GONZALES, La. (AP) — A judge dismissed a lawsuit that owners of a tourism business along Alligator Bayou filed against Ascension and Iberville parishes.
The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/WxS3jj ) the lawsuit was filed by Frank Bonifay, one of the owners of the Spanish Lake Wildlife Refuge and Botanical Gardens Inc., which ran Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours from 1996 until 2009.
In early 2009, officials of the two parishes decided to open a floodgate that separates Alligator Bayou from Bayou Manchac, and the water levels became too low to operate the swamp tours. Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours went out of business, and Bonifay sued the parishes and the East Ascension Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1.
However, the court found that the parishes were acting within their authority when they opened the floodgate.
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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com
