Economic Evaluation of Coastal Land Loss in Louisiana

The two-year study conducted by the LSU Economics and Policy Research Group and the RAND Corporation quantified economic impacts of ongoing and future land loss in Louisiana, demonstrating a need and justification for Coastal Master Plan project expenditures that can save billions during future storm events. The report examines potential economic implications of Louisiana's land loss through a spatial analysis that layered future land loss and storm surge scenarios from the 2012 Coastal Master Plan onto today's economy. The researcher's approach examined both fixed assets and flows of economic activity occurring within the coastal zone as well as their cascading effects throughout the state and the nation.