Nicholls Coastal Center, Entergy Louisiana Partner to Promote Coastal Education

THIBODAUX, La. — Entergy Lousiana is donating $40,000 to the new Coastal Center at Nicholls State University to enhance the center’s coastal education and outreach initiatives. 

The grant will support the Coastal Center Coast, Climate, and Culture Literacy Program, which will bring exhibits to the center as well as organized presentations, group tours, publications and an additional webpage dedicated to the coast, climate and culture. 

“We’ve seen firsthand how important it is for Louisiana to preserve its coast,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “Our partnership with Nicholls State University will help ensure future generations continue to understand and work to bolster our coastline for years to come. This is not just a project for today, but one that will have a lasting impact.”

Louisiana loses a football field of coastal islands and wetlands every 100 minutes and has experienced more coastal land loss than any other state in the nation since 1930 with more than 1,800 square miles turned to open water.

The Terrebonne Basin has the highest rate of coastal land loss in the state with more than 30,000 acres of wetlands lost since 1932. Meanwhile, the Atchafalaya Basin gained 4,000 acres of wetlands while every other basin in the state has lost land.

Dr. John Doucet, dean of the College of Science and Technology and distinguished service professor, said the exhibits will center around the significance of climate change, the importance of coastal restoration and protection, the historical and cultural impacts and the connection between the community and the coast.

“This program will show communities the connections between the coast and their culture, between climate change and the coast and how the work of the Nicholls Coastal Center helps protect and preserve Louisiana’s coastal wetlands,” said Dr. Doucet, who also authored the grant. “We are grateful to have the support of Entergy Louisiana in establishing this program. Entergy is our region’s utility company, and they see firsthand the impacts of coastal land loss, especially following hurricane landfalls.” 

For more information on the Nicholls Coastal Center, visit nicholls.edu/coastal-center.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@nicholls.edu

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