Hurricane Isaac

Isaac has been slow to organize and attain hurricane status. Slow moving minimal Hurricane Isaac threatens to dump up to 20" of rain in portions of its path. Storm surge of 6-12ft is expected.

Media news readers have gleefully reported RNC scheduling adjustments to accommodate public safety during Tampa storm warnings.

A water spout formed in the Tampa Channelside area at 4:43PM Monday afternoon, a short distance from the RNC Convention Center. The Florida Atlantic coast was inundated with torrential rain squalls from far-reaching Isaac outer bands. Several tornados were reported in the Florida peninsula.

The weather took its toll on protester turnout at the GOP convention. Cara Jennings, a community organizer from Palm Beach County, braved the elements dressed as a sparkling pink vagina, along with several dozen other protesters.

GOP governors of Gulf Coast states announced they would remain at their posts, rather than attend the Tampa convention. British Petroleum reported eight oil rigs and 39 production platforms were evacuated late Sunday. By mid-day Monday, personnel had been evacuated from 346 offshore gas and oil platforms, representing 58 percent of the 596 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

As Isaac ultimately takes aim at the Gulf of Mexico coastline, news outlets wistfully reminisce about the 7th anniversary since Hurricane Katrina, huge television ratings, and once again omit a state named Mississippi in their storm coverage. One thing is certain--news coverage is much more predictable than Hurricane Isaac.

Hurricane Isaac rescue efforts begin for stranded Plaquemines Parish residents

Wednesday, August 29, 2012, 6:46 AM

nola.com The Times-Picayune

Some rescue have begun for Hurricane Isaac stranded Plaquemines Parish residents along its east bank by area residents with their private boats. So far at least half a dozen people have been picked up to safety, according to parish officials. Dozens of people on Plaquemines’ east bank, south of St. Bernard Parish, reportedly are stranded, some in attics to escape flood waters that may have reached 5 to 9 feet in certain areas.

The parish levees on the east bank are about 8.5 feet and some estimates have storm surge at 13 feet. At daylight, the National Guard is expected to launch a larger rescue effort, coming into the east bank through St. Bernard. After the wind subsides, other water and air rescue efforts likely will launch.

Plaquemines Parish Parish President Billy Nungesser and other parish officials are saying that flooding along the east bank might be worse than during Hurricane Katrina. Dozens of Plaquemines residents are stranded, there are multiple reports of people trapped in attics and the general sentiments within the government complex is that less people ended up evacuating than during Katrina. No rescue efforts yet are underway and there are no reports of injuries, although there are many stranded people.

Guy Laigast, director of the parish’s emergency preparedness, says that an 18-mile stretch of the parish east bank back levees might be overtopped from Braithwaite to White Ditch and that some points might be seeing 110 miles per hour winds. There are many varying reports of wind speeds, generally ranging between 80 and 110 miles per hour.

Corps officials only are confirming reports that levee has been overtopped in two spots, in Braithwaite and then further south in an east bank area called Bel Air, river mile 65. Corps officials are saying that there are no confirmed reports of breaches, which suggest failures in levees.

It appears from current reports that as Isaac moves upward, it might start pushing water out of the east and into the west. Parish officials are now heavily monitoring Barataria Bay, which reportedly raised 2 feet in the last 90 minutes, from about 4:30 a.m. to 6 a.m.

The fear is that water would get pushed into Plaquemines’ west bank levees and affect residents in Mrtyle Grove and the Jesuit Bend.

September 6, 2011

Vitter, Delegation Members’ Letter to Obama Demands 100 Percent Completion of 100 Year Flood Protection

Tropical storm Lee shows failings in incomplete levee system in parts of south Louisiana

Click here to watch Sen. Vitter’s comments about his letter to President Obama.

(Washington, D.C) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today sent a letter to President Obama raising concerns that the 100 year flood protection in Louisiana is incomplete. On Friday, September 9, the Obama Administration is scheduled to declare “Mission Accomplished” and commemorate the completion of the 100 year flood protection system, even though Tropical Storm Lee caused major flooding in parts of south Louisiana this past weekend due in part to portions of the levee system that have not been built. U.S. Reps. Steve Scalise (La.-1) and Jeff Landry (La.-3) signed on to Vitter’s letter.

“After Hurricane Katina, Congress directed the Corps to complete the flood protection system in Louisiana by 2011. President Obama has committed to fully complete it, but today, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee, we’re seeing the damage caused by their lack of action,” Vitter said. “It’s really misleading for the Obama administration to come to Louisiana and claim ‘Mission Accomplished’ when in fact there are still real gaps and vulnerabilities.”

A copy of Vitter’s letter is below.

September 6, 2011

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

The Honorable Jo-Ellen Darcy
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)
108 Army Pentagon
Room 3E446
Washington, DC 20310-0108

Major General Merdith “Bo” Temple
Acting Chief of Engineers
Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000

Dear President Obama, Secretary Darcy, and Major General Temple:

This Friday, September 9, 2011, the Obama Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”) will declare “Mission Accomplished” and commemorate the completion of the Greater New Orleans Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System. Following Hurricane Katrina, this system was authorized and funded by Congress to provide a 100-year level of protection to nearly a million residents and billions of dollars of property and economic infrastructure in southeast Louisiana.

This is historic and unprecedented work given its in size, scope, and sophistication. All of us in Louisiana appreciate the vital work of the Corps and all of its many fine men and women toward this end.

We write, however, to express real concern that this system is not in fact completed. First, there is major unfinished work in the New Orleans to Venice project which had been committed to at full federal expense, but which you are now walking away from. Second, there are incomplete projects in the overall system, some with temporary structures, which do not provide 100 year protection, and which therefore constitute real gaps and vulnerabilities.

New Orleans to Venice Project

In the aftermath of Katrina, there was a solid, clear commitment, first by the Bush Administration and then by candidate and President Obama, that the Corps would build the New Orleans to Venice Project, at full federal expense, as well as the non-federal levees in Plaquemines Parish that are being included in the project.

You have now walked away from this commitment. In February, the Corps announced that the project is not “economically justified” and that the state or parish must pay a 35 percent cost-share for the remaining cost to build the project. In addition, the administration has refused to put even its 65 percent federal cost share in its budget submission.

Because of this, this critical project stands only 10 percent complete with no realistic prospect of completion anytime soon. Also as a direct result of this, Tropical Storm Lee overtopped levees in Plaquemines Parish this week and caused significant flooding and damage.

This is a fundamental reversal of the President and the Corps’ commitment to the people of Louisiana. Mr. President, please keep your word.

19 Incomplete/Temporary Projects in the Broader System

The following is a list of 19 projects in the broader Greater New Orleans system which are not at the 100-year level of protection as promised. Construction of these 19 projects will not be complete on Friday or will feature only temporary measures that will not provide the necessary 100-year level of protection.

We have received timelines for completion of these projects from the Corps leadership. We are willing to work with you in achieving that ultimate goal, which we hope we all share. However, the administration and the Corps cannot continue its long history of project delays and time slippages.

West Bank and Vicinity Projects

73, Western Tie-in Highway Crossing, St. Charles Parish
74, Western Tie-in Closure Structure across Bayou Verrett
75, Western Tie-in, BNSF Railroad Crossing
77, Western Tie-in, LA Hwy 18 Crossing and UP Railroad Gate
09b, Hero Canal to Oakville Structure
09c, Hero Canal to Oakville Hwy 23 Crossing
15a.2, Lake Cataouatche PS to Segnette State Park Phase 2
16b, Segnette PS Fronting Protection and Modifications
16.2, Bayou Segnette Complex

Mississippi River Levees

1.1, Oak Point to Oakville
3.1, Belle Chasse to Oak Point
4.1, English Turn Bend to Belle Chasse
6.1, Parish Line to English Turn Bend
7.1, West Crossover Point to Parish Line

Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Projects

03.2A, West Return Floodwall (Southern Segment) Phase 2
03.2B, West Return Floodwall (Northern Segment) Phase 2
9.2, Pump Stations Modifications, fronting protection and floodwall tie-ins
17.2, Bridge abutment and Floodwall Tie-ins at Causeway
3d.2, Airport Runway 10 Levee Phase 2

As we all know, a hurricane protection system is only as strong as its weakest link. Because of the above weak links, this overall system does not yet provide the 100-year level of protection promised. If the above 19 projects are not built to the 100-year level of protection in an expeditious way using permanent structures, we are destined to repeat the mistakes that led to the catastrophic results following Hurricane Katrina.

Sincerely,

__________________ _______________ _____________
David Vitter Steve Scalise Jeff Landry
United States Senator Member of Congress Member of Congress

Cc: The Honorable Mary Landrieu, U.S. Senator
The Honorable Rodney Alexander, U.S. Representative, 5th District
The Honorable Charles Boustany, U.S. Representative, 7th District
The Honorable John Fleming, U.S. Representative, 4th District
The Honorable Bill Cassidy, U.S. Representative, 6th District
The Honorable Cedric Richmond, U.S. Representative, 2nd District
The Honorable John Young, President, Jefferson Parish
The Honorable Mitch Landrieu, Mayor, City of New Orleans
The Honorable Billy Nungesser, President, Plaquemines Parish
The Honorable Craig Taffaro Jr., President, St. Bernard Parish
Ms. Susan H. Maclay, President, SLFPA-West
Mr. Tim Doody, President, SLFPA-East
Mr. Steve Wilson, President, Pontchartrain Levee District

Vitter Calls For Corps Of Engineers Audit

December 6, 2011

Sen. David Vitter has sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office asking for an audit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is planning to introduce a bill–possibly as early as tomorrow I was told by a staff member–that would cut some of the Corp’s red tape that have slowed projects that are years behind schedule.

Here is a Vitter’s letter to Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the GAO

As you know the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is our nation’s primary water resource development agency. The Corps receives a budget of almost $5 billion each year to study, design, construct, operate, and maintain a wide range of water projects for purposes such as flood control, navigation, hurricane protection, and ecosystem restoration. However, as the GAO, National Academy of Sciences and others have reported in the past there are many inefficiencies in how the Corps conducts its planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of water resources projects. This has led to a backlog of millions of dollars of projects that have not yet been started and hundreds of incomplete projects. These delays continue to increase the total costs for completing projects that were often authorized and started decades ago.

In addition, in light of the recent events related to corrupt contracting practices uncovered by the Department of Justice at the Corps, I believe that it is necessary to undertake a comprehensive audit of the Corps’ civil works funding and contracting practices. In particular, I would like the GAO review to focus on operation and maintenance activities, flood protection projects, environmental mitigation, coastal restoration, and emergency funding that the Corps has received during the period covering fiscal years 2004-2011.

As you conduct this review, I would like you to be alert for potential inefficiencies in how the Corps operates and to help identify areas of potential cost savings. The areas that I am particularly interested in as the focus of this review include the following:

(1) For flood control projects undertaken by the Corps during this period of time, to what extent did cost overruns occur on projects and what were the primary factors that contributed to the differences between cost estimates and actual costs?

(2) What internal controls and oversight procedures does the Corps have in place to ensure that irregular or illegal contracting practices are not occurring throughout the agency and how can these controls and procedures be strengthened?
(3) To what extent does the Corps coordinate with and provide updated information to its non-federal project sponsors regarding changes to Corps policy requirements, project scope and estimated/actual costs? Is this process transparent and to what extent does the Corps obtain non-federal sponsor buy-in to these proposed changes?

(4) For dredging contracts conducted for operations and maintenance, please provide information on how many contracts the Corps has undertaken during this period, and the costs associated with these contracts.

(5) How does the Corps determine whether to undertake functions and projects with agency resources or through private-sector contracts and do these determinations comply with Office of Management and Budget’s Circular A–76?

I recognize that this is a very large undertaking, and that this work may not be able to be completed under a single review but instead may require a series of studies over a period of time to fully answer all of these questions. However, I would appreciate it if you could place the highest priority on starting this work as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this request.

I have been told that Vitter has been waiting to find a Democrat to co-sponsor the his bill, preferably a fellow-member of the Environmental Public Works Committee, but he hasn’t got one yet. If he doesn’t get a co-sponsor, he will go it alone.

Democratic committee members include Max Baucus of Montana, Thomas Carper of Delaware, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Shelton Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Kristen Gillibrand of New York. Barbara Boxer of California is the committee’s chairman.

I don’t expect Boxer will help sponsor the bill or anything else Vitter is involved in, but who knows.

The Corps has been under the gun in recent years, correctly so, for waste and the way it prioritizes projects. Most famous among the Corps failures was the sub-standard condition of the New Orleans levee systems prior to Hurricane Katrina. There are still problems with the levees, despite $10 billion allocated to rebuild the levee system after the hurricane.

In August of this year, a new federal rating system gave the levees a near-failing grade. The levees were rated Class II, which means that they are “unsafe of potentially unsafe” in the case of another major hurricane or massive flood event.

This is an important bill for Louisiana and Vitter should be supported in wanting to get to the bottom of waste and corruption in the Corps of Engineers. An audit might help get to the bottom of why so many critical projects in Louisiana have been put on the back-burner.

It will be interesting to watch where Vitter’s audit request and bill go, so stay tuned.

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