[StBernard] Ceaning Waterways TP Headlines-Question to Craig

[Westley Annis]

Saw the newspaper this AM and felt good when I read the headlines:
Parish signs deal to clear waterways". but as I read the article it was not
our parish but St, Tammany.
 
They signed a contract with the National Resources Conversation Service, an
agency under the Department of Agriculture, which will pay 75% of the 5.2mil
contract to remove debri from waterways. Of course the parish is responsible
for the other 25% and will request reinbursement from FEMA which they really
do not believe they will ever receive.
 
This project was also fast tracked through an emergency executive order
issued by their chief authority to also allow contractors to go on private
proiperty if necessary to desnag and clean the waterways of trees and debris
toppled by Katrina., "one of our greatest concerns is the large volume of
debris in drainage ways, these blockages create a very real threat of
flooding not only during hurricane season but after any severe weather".
Gee I heard this concern before from Mrs. Keller.,
 
What is wrong with us in St.Bernard?  Unless I missed something, I heard
that we are relying only on the Coast Guard and possibly the La. Wildlife
and Fisheries to help get our waterways clear.   
 
Just this week I spoke with one of the major commercial oyster fishers and
he stated that he cannot get his boats to his property due to debris in the
canal.
 
St. Tammany had the National Resources Conservation Service do an estimate
for cleanup work in St. Tammany waterways at no cost to local gtovernments.
The agency ran out of money in November but they recently got a $300 mil
appropriation from Congress to unclog and repair waterways damaged by last
year's hurricanes.
 
Yes, the money will require a 25 per cent parish match. The parish needs to
get the fishing industry back in full swing.  
 
Craig - has St, Bernard requested a estimate from the National Resources
Conversation Service at all or even considered using them for clean-up? 
 
Jill Dolese