[StBernard] Plaquemines approves levee plan that protects neighboring St. Bernard

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Mon Jan 18 11:14:27 EST 2010


Plaquemines approves levee plan that protects neighboring St. Bernard
By Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune
January 18, 2010, 4:21AM

Resolving what could have been a four-month delay to a crucial piece of the
levee system around St. Bernard Parish, the Plaquemines Parish Council has
unanimously approved a plan for a small stretch of the project to cross into
Plaquemines.

The requirement presented a sticky scenario for politicians in Plaquemines:
They were asked to sign off on a plan that would help St. Bernard, but would
actually increase the risk of flooding in their own parish.

The issued revolved around the Caernarvon floodwall, a mile-long sliver of
the Chalmette Loop Levee system, a more than 20-mile ring of concrete walls
meant to reduce the risk of flooding in St. Bernard Parish from a so-called
100-year hurricane. The floodwall ties the 100-year system, at a height of
26 feet, into the Mississippi River levee.


Because of logistical issues with businesses in St. Bernard Parish, the Army
Corps of Engineers designs called for the floodwall to cross the parish line
into Plaquemines, near the town of Braithwaite. So the Plaquemines had to
sign an agreement for work to proceed.

The end result is a massive, improved levee system built around St. Bernard
Parish but one that entirely leaves out the east bank of Plaquemines.
Non-federal levees on the east bank of Plaquemines are only eight feet high,
by comparison.

Several St. Bernard officials were concerned that the Plaquemines council
might not sign off on the plan, but ultimately members said they did not
want to harm their neighbors in St. Bernard.

"The criminal act is what the federal government is doing, not what St.
Bernard is doing," said Plaquemines Councilman Burghart Turner. "There was
no real benefit to us in not supporting them, and a lot of benefit in
supporting them. Not only that they're our neighbors and friends, but also
our great allies in this case."

St. Bernard Councilmen Wayne Landry and Fred Everhardt attended the
Plaquemines meeting last week, assuring them that they would lobby for
Plaquemines to also receive 100-year levee protection.


The 100-year levee alignment approved by Congress has ignited controversy on
both the east and west banks of Plaquemines Parish. Although St. Bernard,
Orleans, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes are included in the 100-year
improvements, the vast majority of Plaquemines is left out.

At the Plaquemines meeting, Landry pointed out that even without the
council's approval, the corps would eventually get the land rights secured
in Plaquemines. But the delay could put the project behind schedule by as
much as three to four months, potentially putting St. Bernard at risk for
another hurricane season in 2011.

"It was overwhelmingly obvious that they were extremely passionate and
sincere about protecting Plaquemines Parish," Landry said. "I realize this
is kind of bittersweet, that they're not getting the flood protection system
and we are, but at the end of the day they did the right thing."

Landry and others from St. Bernard have pledged to lobby for Plaquemines to
get the same amount of protection in a trip to Washington this week. Doing
so would require another act of Congress.

Turner said he appreciated the pledge, but that Plaquemines will need a lot
more help in getting the same amount of protection as neighbors to the
north.

"It's not going to change unless we get outside help, to highlight the
injustice, the unfairness, the imbalance of it all," he said. "St. Bernard
could play a part in getting us 100-year protection, and I believe they
would with all their might. But it's not within their means to do so. The
federal government has the means to do so, but they don't have the will to
do it."




More information about the StBernard mailing list