Louisiana Delegation Outlines Reconstruction Plans (hide your wallet alert)

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-19/112680594115391.xml&storylist=louisiana ^

[Altair333]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers outlined a detailed reconstruction plan for their devastated state Thursday, including full coastal restoration and economic development incentives to brings jobs and people back to New Orleans. Dubbed "Project Pelican," the plan was developed by all nine Republicans and Democrats in the House-Senate delegation. There was no cost estimate attached to the proposal and it did not address the issue of whether the reconstruction should be managed by existing federal agencies or by a new entity. ... The plan calls for $20 billion to speed up the repair and enhancement of New Orleans' levees; $14 billion to restore wetlands to reduce future damage from storm surges; and the dedication of a share of Gulf Coast oil revenues to long-term coastal restoration and infrastructure redevelopment. In the economic development area, the plan would provide incentives for employers to hire displaced workers and local businesses. It also would provide loans and tax relief for small businesses in the state, and federal assistance to help state and local governments meet payrolls and restore tax bases.

[Altair333]

The part about this that takes my breath away is that they want the feds to pay 34 BILLION solely for levees and marshland restoration so they can bring back folks to urban ghettos under sea level.

That's 34 billion before re-building a single building. I don't say no but "hell no." They need to get back to the "Crescent City" New Orleans of old- rebuild along the high ground and maybe some some dirt to make more high ground. But I don't want to spend 34 billion to build more levees when the ones they had didn't stand up to 100 mph winds which is what they got on the NOLA side of the storm.

[craig_eddy]

the dedication of a share of Gulf Coast oil revenues

This one puzzles me. Whose revenues are these that they want to "dedicate?" Does the federal government charge the oil company some sort of "mineral rights" fee for the crude they pump out of the Gulf?

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

Feds could always give the land back to the Indians, and let them deal with it.

[isthisnickcool]

New Orleans is a lost cause. Unless commercial enterprise wishes to come in and put the money up. The federal government has no business rebuilding New Orleans. It's just plain stupid to rebuild it. So stupid that it's exactly what the feds will do with our money.

[just truth please]

AMEN,AMEN,AMEN, and soooooooon!!!!!!!!

[henderson field]

It would cost a lot less than $34 billion to build a harbor there.

[atomicpossum]

economic development incentives to brings jobs and people back to New Orleans.

Why?

Why should we have to 'entice' them?

[IronMan04]

As a New Orleans property owner who was fortunate not to lose 100% of our property I thank you the American tax payer for your generosity.

The City of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi will be rebuilt!

[mtbopfuyn]

The plan calls for $20 billion to speed up the repair and enhancement of New Orleans' levees

Remind me again how many $$$ NO was given to repair and enhance those same levees before the storm?

[mtbopfuyn]

Or let the ocean take it. It's gonna happen anyway and made a darned good start last week.

[TheOracleAtLilac]

Katrina = combination urban renewal/blight remediation

I.E. an excellent opportunity not to reconstruct:
a. structures below sea level &/or
b. Publicly owned housing

[VoiceOfBruck]

I would support economic aid to help the former NO residents restart their lives and businesses somewhere else. But I don't support rebuilding anything in the flood zone. That's insane!

[Arizona Carolyn]

We have to bombard out Republican representatives and senators... I've written to all three twice in the past week.

[Arizona Carolyn]

It gets better -- James Witt has been hired by Allstate to lobby for what I understand would be federal assistance for insurance companies in disasters of the sort -- definite conflict of interest since he was hired by the State of LA's LEMA....

[cowdog77]

So we can get rid of them here in Texas...they're already causing problems.

[isthisnickcool]

As a New Orleans property owner who was fortunate not to lose 100% of our property I thank you the American tax payer for your generosity.

The City of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi will be rebuilt!

Don't thank me, if it was up to me they would leave the place flooded and rebuild it on higher ground somewhere else.

I, like many people, was shocked to find out that New Orleans is built in a hole surrounded by water and has to have pumps on all the time just to keep it dry. I have a big swimming pool. It has never crossed my mind to build a house in it.

Rebuilding NO is throwing good money after bad. Which is fine unless it's the taxpayers money. Which in this case will be going in to the most corrupt state in the nation. What a waste.

Congress has already approved the lending of billions of dollars to shore up the huge losses that will be coming out of the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA). This money comes right out of the US Treasury. And is going back in to building houses in New Orleans that will just flood again. And again.

I now understand why the last time I went to New Orleans everyone was drunk. You'd have to be to live there.

[Rosemont]

Can't wait to give tax payer $$$$ to William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana

[Dazedcat]

Fables of the Reconstruction......or is it Reconstruction of the Fables......

[CajunConservative]

This is what they are talking about.

http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/gc138.htm

Fig. 16. An oil field in the Louisiana coastal wetlands. The extensive network of artificial canals provides access to oil and gas wells. The canals are bordered by elevated deposits of dredged materials that block the natural flow of water to the remaining wetlands.

Vast networks of man-made canals have been dug to allow the movement of people and products needed for offshore drilling in Louisiana. As the canals widen with erosion, Gulf salt water flows into the brackish marshes, upsetting the ecosystem's balance and threatening the health of the oyster and shrimp industries that help drive the local economy.