FEMA Extends Mission to Clear Marine Debris through Interagency Agreement
Release Date: October 26, 2007
Release Number: 1603-739
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has agreed to make additional recovery assistance available to the state of Louisiana through its Interagency Agreement with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to remove eligible marine debris.
FEMA is aware that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused much havoc to Louisiana's waterways. Approximately 970 miles of the state's waterways were littered with storm-generated debris, and FEMA is committed to ensuring eligible debris is removed.
The USCG is currently conducting survey operations that will form the basis for the future removal of items which pose an immediate threat to public health and safety or the environment from these waterways. Eligible debris may include commercial vessels, wreckage, trees and other vegetation.
To date, the federal government has spent more than $150 million toward marine debris removal in Louisiana.
- More than 1,000 derelict vessels have been removed from Louisiana waterways.
- USCG has removed 172,000 cubic yards of marine debris from 911 miles of waterways
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has removed more than 124,000 cubic yards in St. Bernard Parish.
- More than 100,000 cubic yards of debris was removed from the West Pearl River in St. Tammany Parish.
FEMA's Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office director Jim Stark said FEMA will continue working with the USCG, the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to remove eligible debris from Louisiana waterways. He said recent meetings among those agencies have served to better define priorities and the scope of the removal effort.
"FEMA realizes that marine debris continues to be a threat to public safety and may inhibit the economic recovery of its fishing industry," Stark said. "We are committed to removing eligible storm debris from waterways."
The following parishes have received FEMA funding for the removal of storm-generated debris from waterways, canals and drainage ditches: Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Vermillion, Plaquemines and Orleans. Additional parishes that have received debris removal assistance from the USCG include Iberia, Lafourche and Terrebonne.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 26-Oct-2007 15:00:16