notes from across the pond

Here’s the rough and ready version of my notes from this morning’s first panel at Senator Landrieu’s Louisiana Hope & Recovery Summit. I’ll post a more polished version later.

Governor Mike Huckabee, the surprise second place finisher in the Iowa Ames Straw Poll, is up next…

Coastal Restoration, Levees and Infrastructure Panel:

Lee Zurich - Moderator, WLL Reporter
Richard Capka
Brigadier General Robert Crear
Carlton Dufrechou
Randy Hanchey
Jerome Ringo
Randy Roach
Jerome Seringue

BG Crear:
Public safty no.1 concern
Inform you of changes since Katrina
Part response effort, led Fed response effort
2800 people on grounds, international teams
Repaired 220 miles levees and flood walls in record time, 59 contracts, 29 contractors (mostly local to repair economy)
Commissioned interagency development task force to understand what happened
As repairs made improvements considered
Much stronger and better than b4 Katrina
Learn how to get facts out better
Leadership changed, here for long haul
Looking at hurricane system as a whole
Brought in senior exec civilian as director taskforce hope - Karen Aguilera
More work than NOLA district can cope with itself
NOLA district has new commander

Few highlights:
Chair Powell announced $7.6m from administration.
Give us fundwing, we can get the job done
Left door open about cost share
Instructed to start grassroots effort to get feedback
Overcome issues cost share
NOLA will have comprehensive, state of the art protection system
BY 2011, to
By Dec, report to Congress with array alternatives to protect from Cat 5.

Mark Davis, Tulane Uni:
Opportunity to formally move beyond notion recovery and into era rebuilding, refocusing and revitalization
Know now not will be what we had
Learned value of what we have
Sights high and tolerance for failure low
Accepted easy answers which got in way. Compromised too frequently. opportunity and obligation to do it differently.
100/200 year protection is abstract
Need to think what it takes to live, invest and build families here
Important to relect on why NOLA here in first place
Not only city that suffers from flooding
Can be leader
Remember Mississippi that built coast and city
Rising sea levels, climate change all need to be discussed, but availbility fresh water not nearly discussed enough
Must use natural advantages to

Carlton Dufrechou:
V.emotional response. Will make it back!
Community/region can be better than it ever has, but got to make hard decisions
Most of us have made, but must continue
Levees enough aren’t enough
Finally have semblance of true hurricane system
Lot done, new levees on MRGO and Gulf intercoastal waterway
New pumps on Westbank, harvey canal
If Katrina tomorrow, we’d flood in industrial canal area
Here for future
Can’t restore everything we had
Got to make difficult decisions
Not everything can be protected
Have to elevate, plan stategically and intelligently
Lets advance clock to 2030. Imagine what it will be like

Randy Hanchey:
Bring good news, shortly after Katrina hit NOLA, state had no meetings to decide what to do to help recovery and get serious about coastal restoration
Put together team and plan
Completed last April, approved unanimously through 4 committees
Now in implementation process
Proud of plan, good plan
Lake Pont Basin Foun and Corps have made suggestions
Corps will have report out in Dec with work for next 6 months
Gradually closing in on consensus plan
State not waiting
Most $15bn being spent in South LA
Leg provided $200m in additional funding
Coastal impact assistance prog will provide over $500m
Selecting firms to do designs
Will see significant projects

Jim Ray:
Getting transportation network up and running crucial to nation
One of busiest ports in US
Freight vol expected to grow by 70% by 2020
Need to move forward
$1.2bn made availble by admin
Most done through Emergency Relief prog - Fed Highways possible
Done through reimbursement - possible to reimburse LA for repairs made since Katrina/Rita
Can’t move forward without money
Committed to making money available
Working side by side with local officials
Replacement twin span bridge between NOLA and Slidell - $28m
Pick up entire tab
Completed 2009 and 2010
Hurricanes part of life, but must build higher and stronger so survive
Shouldn’t think recovery over cos can fly in, etc
Long way to go

Jerome Ringo:
Focusing on global warming as primary issue
First climate refugees in US from LA
Never imagined warm waters of globe would impact inensity storms
Build coalition around clean energy
Build clean economy for America
Diversify energy portfolio
Create new green economy
LA has resources for alternative energy
All elements in place
Time for solidarity from all walks of life

Randy Roach:
Do you regret or begrudge attention given to SE LA?
No, we suffered a lot, but understand what has happened to major US city
Never happened b4
Mistake to think of Katrina and Rita as 2 different events
1 event that was 24/25 days long
Can tell stories of people from NOLA who stayed in SW LA
1 think that stands out is: we talk about infrastructure, rebuilding, but can’t forget priority = people
Cuture of coastal LA is unique and precious
Created in area unlike any other
Preserved unique, cultural heritage based on unique way of life
If not careful, can rebuild infrastructure, buildings, but great care must be taken to rebuild cultural heritage
Traditions at great risk
Its people and uniqueness needs to be retained
At risk today
Losing it at rate faster than coastal erosion
Thank you for what has been done

Jerome Zeringue:
Katrina/Rita 1 event
2005 - Terrebone/Lafourche received 1/2 punch
Worst flooding in over 150 years
Highest rates coastal landloss in world
No flood protection
Will cripple oil and gas infrastructure
Gas prices will sky rocket
60 miles SW NOLA, over 200,000 people
At apex nation’s energy production
900 miles pipelines protected by wetlands
Connected to over 50% nation’s refinaries
Integral role in migatory bird flyway
Morganza levee system first of its kind allowing water to flow between salt and fresh water

Bill Jennings, Metarie
What is prognosis for Lake Pont barrier plan? To install floodgates and prevent surge Lake Pont. Talked about in 1970s, but decided to fight floods on Canal Street
Personally feel holds promise to protect entire 100 mile coast line more efficiently than patching up canals
How do you feel this will advance?

BG Grear:
Have until Dec to take to Congress array of alternatives up to Cat 5
Understand 100 year level protection not acceptable
Looking at what can be done
Talk specifically of past project
Will incorporate lessons learned from past

Carlton Dufrechou:
Try to keep things as natural as possible
Gates on passes, we’re normally completed opposed to
Public safety takes priority
Gates should be investigated
Critical mimick 2 title passages
Only closed during storm
Lake Pont, 630 miles, water surface will tilt as storm approaches to NOLA
Gates will help, but always run rish of tilting
Always need for levees
Didn’t get hit from flooding from Pont/Katrina
Got hit by failure in region
Weakest point = industrial canal

Russell Kelly, Pres + CEO Trucking Company:
What is the corps plan? To continue up to 29th or turn over to city?

BG Grear:
Responsibility will cease on 29th

Sandie Rosental, Exec Dir Levees.org
How vulnerable is Eastbank between now and 2011?
Anything Corps could do to protect us till then

Carlton Dufrechou:
Corps plans very good
Industrial canal main weak point
Advocate doing something in near term
Will flood probably in that area
Corps has looked at interim recommendation immediately east parish road to provide interim protection

BG Grear:
Looking at what is scientifically possible to do
Will get briefing on alternatives

Lee Zurich:
Corps did flood gates and pumps at canal, why when those installed an interim structure not worked on knowing that would be shortern solution?

BG Grear:
Great question
To prevent hurricane coming into Lake Pont, gates were answer
Raise gates higher or our in canal
All those take lots studies
Have solution for that, but will take to 2011
Looking at raising height wall
But weakens whole solution
Should be able to tell what is feasible in few days

Carlton Dufrechou:
Community can’t wait till 2011
Can’t risk it. Invested life savings.
Corps has ability
Weighing economics. More feasible to spend on long term and not $100m on short term solution.
Do interim protection for industrial canal area

BG Grear:
Committed to interim protection before 2011

Karen Aguilera:
Looking at alternatives for some time
Recognize need
Goal to have in place by 2008
Finished engineering analysis
Will decide in week or so what can build
Goal to be done by next summer

Alan Gayer, Air Products and Chemicals (NOLA East)”
Engineering effort seems to be dragging on. Elevations supposed to be set in march. Permanent floodgates could be in design right not, if elevations set. What’s happening?

BG Grear:
Working with urgency to get it done

Alan Gayer:
Maintenance pumping stations is at risk with reduced tax base city. Any plans to improve them through Coprps?

BG Grear:
Working on it. more capability now than pre-Katrina

Walter Williams, Filmmaker - NOLA:
Since Corps decided will close Geaux? cos saltwater erosion, small % oil canals dug in La. Why isn’t oil industry being asked to pay?
2 revenue sources, 2 working at same time?

Mark Davis:
Must find multiple funding pools
Shouldn’t be anything off table
Challenge with oil and gas - laws on liability not set up for injuries we have
Legal system not set up to provide that kind of remedy
Could be
Foster Campbell and Treen would have idea about reconfiguring tax base so oil and gas contibute
Million ways one can approach it
Blame one thing
Legal libaility another
Moral duty not a factor in board rooms
How do you get oil and gas to put more in? Bigger question - are we set up to make the decisions that need to be made
Talking about cat 5 protection from next study corps does
Auth process distinct from funding process
Need to be able to turn those into actions, that’s just one of them

Mr Hannity:
Been around since beginning restoration prog
State made decision not to blame wetland loss on them
Pipeline canals have contrib, but other things
Revenue from oil and gas, including offshore, will enable implementation large scale coastal restoration prog
State stands to get large share OCS revenues in 10 years
Trying to bridge gap
Will be paying ultimately

Randy Roach:
Not just oil and gas industry
Unfair to blame them for all loss
City is home 12th largest port in nation, services refinaries and int. trade/shipping interests
Channel 30 miles long, 40 ft wide and 40 ft deep
Pipeline of salt water
Variety of funding sources required
Can’t do it without federal government support
All nation benefits, therefore all must pay

John Martin, Live in NOLA
Been part of, read, heard plans to do x, y, z….
Convinced barrier islands and coastal wetlands as important if not more important
Is there going to be a timeline, benchmarks, sth concrete we can hold people accountable to?

Randy Hanchey:
For first time, state has money
$700m to spend
Developed annual plan
Identified projects
Hired engineers
Will see some come to fruition in 12-18 months
Prev. operating on budget $25m a year
Some early action projects are restoration barrier shoreline

John Martin:
5 years ago, estimated will cost over $20bn to protect barrier islands
Not $700m
Do we have something in mind to make it sustainable?

Mary Louise Smith, NOLA:
Came across presentation about ecocities
Exciting technology available in terms of city design
Incredible opportunity to redesign with solar, reprocessing/recycling
Toxic soup after Katrina
Doesn’t have to be that way
NOLA could be prototype for US

Jerome Ringo:
I was delegate at Kyoto
Rest of world got it
US suffered from cat 5 denial
US lags behind in use alternative energy
Haven’t recognized eco opportunity
LA has resources
Will require coalition that includes industry
Greenfitting/retrofitting buildings 1 thing
PA set 18% renewable standard - Spanish co moved to PA, created 1000 new jobs
Create new workforce, new jobs, people laid off can return to work
Especially in NOLA

1. Environmentally friendly
2. Stimulate economy
3. Energy independence

Reggie Dupre (State Sen.22):
Lead author constitutional amendment that dedicates 100% offshore oil and gas revenues to coastal restoration
From Montague LA. Live in Bird, LA
Studying since 1992 for hurricane protection
Don’t take 4 years to know if put flood gate on industrial canal, 14ft flood surge will be prevented
Waiting 15 years for hurricane protection system, signed 2001
No water bill in US since 2000
Why need further study? Tired of it

Carlton Dufrechou:
Not recommending further study
Recommending hard decisions
Population centers got to be protected
Agree should be protected to 500+ years protection
Not slowing down protection for rural communities
Looking at what is sustainable
Setting ourselves up for failure again otherwise
Areas closer to coast will always be vulnerable
Used to build on ridges, elevation
Not to say won’t be protected, just not by levee system

Jerome Zeringue:
Lot of misconception about projects
Not impounding 100,000s acres
Ecosystem and flood protection can coexist