By Claire Taylor
The Advocate
The permit allowing a dam in the Atchafalaya Basin to remain in place, blocking freshwater flow to crawfish grounds, has been declared invalid by a judge.
Instead of ordering the removal of the dam, however, which crawfish farmers say has severely damaged some crawfish grounds and hindered boat passage, the judge stayed the matter. This will allow the Corps of Engineers, which initially granted the permit after the dam’s construction, to rectify deficiencies.
Judge Brian Jackson, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, on Tuesday issued his ruling on a 2023 lawsuit filed by the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper and Louisiana Crawfish Producers Association West.