[StBernard] Progress marks second anniversary of Hurricane Rita

[Westley Annis]

Progress marks second anniversary of Hurricane Rita
A column by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco 

Two years ago, when Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana and Mississippi, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents, Southwest Louisiana opened its homes, its communities, and its hearts. Many evacuees took refuge in the Lake Charles Civic Center for weeks, as Southwest residents selflessly donated their time and resources to help those in need.

Just three weeks later, those who helped so selflessly needed help themselves as Hurricane Rita turned toward Southwest Louisiana. After enduring the third most expensive hurricane in this nation's history, the region now faced its own rebuilding challenges -- replacing lost homes, damaged infrastructure, ailing industries and fractured marshlands.

Many affected by Hurricane Rita have told me they sometimes feel forgotten. On the eve of this second anniversary of Rita, I say to the strong-spirited people of this region, Louisiana has not forgotten you, and neither have I. 

So far more than $300 million in actual construction funds have been spent on the ground in the parishes most devastated by Rita, with hundreds of millions of investment on the way. The Louisiana Recovery Authority just approved $16 million for long-term recovery projects in Cameron, Calcasieu and Vermilion parishes. Local leaders will focus these funds on crucial developments identified by citizen-led planning processes in the area. 

In other signs of progress, traffic has increased at the Lake Charles Regional Airport, which breaks ground on a new terminal in coming weeks. McNeese researchers secured a grant through the LRA and Board of Regents' Research Recovery Program to invest in the university's research capacity and its potential economic benefits. In Cameron Parish, high school athletes and students just dedicated the field of the South Cameron Sports Complex. And thanks to some $25 million in state and federal funds, a new South Cameron Memorial Hospital is scheduled to open in the coming months. The hospital is being rebuilt to withstand hurricane force winds and at a higher elevation for safety, as the only hospital serving this area and offshore oil workers working nearby.

Meanwhile, I continue to work with federal, state and local officials to solve problems that stand in the way of rebuilding these areas, including calling for a Coast Guard Mission Assignment to remove debris remaining in South Louisiana waterways, threatening the safety of commercial fishermen and water recreation enthusiasts. 

Soon I will travel to Washington, D.C. to fight for full funding of the state's Road Home program. I will call on Congress and the White House to ensure that all Louisiana homeowners, regardless of where they live or which storm they endured, have the grant funds they need to rebuild their homes and return to this great state.

Though the task at hand is far from finished, the people of Southwest Louisiana continue to inspire me each day with their hard work and dedication. I am proud to say that Southwest Louisiana is coming back, better than ever.

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org