Two developments this week will increase protections for South Louisiana’ s Port Fourchon and Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP).  Port Fourchon handles more than 75% of the oil and gas production from the Gulf of Mexico, while LOOP is the only port in the U.S. capable of offloading the deepest draft tankers.  First, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added Port Fourchon and LOOP to the list of ports eligible for federal security grants under the Port Security Grant Program, which provides funding to improve protection of critical infrastructure against terrorism.  Click here for an overview of the 2007 DHS Infrastructure Protection Program.  Second, the State of Louisiana accepted a bid to elevate Louisiana Highway 1, which is the only highway leading to Port Fourchon and LOOP, to 22 feet above ground.  The roadway is a critical lifeline that carries nearly 1000 trucks per day transporting goods and workers to Port Fourchon, and from there to exploration and production operations in the Gulf.  The elevation project will protect this corridor from flooding and erosion.  For more on this project, click here.