Congressman Carter Announces Additional $1.5 Million for Lincoln Beach
NEW ORLEANS, LA– Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) announced $1,500,000 for the Lincoln Beach redevelopment project from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program. The City of New Orleans will use this funding for shoreline protection and beach nourishment measures, which will protect the natural habitats and ecosystems that have taken root at the site while preparing the area for public reopening.
This award was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congressman Carter helped craft and voted for. Through Community Project Funding requests, Congressman Carter additionally secured $4,116,279 for the Lincoln Bridge Access Project in the FY 2024 spending bills.
“As a proud son of New Orleans, I’m thrilled to announce this additional funding for Lincoln Beach. This is a big step forward for the New Orleans East community and the preservation of local black history,” said Rep. Carter. “This initiative honors the beach’s deep historical legacy while paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future. The revitalization of Lincoln Beach will create a sanctuary where nature and community thrive together, reconnecting New Orleans East residents to their heritage and environment.”
The City of New Orleans has employed a design firm to develop a master plan for the area, with a focus on recreational access and integrating the natural resources of the site with social and cultural opportunities. The site will be a beacon for public education, highlighting the cultural significance of the site and providing educational opportunities about the resources of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin to those who previously did not have access to those resources.
Background:
Lincoln Beach is situated on the southeastern shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the New Orleans East community. Historically, the site was an anchor point for the New Orleans East community and Black families across the Greater New Orleans region during the Jim Crow period. The beach provided safe access to Lake Pontchartrain's recreational opportunities, especially for those in disadvantaged communities that would not have access otherwise. Additionally, Lincoln Beach served as a social and cultural hub, with icons such as Fats Domino performing at the beach.
Since its closure in 1965, the residents of New Orleans East have been isolated from one of the only points of access to the natural resources of Lake Pontchartrain. Along the entire Lake Pontchartrain shoreline in New Orleans East, people are separated from the Lake by the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System’s (HSDRRS) levees and floodwalls. However, with limited human intervention, the Lincoln Beach site has opportunistically morphed into a natural oasis with majestic, natural growth live oaks now shading the sandy beach and wooded trails formed by residents exploring the site seeking access to the beach.
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