Confusion over who should have fixed leaking New Orleans levees

AP via NOLA ^ | 12/15/2005 | LARA JAKES JORDAN

[ncountylee]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal engineers trying to stop New Orleans flooding were unsure who was in charge of fixing the levees amid the confusion of Hurricane Katrina, according to interviews with congressional investigators released Thursday by a Senate panel.

In a Nov. 15 interview with investigators, Army Corps of Engineers Col. Richard P. Wagenaar recounted an instance after Katrina hit when federal workers attempted to fill in the breached London Avenue canal and were told to stop.

That led to a discussion of "who is in charge?" Wagenaar said.

"I mean, where's the parish president? Where is the mayor? And then the state, well they work for DOTD," Wagenaar said in the interview, referring to the Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development.

"At some point, you know, you've got to make some stuff happen. Because this was a bad situation," he said.

At Thursday's hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, lawmakers questioned whether officials at all levels of government — federal, state, and local — should share in some blame.

[ncountylee]

"I mean, where's the parish president? Where is the mayor? And then the state, well they work for DOTD," Wagenaar said in the interview, referring to the Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development.

Crying on TV and blaming Bush.

[Semper Paratus]

Stuffing Blanco's fat *** in it would have been a good start.

[American Quilter]

More evidence that we shouldn't be forced to spend one dollar to rebuild that city.

[FishFace222]

"More evidence that we shouldn't be forced to spend one dollar to rebuild that city."

We already were forced to spend money on the levees during the Clintoon admin. Unfortunately, local politicians thought it was more important to build casinos and lockes rather than fortify and repair the levees.

[mattdono]

Confusion over who should have fixed leaking New Orleans levees Well, call me crazy, but if I had to take a wild guess, it would be the, ah...

Orleans Levee Board

[jmaroneps37]

When the dust settles or rather the water drains there will be no confusion over who is at fault. The rat will lose on this one.

[ASA Vet]

Remove the levees, plant Lake New Orleans with stripers.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Confusion over who should have fixed leaking New Orleans levees

Confusion? Why is there confusion? Its SOOOOO obvious.

Its Bush's fault of course. ;P

[H. Paul Pressler IV]

Back when Mike Foster was Governor (1996-2004) the levees were in great condition but one Blanco took the Governor's office in 2004 the Levees failed within a year.


I wonder what Blanco could have done in that one year to make the levees fail?

[andyk]

federal workers attempted to fill in the breached London Avenue canal and were told to stop.

Told to stop by whom, I wonder?

[ncountylee]

Told to stop by whom

Maybe someone that wanted to wet their beak?

While I don't know, AP would not hold blame back from Bush or FEMA.

[andyk]

AP would not hold blame back from Bush or FEMA.

Very true. I'm inclined to think it was a local or state official who was "in charge".

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The Mayor's at his house in Dallas.

[WasDougsLamb]

---They are still busy trying to pass blame off and cover stuff up to decide that just yet.