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In
the year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region,
government officials have called for those who fled to return
and rebuild.
As part of the Online NewsHour's coverage of Hurricane Katrina,
one year later, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who was criticized
by some in the storm's aftermath for mismanagement, answered questions
about the impact of what has been called the worst natural disaster
in U.S. history. The following are questions submitted by the
NewsHour Extra audience.
Question From Ted Roland, Age 20, Baltimore,
MD:
Where did all the debris and garbage
collected from the storm go? What will be the long-term damage
to the environment?
Governor Blanco responds:
Hurricane Katrina was the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history
and left unprecedented volumes of debris across South Louisiana.
To understand the magnitude of this storm, consider the fact that
22 million tons of construction and demolition debris (C&D)
was generated by Hurricane Katrina, that's more than 20 times
the amount generated in the devastating attack on the World Trade
Center in New York September 11, 2001. One of our state's largest
landfills only processes about one million tons of debris each
year. Today, nearly 15 million tons of C&D debris has been
removed from areas impacted by Katrina.
More than 10,000 tons of household hazardous waste have been
collected and properly disposed of.
Since the storm, 870,000 white goods, which include refrigerators,
stoves, washing machines and similar items, and 650,000 electronic
goods have been recycled. More than 200,000 insured vehicles have
been removed and recycled.
Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality is responsible
for managing the debris disposal and recycling process. The Army
Corps of Engineers and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are
responsible for collecting and disposing of debris in New Orleans
created by the hurricane. The state is working to ensure that
these materials are collected safely and disposed of in an environmentally
sound manner.
All waste streams are segregated and disposed of at the proper
landfill.
Each landfill is permitted to handle the waste stream and all
the safeguards are in place to ensure that they are protective
of human health and environment.
There is a bright spot found among much of the debris around
New Orleans and other parts of our state. Good portions of these
materials are being created by Louisianans returning home and
beginning to rebuild. While debris remains a challenge for our
communities, new debris generated by the return of our people
cleansing out their lives and beginning to rebuild is very encouraging.
Question from Stacy Alicia Rawls, Age
17, Oregon, WI:
Last year we did a science unit on New
Orleans and my group decided it did not make sense to build a
city in a bowl and the city should move up the Pontchartrain river
to higher ground. Why do you think New Orleans should be rebuilt
in a place that is too dangerous to live? I do not think it is
realistic or smart.
Governor Blanco responds:
New Orleans is one of a kind, and the rich history and culture
of this unique city have been shaped by the twists and turns of
the Mississippi River. French explorers founded the city in its
current location after they discovered high ground between the
Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. Today, more than 200
years later, the strategic location of New Orleans still provides
the United States valuable access to the Gulf of Mexico. Americans
depend on our working coastline to power the nation and our estuaries
to feed the nation. New Orleans is one of America's greatest ports
and is critical to our country's economy; America needs New Orleans.
The centuries of history that fill New Orleans make the city
one of the most special places in the United States. Generations
of our families have made their memories in the city's streets
and are proud to call New Orleans home. The sights, sounds, tastes
and smells that have made New Orleans known around the world are
very much alive and well worth preserving. That's why we are so
dedicated to recovery. That's why President Bush and Congress
have committed the critical federal dollars we need to support
our rebuilding efforts.
The safety of our people is always my top concern, and guides
every element of our recovery. By working with leaders at all
levels of government, the state is executing a plan that is building
a safer, smarter and stronger Louisiana. I am determined to see
the Army Corps of Engineers reinforce our levees so that they
are stronger than ever before and enable the city to withstand
powerful storms. We are making tremendous progress, but must remind
ourselves that we will not always win the battle against nature.
All of our communities must prepare for unexpected disasters.
Citizens must be smart when storms head our way and evacuate to
safety.
Great cities around the world face the realities of existing
on fault lines, near volcanoes, in tornado alleys and on coastlines
susceptible to hurricanes. We continue to improve our evacuation
plans and are investing in the updated equipment our first responders
need. We are improving communication channels and pre-positioning
resources in advance of storms. We will keep our people safe.
Question from Sarah Hotchikiss, Age
17, Newark, NJ:
I have read stories that say the biggest
problem is red tape. What is red tape? why is it a problem? how
big is the problem? how to you fix the problem? can people who
do not live in new orleans help?
Governor Blanco responds:
People use the term "red tape" to describe the procedures
followed by government at all levels to receive money in order
to implement policies and programs or execute actions that serve
our people. Sometimes these procedures and the required paperwork
and oversight create delays, causing people to become frustrated.
We try hard to reduce the paperwork (red tape), but this oversight
is designed to prevent fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.
Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisianans experienced
some delays in receiving our aid or assistance because local,
state and federal governments must often work together to process
requests, route funding and approve programs. For example, when
I created the Road Home program to assist our citizens as they
rebuild their homes and return to Louisiana, I had to work with
Congress to receive the money we need to help our people. After
an inadequate amount of funds were allocated to Louisiana, I had
to go back for more. We had to wait ten long months to have our
request approved, but we finally received approval in June and
the federal government released the money to us in July. When
we received the money we needed, we immediately went to work and
in August we began opening housing assistance centers around the
state to help homeowners get the funds and information they need
to get back into their homes. I have visited the centers, spoken
to many citizens, and seen with my own eyes that it is working.
To ease delays and ensure that Louisiana receives the help it
needs, I continue to meet regularly with local and federal leaders
to learn about how I can help things move quickly and to ensure
that they know what our needs are. I had several productive meetings
with members of Congress and continue to work with Louisiana's
delegation in Congress to get our people the help they need. My
door is always open to local leaders because they are in the best
position to help me understand the specific needs of their communities.
People outside New Orleans can definitely help us, and we need
your help. You can write and call the President and your members
of Congress and tell them that you want them to help Louisiana's
recovery. You can volunteer your time and talents to the various
organizations helping our people along Louisiana's entire coast,
as well as the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, a fund
we created to provide assistance directly to our communities.
Tell your friends, family members and neighbors that Louisiana
still needs a great deal of help. Please join us in our efforts
and always keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Question from Kara House, New York,
NY:
How many people have returned home to
Louisiana? How many people do you think should return home? What
are you doing to help people decide to come home?
Governor Blanco responds:
We estimate that 455,000 people were displaced in Orleans Parish
alone during Hurricane Katrina and believe that 230,000 of our
displaced citizens returned to Orleans Parish by July. In each
parish, people are returning home at different rates. For example,
Jefferson Parish, just outside of New Orleans, is almost back
to its pre-storm population level of 450,000. While some of this
rebound is due to the relocation of residents from adjacent storm-damaged
parishes, much of it can be attributed to the return of Jefferson
Parish residents. I want every Louisianan to have the chance to
come home because we need them here as we build a promising future
for our state.
Now is a great time of opportunity in Louisiana. Our unemployment
rate is the lowest in the state's history. People who want to
work can find jobs here as we are transitioning to a recovery
economy. We are investing in new job training programs to ensure
that Louisiana has a skilled workforce to meet the rebuilding
needs of our communities. There is an unyielding spirit of optimism
across our state as more and more people return home and become
an active part of the promising things that we are doing here.
I know how difficult things are for our friends and neighbors
who left during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, which hit
our shores just one month apart, because I have met so many of
them and listened to their concerns. These storms did more than
destroy buildings; they shattered thousands of lives. To help
our families come home I created the Road Home program, which
is providing housing assistance to displaced families. This program
focuses on the individual needs of our families as they make the
transition home. These transactions are more than real estate
transactions; they are emotional transactions and they are giving
people hope. We have opened ten housing assistance centers around
our state to give people the attention they deserve and are providing
the funds and aid our people need to rebuild their homes and lives
right here in Louisiana.
Click
here to find out more about NewsHour Extra.
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Louisiana
Governor Kathleen Blanco answers your questions about the rebuilding
of the Gulf Coast region.
It makes me want to come to school every day, and it has given me something that I’m really good at.
