Hastert: Rebuilding below sea level senseless

AP via WWLTV ^ | 09/01/2005 | AP

[zencat]

It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.

"It looks like a lot of that place could be bulldozed," the Illinois Republican said in an interview Wednesday with The Daily Herald of Arlington, Ill.

[dennisw]

Good common sense from Dennis Hastert

[DeeOhGee]

I'm sure FEMA will be handing out checks to people. I don't know exactly how that is handled either. Anybody know?

One for you, one for me; one for you, one for me; one for you, one for me...

[fooman]

he sure did.

[Loyolas Mattman]

Anyone think it's interesting that the left doesn't want WTC rebuilt as it was, but yet a complete re-build of NOLA is A-OK?

[El Gato]

The Port is definitely important enough to rebuild and the French Quarter wil be restored

The port is important of course, but is that the best place for it. The flow of the Mississippi past NO is artificially maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Left alone the river would be flowing down what is now the Atchafalaya River. It costs big $$ to keep most of it flowing past NO. A new canal could be dug parallel to that river to take enough of the flow to maintain a good port, say in the vicinity of Morgan City.

[El Gato]

Jeeze Denny, don't say this in front of the Dutch!

While North Sea storms can be nasty, they are nothing like a tropical hurricane. The Dutch have allot more room between the sea and the areas requiring maximum protection. IIRC, enough for 3 sets of dikes, which they have.

[meyer]

Taxpayers have been paying for those living in hurricane areas for some time now.

I understand that, and am only moderately unhappy about it. But most of those living in hurricane areas are living above sea level. It really doesn't make sense to build in that situation again.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

The city of Galveston Texas endured a category 5 hurricane 105 years ago. It is commonly referred to as the Storm of 1900. Obviously, this was a time when there was no advance warning system. The highest area of Galveston was a mere 8 feet above sea level, most of the island was around 3 to 4 feet above. The storm surge blew through destroying homes and raking the debris across the island bulldozing all in it's path. The bridges connecting the island to Houston were washed out. It is estimated that around 8,000 people perished. In the aftermath, one thing was certain. Something had to be done about the geography of the island, or this would certainly happen again. Thus came the seawall, and raising the island some 15 feet. Now, consider, this was over 100 years ago. They brought in dirt from the channel and harbor, manually jacked up building and homes and filled in basements. Through hard work and determination they succeeded in this endeavor. Some 15 years later Galveston was hit with another hurricane of similar strength. I believe it was a category 4. They suffered 20 deaths, if memory serves. If the people of New Orleans have the determination and backbone to do it, they can prepare their city for what will surely happen again. If not, then there will be more tragedy to follow.

[El Gato]

LOL! Where's the graft and pork-barrelling in that?

It's Louisiana, there'll be plenty of that, either rebuilding the city in place, or rebuilding it on higher ground not too far away.

[NickatNite2003]

Well I agree with Hastert. It's idiocy to rebuild
in a way that is just as vulnerable to destruction
as what was before.

I feel the same way about the Trafe towers, and
all the crap ass designs they've come up with to
replace them. Yes, they should build a new Trade
Center Complex, But any desi9gn that qwill not
withstnd the types of attacks mage against the
previous towers, should be thrown out as the
ideas of Demo-FOOLS, too stupid to learn from
their mistakes.

[independentmind]

Our landscape is littered with amazing feats of engineering. NO will be rebuilt. It can be done and will be done.

If it is to be done, let it be done with private funding for investors who can afford to take the risk. As as taxpayer, I don't think it's worth the money.

[inquest]

And now for the most important question: How much federal funding did Galveston need or receive from the federal government in order to rebuild? Less than my daily budget, I'd wager.

[RightWhale]

So, don't rebuild the port city?

[inquest]

Not with federal dollars.

[Apple Blossom]

Do you want a Democratically controlled state government to come in and pull the "eminent domain" deal they just got in New England? Won't that be exciting!

[El Gato]

Assume you were to rebuild somewhere further inland, above sea level, how do you determine who owns what??

Buy the land at the new site. Give an equal number of sq feet to all property owners at the old site, or the equivalent in cash. Lots of details, but in essence they would be no different than laying out a new city, such as Brasilia, which was created in the 1950s out the Amazon jungle.

[inquest]

(yeah, yeah, a little redundancy at #192)

[RightWhale]

With what then?

[inquest]

Private funds. If there's an economic need for it, it will attract the capital.

[mark502inf]

It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of federal assistance for hurricane-devastated New Orleans.

Speaker Hastert is exactly right. They can rebuild below sea-level if they want, but not one federal dollar should be allocated to levees and pumps and projects to keep them safe from their own foolhardiness.