Ivor Heerden
Ivor Heerden
basically lobbyists plan
I was basically shocked. What do lobbyists know about a plan for the reconstruction and restoration of Louisiana?
above chemical damage edge eye feet plants port potential sea virtually wind
All of those chemical plants have the potential to be flooded, especially those at Port Arthur, where the levees are only 14 feet above sea level. Those are going to be virtually on the edge of the eye wall. You could see significant wind damage from those facilities, too, and you could see chemical releases.
few further orleans projects start step
This is just a few Band-Aids, really. We really need to go the step further and start implementing projects now that would make New Orleans safe.
response
Their response to me was: 'Americans don't live in tents,' and that was about it.
bill lobbyists louisiana scientists together
This was a bill put together by lobbyists without any involvement from scientists from Louisiana who know the situation.
bothers died people
What bothers me the most is all the people who've died unnecessarily.
informed people warned
They should have been monitoring this and informed people all the way to the top, then they should have warned people.
debris drinking houses increase lines power rapid roads threat
No sewage, no drinking water, contamination, threat of rapid increase in mosquitoes, roads are impassible, downed power lines everywhere, trees, debris from houses in the roads, no way to go shopping, no gas.
bottom line unless
The bottom line I got out of this is that unless you were a lobbyist, they did not want you to participate.
failure failures fairly structural typical walls
This is fairly typical of some of the failures we've seen. These walls underwent catastrophic structural failure.
lost people plate security step trusted
People trusted the security of the levee system. More than 100,000 people lost everything. The government's at fault, and they should step up to the plate to give people some semblance of dignity.
leaving orleans undertake vulnerable
If we don't undertake the levee reconstruction and coastal restoration, we're just leaving New Orleans more vulnerable than it was before.
concern focus protecting
My concern was that the focus was not on protecting Louisiana.
days water
It's going to be days before they get all that water out.