Biden approves Louisiana emergency declaration as saltwater threatens drinking water

President Biden approved a disaster declaration Wednesday in Louisiana in connection with saltwater intrusion into the state’s drinking water.

The White House declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to mobilize resources in Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. FEMA will provide emergency assistance including temporary assistance for water treatment at 75 percent federal funding for a maximum of 90 days.

The crisis is the result of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico entering the water supply. Normally the flow of the Mississippi River prevents this, but the river is close to an all-time low due to a combination of extreme drought and the unprecedented heat that affected much of the country over the past summer. 

This year has been the hottest ever recorded for both Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Meanwhile, data from the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates a vast swath of central Louisiana and much of its southeast corner is in a state of “exceptional” drought, the most severe drought category. 

Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) requested the emergency declaration Monday, saying the crisis has progressed beyond a level that state and local resources can manage, with the saltwater intrusion potentially affecting up to 20 percent of the state for a period lasting until the beginning of 2024.

“Efforts to mitigate the impact of the saltwater intrusion are currently underway and other projects are being considered based on the projections being received from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),” Edwards said in a statement Wednesday. “This 90-day approval of our Emergency Declaration will help our state and local partners with the costs of any mitigation efforts and protective measures.”

He added, “As this event unfolds, we will continue to analyze the emergency efforts and impacts to determine if further requests will be necessary.”