservation and restoration, and mitigation projects related to wetlands in the coastal area.

(f)  Appraise the adequacy of federal, regional, state, and local programs to achieve the policies and meet the goals of the state with respect to  integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and wetlands conservation and restoration.

(g)  Oversee and coordinate federal and state-funded research related to integrated coastal protection, including coastal land loss and subsidence, and the effects of storm surge.

(h)  Coordinate and focus federal involvement in Louisiana with respect to  integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and coastal wetlands conservation and restoration.

(i)  Provide the official state recommendations to the legislature and congress with respect to policies, programs, and coordinating mechanisms relative to  integrated coastal protection, including infrastructure, hurricane protection and wetlands conservation and restoration, or wetlands loss and storm surge research.

(j)  Monitor and seek available federal and private funds consistent with the purposes of this Part.

(k)  Take such other actions not inconsistent with law as are necessary to perform the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the executive assistant.

(2)  The governor, through the executive assistant, may, in an effort to advance the plan or purposes of this Part, within any department, agency, board, or commission:

(a)  Review and modify policies, procedures, or programs not established or approved by the legislature or pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act that may affect the design, construction, operation, management, and monitoring and more particularly to require expeditious permitting of integrated coastal protection projects or expenditures from the fund.

(b)  Review and request modifications of state departmental policies, procedures, programs, rules, and regulations that are established by law or pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act that may affect the design, construction, operation, management, and monitoring of integrated coastal protection projects or expenditures from the fund.  Such rule changes shall be initiated by the appropriate department.

(c)  Appoint advisory panels.

(d)  Review and modify proposed coastal use permits prior to issuance to the extent that such permits would authorize activities which significantly affect integrated coastal protection projects or which significantly diminish the benefits of projects intended to protect, conserve or enhance coastal areas and to require the issuance of permits for public or private integrated coastal protection projects or plans.

Acts 2009, No. 523, §3, eff. July 10, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 604, §§3, 5, eff. June 7, 2012.