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"In the 1970’s the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity Hurricane Barrier Project planned to build fortifications and floodgates at two strategic locations, which would keep massive storms in the Gulf of Mexico from causing Lake Pontchartrain to flood the city. “The floodgates would have blocked the flow of water from the Gulf, through Lake Borgne, through the Rigolets (and Chet Mentuer) into Lake Pontchartrain, “declared Professor Gregory Stone, the James P. Morgan distinguished Professor and Director of the Coastal Studies Institute of Louisiana State University. “This likely would have stopped the storm surge coming from the Gulf into Lake Pontchartrain,” Professor Stone said during an interview September 6. The professor concluded, “These floodgates would have alleviated the flooding of New Orleans caused by Katrina. They were designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. Needless to say, those plans were abandoned after environmental advocates successfully sued to have it stopped. Specifically, in 1977, a state environmentalist group known as Save Our Wetlands sued to have it stopped. This effort at protection continued for a number of times in the ensuing years, as recently as 2004, and every time was opposed by environmentalists. Perhaps if the floodgates had been constructed the following refineries flooded out would still be producing gasoline: Valero in Norco, LA (225,000 bbl./day), Murphy Oil in Meraux, LA (120,000 bbl./day), Exxon Mobil in Chalmette, LA (183,000 bbl/day), Conoco Phillips in Belle Chase, LA (255,000 bbl/day), Marathon in Garyville, LA (245,000 bbl/day), Chevron in Pascagoula, Mississippi (325,000 bbl/day) for a total down of 1,605,000 barrels gasoline, jet fuel and related products per day. While not all of the refineries listed are down because of flooding, it graphically points out the necessity of building more refineries at locations scattered throughout the US in order to avoid a disastrous destruction of refining capacity due to being geographically clustered. If anyone thinks Al Qaeda didn’t notice this severe disruption, they are crazy. No more environmental opposition or NIMBY attitude needed when it comes to new refinery construction. It is vital both economically and strategically to protect our economy from natural disasters and terrorist attacks."

What a paragraph!!! Packed with TRUTH!!! Long... but full of truths that should be obvious to lawmakers! But alas... Many of them are oblivious to the obvious!!!