§ 25:1222 — Atchafalaya Trace Commission; creation

§1222. Atchafalaya Trace Commission; creation
A. In furtherance of the legislature's recognition, there is hereby created the
Atchafalaya Trace Commission, referred to in this Chapter as the "commission", which shall
be an agency of state government within the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
The legislature further establishes in the state of Louisiana the Atchafalaya National Heritage
Area, referred to in this Chapter as "the heritage area". The heritage area shall consist of the
territory in the following parishes: St. Mary, Iberia, St. Martin, St. Landry, Avoyelles, Pointe
Coupee, Iberville, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafayette, West Baton Rouge, Concordia, East
Baton Rouge, Ascension, and Lafourche.
B. The purposes of the commission shall include the following:
(1) To protect the wet and wild nature of the Atchafalaya Basin.
(2) To promote nature-based, scenic, cultural, historic, and other forms of heritage
tourism.
(3) To identify, strengthen, and link "gateway communities" surrounding the
Atchafalaya Basin.
(4) To improve transportation and communication facilities and access within the
heritage area.
(5) To further develop family-oriented recreational facilities.
(6) To preserve, enhance, protect, and interpret archaeological and historical sites
and structures, architectural heritage, and cultural events, traditions, and lifeways.
(7) To communicate the unique maritime cultural history of the Atchafalaya Basin
and Atchafalaya Bay.
(8) To develop environmental awareness and educational programs for residents and
visitors.
(9) To seek recognition and federal funding for the heritage area as a National
Heritage Area.
(10) To recognize and interpret the unique contributions to the regional landscape
of the oil and gas, marine and maritime, fishing and aquaculture, sugarcane, and cypress
timber industries.
(11) To promote and market the region through a variety of communications media
including maps, guides, tapes, videos, advertisement, signage, and electronic media.
(12) To stimulate the development of necessary overnight accommodations and other
conveniences.
(13) To promote scientific research and scholarly activities pertaining to the region's
resources, economics, and lifeways.
(14) To develop an integrated natural, scenic, cultural, and historic resource
management plan for the heritage area and assist appropriate federal, state, and local
authorities in its implementation.
C. Repealed by Acts 2006, No. 713, §4, eff. July 1, 2006.
NOTE: See Acts 1997, No. 1440, §3.
NOTE: See Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 112, §3, relative to effect and
reporting of abolition of advisory board.

Legislative History

Acts 1997, No. 1440, §1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 367, §1; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 112, §1, eff. January 1, 2003; Acts 2003, No. 439, §1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 713, §4, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2025, No. 475, §1.