Governor Jeff Landry names team to restore and protect Louisiana's disappearing coastline

Gov. Jeff Landry has named Gordy Dove to lead the efforts to protect and restore Louisiana's disappearing coastline as chairman of the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

Landry announced the appointment of Dove, who has served on the front line down the bayou as Terrebonne Parish president for the past eight years, during a press conference Tuesday on the Nicholls State University campus in Thibodaux.

The governor also announced appointments of Glenn Ledet Jr. as executive director CPRA, Tony Alford as chairman of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Ben Bienvenu as commissioner of conservation and Dustin Davidson as chief of staff for the Department of Natural Resources.

"What I appreciate most is being on the coast to make these announcements," Landry said during his press conference. "(The team will play) an integral part in protecting our industry and coast, which are vital to our way of life."

“I am honored to be appointed by Gov. Landry as Chairman of CPRA — entrusted with Louisiana’s wetlands, bayous, coastline, marshes, barrier islands, levees, floodgates, etc.," Dove said in a statement. "I will work to ensure that the projects are expeditiously and economically built and maintained for the people of Louisiana, for our future, and for our way of life for generations to come.”

Dove also previously served in the state House, where he was chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee and served on the Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority.

Glenn Ledet Jr., an engineer, has most recently been vice president on Water Resources and Coastal Market Sector at Neel-Schaffer, Inc., with more than a decade of coastal engineering experience, including key roles at Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Landry said.

He has been Neel-Schaffer's executive director for coastal science and engineering.

Alford has more than 35 years in the insurance industry and for the past 20 years served as president of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District, which builds flood protection in the parishes of Terrebonne and some in Lafourche.

He has coordinated numerous projects with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the Army Corps of Engineers, Landry said.

Bienvenu, a petroleum engineer, has spent a career that has ranged from a supervisor on offshore drilling platforms to leading onshore shale exploration.

More: How much clout does your lawmaker carry in the Louisiana Legislature?

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Jeff Landry names team to restore, protect disappearing Louisiana coast