Office of the Governor Siate of Louisiana Jouw Bt Epwazps wren out unane ygo04 2004 ‘Goveanon eishatever April 25,2016 RE: Coastal Litigation = Cameron, Plaquemines, end Jefferson Parishes Plesebe advised tht Governor John Bel Edwards hs engaged. Taylor Townsend to ‘serve 8s Special Counsel to the State of Louisiana with regard to any and all claims by and on Isha ofthe tate in connection wih cont and os issues. Further, Governor Edwerds invites you to mee wih hi to dics this iignton and other related isues so critica othe survival ‘of Louisiana's coast and Louisiana's oil and gas industry. The purpose of this meeting is to Aiacass costal land losin Lossians, wh abated coast lan loss means forthe sate td for the oil and gas industry, and how we can work together to address not oly these critical issues but alo a pth to resolving this lisgadon. Governor Edwards requests tat you atend this resting athe Govemor’s Mansion on May 13, 2016s 9:00 am. to engsae i hese important discussions. Please advise my assistant, Sherry Lassere (sherry.lassere@le.gov), by May 4, 2016 2S to wheber you vl be able to attend orf you san send epeseiatve. This meting wll be coordinated with Attomey General Jeff Landry, who will also be present and participating in Freseceemneg “Louisiana has lost thousands upon thousands of ares of cossal wetlands over he lst several decades end fue estimates inticatelosses wil continue tsar if ot neese aes ifteR snadressed. ‘Louisiana's coastal wetlands serve as the frst line of defense protecting Louisians—its citizens, property and industrial infastructure—agnnst the destructive forces of hurricanes. AS such, the persistent degradation of Louisiana's coastal wetlands has come te significant cost ‘Damages caused by hurricanes have resulted in expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars after each entastrophic event. The elevated risk of storm surge together withthe increasedHewitt Pate ‘April 25, 2016 Page Two ‘osts of flood protection for Louisiana's itizens end property has become exceedingly high— ‘en foreng the relocation and lima disappearance, of entre casa communities. ‘The oll and gas industry is equally important to Louisiana's funre, providing economic security and energy tothe state and much ofthe nation. An extensive oil end gas infastructure— ‘ncluding wells, pipelines, flowlines and other related operations used to facilitate the extraction and transportation of oil and gas—all les within Louisiane’s cosstal zone. That infastructre is st increasingly serious rsk without the protection afforded by Louisiana's coastal wetlands. It isin light of all the above, T invite you participate in this neeting with Governor Edwards and Attomey Generel Landry to discuss those issues, This isan urgent matter for our state and for the oil end gas industry. Especially given recent developments in the tigation surrounding Louisiana's coastal and los, I look forward to engaging ia discussions with you snd working together toward resolution Sincerely, Uk titer | bleeaer— Mathew F. Block Taylor Townsend Exentive Counsel MFBisgl