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Posted on 10/06/2005 7:33:29 PM PDT by Libloather
Senators accuse EPA of minimizing health hazards in New Orleans
WASHINGTON The Bush administration was accused today by senators in both parties of minimizing health hazards from the toxic soup left by Hurricane Katrina, just as they said it did with air pollution in New York from the September eleventh attacks.
More than a month after the storm, compounded by Hurricane Rita, Environmental Protection Agency officials said one (m) million people lack clean drinking water around New Orleans. Some 70 (m) million tons of hazardous waste remain on the Gulf Coast.
While E-P-A officials have warned of serious health hazards from bacteria, chemicals and metals in the region's floodwaters and sediment, they haven't taken a position on New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's aggressive push to reopen the city.
Republican members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee also are skeptical of post-Katrina work being done by E-P-A, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Senator David Vitter of Louisiana says people of New Orleans need to feel safe, need to feel like there's a plan.
Landrieu chastises Senate for focusing on defense, not Katrina
WASHINGTON (AP) - Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu chastised the Senate today for working to pass defense legislation while refusing to deal with the immediate needs of victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Landrieu says two-thirds of the 63 (b) billion dollars that Congress already has provided in hurricane relief has not been spent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Landrieu says Congress should redirect 14-point-seven (b) billion dollars of the money already appropriated to provide health care for evacuees, pay the salaries of public employees, and provide relief and help to public schools, hospitals and small businesses.
And she said lawmakers need to act this week, before Congress leaves for a week-long recess.
Landrieu said the White House offered last night to provide 300 (m) million dollars from the already approved relief funds to help cities like New Orleans pay their policemen, firefighters and other public employees.
But Landrieu said that is not enough.
The Louisiana Democrat took the floor while the Senate was waiting for members to offer amendments to the defense spending bill for fiscal 2006. Her speech also coincided with President Bush's defense of his Iraq policy in a speech to the National Endowment for Democracy.
While E-P-A officials have warned of serious health hazards from bacteria, chemicals and metals in the region's floodwaters and sediment, they haven't taken a position on New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's aggressive push to reopen the city.
Uhhh...I think they have taken a position, from the looks of that.
I have come to really dislike this guy. Why do the government officials in Louisiana need all of their plans, execution of those plans and money for those plans to come from Washington?
Leave, don't leave, leave, don't leave, leave, don't leave.....
She is following the Hillary Clinton post 9/11 money grab play book. Wonder how the demanded WTC site air quality studies are coming along?
"Some 70 (m) million tons of hazardous waste remain on the Gulf Coast."
Oh come on. Nagin and Landreaux don't weigh that much.
Landreaux doesn't have a hgh enough rank to chastize a raw boot recruit!
Man, you are a genious... I would absolutely love to see that.
I just read a report from Keesler AFB in Biloxi that the New Orleans looters were looting base housing there in Biloxi. The people in the shelters were not allowed to leave the on-base shelters because of the safety issue from the rampant looting. Amazing...
Any area of NOLA that had standing water for more than 2 days should be stripped and allowed to go to wetlands. That way the people will be safe.
Yeah, that would be a great comeback to the whining and puling of Landrieu: Mary, baby, we are declaring NOLA a hazardous Superfund site and it may be many years before we can allow anyone back in there.... I think Mary's just bleating for more attention "look at ME, look at ME" and more funds. Actually, I got an email today from the NOLA Convention and Visitors Bureau (because I was supposed to be at a conference in NOLA soon, which was cancelled) boasting of how minimal the environmental issues turned out to be, how well the clean-up is going, etc. I'm sure they have as much incentive to minimize problems as Mary Landrieu may have to maximize the problems, but maybe the truth lies somewhere between the two versions.
OMG - just love your statement. Indeed, an EIS would be SO appropriate for NO! Haaaa...............
The EPA et al have made things so difficult to achieve any kind of forward path, it is only fitting. Kudos!!!
On Fox News the other day, there was a retired military officer who was talking about the Katrina and Rita situation. He said that Mississippi and Alabama are working hard to repair everything and get life back to normal. The state and local officials are working the system with FEMA, etc and things are starting to move. They still have a ways to go, but there has been a big improvement.
OTOH, Louisiana is um, still quite 'humble' (in his words.) I think they're just sitting there with their hands held out, waiting for the feds to rescue them. No local or statewide plan to fix the mess they're in, just throw money our way is the general attitude in LA, especially NO.
The EPA rams requirements down the throats of citizens with the Senate's blessing. Now, with the shoe on the other foot, they complain 'it pinches'.
There is no exceptional health hazard caused by the storm - see the CDC. Avoid obviously unhealthful contact - like with ignorant functionaries, bathe reqularly, maintain a healthful diet and avoid excess - ignorance.
Jack Lemmon was denied an Oscar repeatedly until he made Paper Tiger; there is a parallel here.
These self-serving politicians already on the campaign trail profiting from the disaster caused mainly by their own failure to prevent the destruction of their city and a great portion of the state pretending they had no part in the crime are too proud to kneel at the altar of absolution; instead, they stand astride it and bleat loudly at the innocent shepherd and all his dogs.
What arson is on a small scale, political diffidence is on the grand stage of pork piracy.
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