[StBernard] EDITORIAL: Building a safer coast

[Westley Annis]

EDITORIAL: Building a safer coast

Monday, April 03, 2006

The fact that South Louisiana is sinking and that our coastline is washing
away is not news to people here.

The evidence is everywhere. Anyone who fishes can see that the shoreline is
receding at a rapid pace. Any homeowners who buy dirt every year to fill in
their yards understand the problem of subsidence.

But in the post-Katrina age, we have discovered that we are more vulnerable
than many of us realized. The canals and levees we trusted to protect us
failed when they should not have.

Now, with new information from the Army Corps of Engineers about what it
will take to repair and raise our levees, it is evident that coastal
Louisiana is sinking at a faster rate than had been thought.

The eye-popping pricetag -- an extra $6 billion on top of the $3 billion in
work already under way -- caused a stir last week. But the underlying causes
are what Louisianians and our elected leaders ought to focus on.

Not only is subsidence occurring at a faster rate than previously thought,
sea levels are rising and the frequency of tropical storms is increasing.
That combination is what led to the dramatic increase in the corps' cost
estimate for levee work.

Louisiana's congressional delegation is pressing the Bush administration to
quickly request the additional $6 billion the corps says is needed, and that
is understandable. Having a sufficient level of storm protection is crucial
to the recovery of greater New Orleans. And the recovery of this region --
which provides oil and gas, seafood and countless other goods to the rest of
America -- is vital to the nation's economy.

The $6 billion figure is what the corps estimates it would take to keep
flood elevations from changing drastically on maps being revised by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency. The maps are used to determine flood
insurance rates and will influence whether residents will be able to get
home loans and affordable insurance, which will be a key to the long-term
recovery of the region.

The levee work already being done would meet that threshold in Old Metairie
and on the east bank of Orleans Parish. Another $3 billion would be needed
to bring Algiers, eastern New Orleans, the Lower 9th Ward, West Jefferson,
most of Jefferson Parish's east bank, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish
and Belle Chasse up to the same level of protection.

With that, about 98 percent of the population could be protected.

The other $3 billion in the corps' estimate would be needed for area's of
Plaquemines Parish below Belle Chasse. Congress may balk at the idea of
spending that much money to secure the homes of 14,725 residents who live at
the edge of the earth.

The argument isn't merely about whether to secure homes, though. Lower
Plaquemines is crucial to oil and gas operations and to the fishing
industry.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon of Napoleonville pointed out that basing
decisions on population overlooks the economic significance of coastal
parishes, and he's right.

That does not mean that levees are all that is needed to secure the coast.
The most sensible approach would be to combine levee work with large-scale
coastal restoration projects to rebuild the marshland that will feed
fisheries and act as a natural buffer to storms. Venice is a hub of economic
activity for fishing as well as oil and gas, and Louisiana 23, which runs
the length of Plaquemines, is a vital artery to those operations.

State, local and congressional leaders ought to look for creative ways to
protect that area and other vulnerable communities.

Coastal restoration has gotten scant attention in Washington, despite the
concerted efforts of Louisiania's congressional delegation.

If we are smart, we will use the corps' latest assessment of the levee
system to not only argue for enhanced flood protection but to push for a
substantial investment in rebuilding our coastal marshes.

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