I didn't understand that part..why was he saying the city turned it all off....I would think that he'd understand 1) the hurricane/floods would have disrupted the service and 2) that anything which was turned off, would have been to prevent fires (i.e., natural gas) or drinking contaminated water (I think I read that water flow, where it worked, was cut off because there were breaks, allowing contaminants in the piping)....
FROM WWL WEBLOG
Updates as they come in on Katrina
06:55 PM CDT on Thursday, September 1, 2005
Tom Planchet
6:54 P.M. WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., issued the following statement today in response to comments in the suburban Chicago Daily Herald by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. The paper reported Speaker Hastert as saying "It doesn't make sense" to rebuild New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Sen. Landrieu said:
"While I disagree strongly with Speaker Hastert's comments regarding the city of New Orleans, he raises a debate that we can address at some time in the future. Right now, however, we have important work to do. I encourage Speaker Hastert and our colleagues to focus time and attention today and tomorrow on providing Louisiana with the local, state and federal security resources necessary to support Governor Blanco's efforts to stabilize this very challenging situation.
"When we do discuss the long-term rebuilding of New Orleans and the parishes of St. Tammany, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and Jefferson, I will do everything I can to express that southeast Louisiana is filled with the most extraordinary of people and blessed with the most extraordinary of resources. Not only are they worth saving, but they are worth every penny of a complete rebuilding effort.
"I thank Speaker Hastert for his concern and look forward to speaking with him in person as soon as we are able."
The main tranmission lines into the city are down....and the Nuclear Plant was shut down...etc. etc. etc.