Alliance Overview

The Water Institute of the Gulf and the US BCSD, two groups that have separately tackled a number of issues involving the protective role played by the region’s eroding wetlands and the importance of Louisiana’s water resources, are now joining forces to collaborate on applied research aimed at finding solutions to water challenges in the region and around the world. 

"We're extremely excited to add the US BCSD to our strong network of partners,” said Chip Groat, Ph.D., president and CEO of The Water Institute. “The council’s relationships with the private sector will add valuable capacity to efforts to meet challenges and develop solutions across the Gulf Coast, the nation and beyond.” 

“This collaboration will provide valuable technical expertise to project participants as they tackle water challenges that are key to their businesses and communities,” said Andrew Mangan, executive director of the US BCSD. “Together, our two organizations will seek ways to convert water challenges to economic opportunities in ways that benefit people, ecosystems and businesses.

Gulf Coast Industrial Infrastructure Work Group

The US BCSD is working with The Water Institute of the Gulf to bring business leaders together with other investors to collaboratively fund projects to reduce coastal resiliency risks. These “live case studies” will help create and test a breakthrough process to attract private capital to supplement and leverage public sector coastal restoration funding. The goal is to build a replicable model for application in Louisiana, and extend it to other parts of the Gulf Coast and beyond in 2018. Funding from JPMorgan Chase & Co. is providing initial support to get the work group underway, build out critical models, develop case studies, and produce the first projects as potential candidates for private finance.