(Kenner, La.) – Today, U.S. Sen. David Vitter and local business leaders called on the Bush Administration to adopt a sound plan and statement for stronger, more reliable hurricane and flood protection. 

            “In his Jackson Square speech, the President committed to helping rebuild New Orleans and Louisiana stronger and more secure than before.  This must start with stronger, more reliable hurricane and flood protection. 

            To follow up on his commitment, the President must announce a detailed plan and commitment to get this done.  It should include completing planning and design and making expedited decisions on a comprehensive hurricane and flood protection system for South Louisiana, including Category 5 protection where appropriate; immediate work to ensure that the heavily populated areas of metropolitan New Orleans have true, updated Category 3 protection quickly; and a new Coastal Louisiana Hurricane And Flood Protection Commission to get this done right and as soon as possible,” said U.S. Sen. David Vitter. 

            Over the past months, Vitter has been meeting with and pushing the Administration on a plan for hurricane and flood protection.  Two-thirds of the Louisiana Congressional delegation has signed on to Vitter’s proposed plan and commitment.  The rest of the Congressional delegation, Governor Blanco, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, and local officials are currently reviewing it.  Below is the proposed plan and commitment in more detail as well as the businesses that attended the meeting today and endorsed it:

1.                  The President is committed to the planning and design of a complete hurricane protection system for all of south Louisiana.  This will include making expedited decisions on higher levels of protection throughout South Louisiana, including Category 5 protection where appropriate.  The full authorization and appropriations for this planning and design work has been approved by the Congress. 

2.                  In the interim, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at work now repairing and rebuilding all levee sections in the metropolitan New Orleans area destroyed, breached, damaged, or compromised by Hurricane Katrina.  This will correct for design, construction, and maintenance problems; add height lost through settling and subsidence; and take into account coastal land loss that occurred since original construction.  This is being done on an emergency basis at 100% federal cost and will be substantially completed by June 1, 2006.  This specifically includes all impacted areas in Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes.

3.                  Also in the interim, the President is committed to improving the system to ensure that it offers true, updated Category 3 protection in the current high population areas of metropolitan New Orleans. As much of this as possible will be done under current Corps authorization and by June 1, 2006.  The remainder will be done by securing additional authorization and appropriations with the goal of completion by June 1, 2007.

4.                  Much like the creation of the Mississippi River Commission after the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, the President proposes the creation of the Louisiana Hurricane and Flood Protection Commission to carry out this work under integrated, system-wide, streamlined, and expedited conditions.  The Commission will be composed of Corps representatives and outside engineering, environmental, and management experts.  It will accomplish its mission by: a) unifying what are now dozens of separate hurricane and flood protection projects into a master plan; b) integrating this with coastal restoration work, which is an essential element of effective hurricane and flood protection, as well as navigation and storm damage reduction efforts; c) using an updated benefit/risk analysis that properly accounts for risks posed to high population areas; d) using the best science and expertise available from around the world, including building into the design and construction process regular outside expert review; and e) acting with a real sense of urgency in an expedited way.

Businesses endorsing statement:

3001, Inc.

Acadian Ambulance

Advantage Capital

Apogen Services

Apogen Technology

BearingPoint

Custom Risk Services

Daybrook Fisheries, Inc.

Digital Engineering and Imaging

Downtown Development District

Entergy

Eustis Benefits, LLC

Favrot and Shane

Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass, North, LLC

Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Hotel Monteleone

Jefferson Business  Council

Keller Williams Reality

La. Landscape

Louisiana Corporate Credit Union

MCM Benefits, Inc.

Omni Bank

Pinnacle Engineering

Select Properties

Siemens

Standard Mortgage

Strategic Planning Association, LLC

The Gray Insurance Co.

The Livingston Group

Whitney National Bank