BATON ROUGE- Conversations surrounding the Comite River have been going on for decades.

As the fight over funding continues, legislators are working to curb flooding as well. Senator Bodi White introduced Senate Bill 490 which could exempt the Comite River from parts of the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act.

This is an attempt to allow the Comite to be dredged, cleared, and snagged which White and other supporters say will combat flooding in the area.

The exemption would only be in place for three years. If passed, it would go into effect August 1 of this year and expire August 1 of 2021.

Right now, the Comite is one of dozens of waterways in the state protected by the Scenic Rivers Act. According to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, there are over 3,000 miles of Louisiana designated to scenic rivers.