[StBernard] Isaac

[Westley Annis]

Dear friend,	 
While Isaac has been downgraded from a hurricane, it continues to hover over
the region, dumping flooding rains and driving winds that have left nearly a
million people without power in Louisiana.

The federal government has been working with state and local officials and
non-profit relief agencies to prepare for Isaac, and to quickly provide
whatever assistance is needed during and after the storm. FEMA Administrator
Craig Fugate is personally directing the agency's response from on the
ground in Louisiana. In addition, DHS Sec. Janet Napolitano and President
Obama continue to be in regular communications with state and local
leadership. I want to commend Governor Bobby Jindal, Mayor Mitch Landrieu,
affected Parish Presidents and their staffs for their strong and
well-coordinated response. 

The good news is that the re-engineered and rebuilt federal levee
system-with the $14.5 billion investment that came after Hurricane
Katrina-is holding
<http://ct.symplicity.com/t/lan/581f52e2944e5f90b0ce87f042e62a49/411546583/r
ealurl=http://youtu.be/xLm-_a-pS_s> .  This storm was a great test of this
system, and taxpayers in Louisiana and across the country should know that
their investments have paid off.  

 
<http://ct.symplicity.com/t/lan/581f52e2944e5f90b0ce87f042e62a49/411546583/r
ealurl=http://youtu.be/ZtygtqVRO0E> Unfortunately, there has been flooding
in areas of south Louisiana outside the federal levee system. We are doing
everything we can to help the affected people and communities and our hearts
go out to them.
<http://ct.symplicity.com/t/lan/581f52e2944e5f90b0ce87f042e62a49/411546583/r
ealurl=http://youtu.be/ZtygtqVRO0E>  We have also been closely monitoring
the integrity of the dam on the Tangipahoa River and are taking every
precaution to protect the local communities and residents.  

Isaac has reinforced for us once again the vulnerability of these areas as
well as the importance of our Coastal Master Plan to increase flood
protection. Funding from the RESTORE Act is going to be a great down payment
on the Coastal Master Plan, but the next step is to increase revenue sharing
from offshore energy production and lift the current revenue cap. I'm
working to get a full portion of these revenues so we can generate the $500
million per year we'll need to fund this plan and improve our levee and
flood control system. 

Over the coming weeks my staff and I will be focused on analyzing impacts
from Hurricane Isaac. I am committed to pushing for improved flood
protection for areas of our state that so desperately need it. There are
still too many areas without protection, and we have a lot of work left to
do. 

All the best,

Sen. Landrieu