Admiral Thad Allen approved part of Louisiana's Barrier Island project proposal today as a component of the Federal oil spill response, opening the door for Louisiana to recover its costs from BP or the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

As important as the costs are, approval is far more significant for Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The proposed plan allows for 45 miles of barrier berms to be constructed immediately to protect the coastline and wetlands from oil, particularly in the event of a hurricane.

The photo at the top is from the plan filed (PDF) with the Army Corps of Engineers. The highlighted areas are where the berms will go.

Hopefully they can get this project underway immediately and complete it fast, before the hurricanes start rolling in.