To meet this challenge, the Millennium Port Authority was established by the Louisiana Legislature during its 1999 regular session. The Authority is an 11-member commission whose principal responsibility is to ensure a regional planning approach for alternatives to improve Louisiana’s container-handling facilities in order to maximize the economic development opportunities from the projected growth in maritime container cargo traffic. The organization meeting of the Authority was held on March 29, 2000. Periodic meetings are held at the Wildlife and Fisheries Building in Baton Rouge. The next meeting is scheduled for October 3, 2001.

Although the Authority has broad powers relating to the plan of development for container-handling facilities and related transportation infrastructure, those powers are limited where activities are contemplated within the jurisdiction of an existing port authority. Accordingly, the Authority has entered into the necessary Cooperative Endeavor Agreements with the appropriate jurisdictional port authorities, namely the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans; the Plaquemines Parish Port, Harbor and Terminal District; and the Greater Lafourche Parish Port Commission. The agreements are for the purpose of planning activities to identify the most appropriate location to establish port container facilities and intermodal transportation connections in order to develop a Millennium Port System that will make Louisiana the "port of choice" for container cargoes destined for mid-America.

Working with Governor Foster’s representative, Ron Brinson, and in coordination with the jurisdictional port authorities, a master plan is being developed to identify tasks that need to be initiated to complete the planning process. The master plan will serve as a "template" for the jurisdictional planning teams to follow in order to complete the evaluation process. It is anticipated that the master plan will be developed by mid-December, 2001.

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