Gothamist: Gulf Coast Braces for Gustav

NannyState

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:29:06 -0500

#4 makes a good point about flood management in the Netherlands but there is a difference: after Katrina, there was a hurried rush to build something that would protect New Orleans as quickly as possible. Those great projects in Europe are often designed decades before they are actually completed. They are well planned and fully funded. A crash program such as those levees in N.O., required actually rebuilding the destroyed levees while quickly designing added improvements and then funding and building those. And it won't be enough. Louisiana has lost so many wetlands and barrier islands to erosion that little lies in the path of any hurricane until it reaches those levees. All of it has to be restored.

emilydickinson

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:53:38 -0500

A few months back there was a series of investigative reports that showed some of the contractors repairing the levies by stuffing them with newspaper. I'm no engineer, but I'm pretty certain that newspaper won't stop a hurricane.

takethecanoli

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:26:24 -0500

Ted Stevens will have his 'series of tubes' filled while in prison.

Spiritof76

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:06:50 -0500

If New Orleans is flooded again, then I don't see how anyone could have any faith in this government's ability to protect its own citizens. It's been proven time and again that you cannot protect people from their own stupidity. They were already resettled elsewhere after Katrina. They never should have come back to an area where they know disaster is going to happen again sooner rather than later.

Gothamist_Cynic

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:50:34 -0500

Here's why

takethecanoli

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:17:55 -0500

With enough money, you could harden any disaster proof area. The question becomes 'why'. Clearcut and there's no forest fires. Triple building costs and earthquakes and hurricanes will be more sustainable. Turn the country into a police state and you'll prevent some terrorist attacks. They should have bulldozed the lower ninth and returned the lowest lying areas to wetlands; the same goes for flood plains up the whole Mississippi river.

Kojak

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:56:13 -0500

If the government had the will, they could protect New Orleans from even the strongest storms. The Delta Works project in the Netherlands is a prime example of a country's determination to protect itself from the high seas. However, Given the amount of poor minority people that live in the New Orleans area, it doesn't seem to be that high on the priority list of the Bush Administration. If New Orleans is flooded again, then I don't see how anyone could have any faith in this government's ability to protect its own citizens.

Rocknrope

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:25:25 -0500

20% done in 3 years, eh? Looks like they're on the "Ground Zero Project Timetable."

Public Relations

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:41:02 -0500

Wonder how different Bush's and Congress' responses would be now mere months before an election - especially with Obama being so popular

Sir Jimbob

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:02:32 -0500

Being on the eastern side of a hurricane is the worst place to be.