They are planning to reopen the 4 neighborhoods that weren't flooded and bring about 150,000 people to New Orleans by next week. No time table on the rest of the city where the flooding was much more severe. I suspect a large chunk of the city will ultimately have to be bulldozed.
Although looking on the bright side, it is a new start. A lot of the places that were flooded out were urban wastelands for decades with every social ill imaginable.
New Orleans gets a clean start now to build a better community.
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tporleans/ ... tml#079482
N.O. to re-open next week, 150,000 people expected
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CajunMama
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If you live in certain floodzones you are required to have flood insurance. I don't live in a floodzone but hey, I live in south LA and have had 6" of water in my home 8 months after we bought it. My realtor talked us out of it since we aren't in a floodzone. I have it now and it runs me $264/year.
My neighbor once said "If you live south of I-10 you'd be crazy not to have flood insurance". He was so right in my case.
My neighbor once said "If you live south of I-10 you'd be crazy not to have flood insurance". He was so right in my case.
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Re: N.O. to re-open next week, 150,000 people expected
logybogy wrote:They are planning to reopen the 4 neighborhoods that weren't flooded and bring about 150,000 people to New Orleans by next week. No time table on the rest of the city where the flooding was much more severe. I suspect a large chunk of the city will ultimately have to be bulldozed.
Although looking on the bright side, it is a new start. A lot of the places that were flooded out were urban wastelands for decades with every social ill imaginable.
New Orleans gets a clean start now to build a better community.
http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tporleans/ ... tml#079482
A lot of the places that were flooded out were not affluent, but they weren't urban wastelands, they were neighborhoods where families made their homes. Some were neighborhoods that were being renovated and improved, some were already upscale. Not to mention St. Bernard Parish, a bedroom suburban community that flooded completely.
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Mattie
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Posted on Sun, Sep. 11, 2005
M O R E N E W S F R O M topix.net
• Flood
• Environmental
• EPA
• Waste Management
Toxic muck beneath the floodwaters threatens New Orleans' future
By Thomas Fitzgerald
Knight Ridder Newspapers
NEW ORLEANS - It all lies submerged in a toxic gumbo: grease and gas from up to 350,000 vehicles; raw sewage; bleach and cleansers from the pantries of 160,000 flood-damaged homes; and, authorities fear, contaminants from damaged chemical plants and refineries.
Olive-colored like Army fatigues, the brew that covers New Orleans is brightened by rainbow petroleum slicks. It stinks of sulfur and rot.
Only when the waters recede will scientists begin to get a taste of what may be one of the largest environmental disasters ever. Then they have to figure out how to clean it up.
"You just cannot understand the magnitude of what we're facing," said Jean Kelly, spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
About 20 million tons of debris will be left behind, much of it coated with potentially toxic muck. State environmental officials are scrambling to find safe ways to burn the debris and to junk the vehicles.
Some scientists caution that the receding floodwaters could leave polluted "hotspots" in the soil that would need to be cleaned up or capped before houses could be rebuilt. Nobody has yet offered an estimate of the staggering costs.
The state DEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took 100 samples of the floodwaters last week. The agencies released test results showing dangerous levels of bacteria. They also detected the presence of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, but have not yet announced details of those findings.
In a statement, Louisiana DEQ said, without elaborating, that "very low levels" of toxics were found in the samples tested Sept. 4-5. Water sampling is ongoing, and the state is drawing up plans for extensive soil tests to begin when the city is dry.
Still, regulators and other scientists acknowledge that the full extent of the environmental devastation from Katrina is not yet known.
The millions of gallons of water being pumped from the city into Lake Pontchartrain bring their own environmental concerns of contamination. And, because the water is low in dissolved oxygen, wildlife officials expect fish kills.
The brackish, 630-square-mile lake is a breeding ground for marine life and birds, including a refuge for the rare sandhill crane. Its drainage basin covers 20 percent of Louisiana, ranging from cypress swamps to saltwater marshes near the Gulf of Mexico.
"The wonderful thing about nature is its resilience," state DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel, a biologist, said at a news briefing last week. "The bacterial contaminants will not last a long time in the lake. ... The organic material will degrade with natural processes. Metals will fall and probably be captured with the sediments."
But in the city itself, questions about contamination could haunt rebuilding efforts.
"What we're talking about are hidden hazards," said Sylvia Lowrance, a former director of the EPA's program regulating industrial toxic waste. "You don't see them, you may not feel the effects for a year, two years, 20 years. And that's what we have to worry about."
She and other independent scientists say that environmental agencies must set up an extensive monitoring regimen and proceed slowly to reopen the city.
"There will be a need to assess ... neighborhood by neighborhood, water system by water system," said Lynn R. Goldman, professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. "Some areas may come on line very quickly, and there are others were it may take a very long time before the `all clear' to rebuild."
But now, water still stands in the lowest-lying areas of New Orleans, and people remain to be evacuated. Late last week, a military Humvee was parked on an Interstate 10 overpass, blasting a warning through loudspeakers to people still stranded in the Seventh Ward: "Do Not Go in the Water!" Soldiers attempting to convince the holdouts to leave repeatedly warn of the dangers from bacteria and toxic chemicals.
On Monday, authorities were to begin spraying pesticides over parts of the city to stop disease-bearing mosquitoes from hatching.
Rescue workers have reported nasty skin rashes and some infections of existing cuts from working in the water, as did some members of an engineering battalion of the Louisiana National Guard shoveling muck from the drying streets in St. Bernard Parish. Many soldiers wear gloves as they ply the waters, but their main precaution, Flick said, is to avoid the water.
"It's deadly," said Sgt. Michael Flick, of the Ohio National Guard, who was searching for bodies by boat in the eastern New Orleans. "You just can't touch this water."
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12619996.htm
The marsh water is already well known for causing skin conditions (nutria rash for one that is pretty nasty) so we can only imagine what has been added to it.
M O R E N E W S F R O M topix.net
• Flood
• Environmental
• EPA
• Waste Management
Toxic muck beneath the floodwaters threatens New Orleans' future
By Thomas Fitzgerald
Knight Ridder Newspapers
NEW ORLEANS - It all lies submerged in a toxic gumbo: grease and gas from up to 350,000 vehicles; raw sewage; bleach and cleansers from the pantries of 160,000 flood-damaged homes; and, authorities fear, contaminants from damaged chemical plants and refineries.
Olive-colored like Army fatigues, the brew that covers New Orleans is brightened by rainbow petroleum slicks. It stinks of sulfur and rot.
Only when the waters recede will scientists begin to get a taste of what may be one of the largest environmental disasters ever. Then they have to figure out how to clean it up.
"You just cannot understand the magnitude of what we're facing," said Jean Kelly, spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
About 20 million tons of debris will be left behind, much of it coated with potentially toxic muck. State environmental officials are scrambling to find safe ways to burn the debris and to junk the vehicles.
Some scientists caution that the receding floodwaters could leave polluted "hotspots" in the soil that would need to be cleaned up or capped before houses could be rebuilt. Nobody has yet offered an estimate of the staggering costs.
The state DEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took 100 samples of the floodwaters last week. The agencies released test results showing dangerous levels of bacteria. They also detected the presence of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, but have not yet announced details of those findings.
In a statement, Louisiana DEQ said, without elaborating, that "very low levels" of toxics were found in the samples tested Sept. 4-5. Water sampling is ongoing, and the state is drawing up plans for extensive soil tests to begin when the city is dry.
Still, regulators and other scientists acknowledge that the full extent of the environmental devastation from Katrina is not yet known.
The millions of gallons of water being pumped from the city into Lake Pontchartrain bring their own environmental concerns of contamination. And, because the water is low in dissolved oxygen, wildlife officials expect fish kills.
The brackish, 630-square-mile lake is a breeding ground for marine life and birds, including a refuge for the rare sandhill crane. Its drainage basin covers 20 percent of Louisiana, ranging from cypress swamps to saltwater marshes near the Gulf of Mexico.
"The wonderful thing about nature is its resilience," state DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel, a biologist, said at a news briefing last week. "The bacterial contaminants will not last a long time in the lake. ... The organic material will degrade with natural processes. Metals will fall and probably be captured with the sediments."
But in the city itself, questions about contamination could haunt rebuilding efforts.
"What we're talking about are hidden hazards," said Sylvia Lowrance, a former director of the EPA's program regulating industrial toxic waste. "You don't see them, you may not feel the effects for a year, two years, 20 years. And that's what we have to worry about."
She and other independent scientists say that environmental agencies must set up an extensive monitoring regimen and proceed slowly to reopen the city.
"There will be a need to assess ... neighborhood by neighborhood, water system by water system," said Lynn R. Goldman, professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. "Some areas may come on line very quickly, and there are others were it may take a very long time before the `all clear' to rebuild."
But now, water still stands in the lowest-lying areas of New Orleans, and people remain to be evacuated. Late last week, a military Humvee was parked on an Interstate 10 overpass, blasting a warning through loudspeakers to people still stranded in the Seventh Ward: "Do Not Go in the Water!" Soldiers attempting to convince the holdouts to leave repeatedly warn of the dangers from bacteria and toxic chemicals.
On Monday, authorities were to begin spraying pesticides over parts of the city to stop disease-bearing mosquitoes from hatching.
Rescue workers have reported nasty skin rashes and some infections of existing cuts from working in the water, as did some members of an engineering battalion of the Louisiana National Guard shoveling muck from the drying streets in St. Bernard Parish. Many soldiers wear gloves as they ply the waters, but their main precaution, Flick said, is to avoid the water.
"It's deadly," said Sgt. Michael Flick, of the Ohio National Guard, who was searching for bodies by boat in the eastern New Orleans. "You just can't touch this water."
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12619996.htm
The marsh water is already well known for causing skin conditions (nutria rash for one that is pretty nasty) so we can only imagine what has been added to it.
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stormie_skies
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Am I the only one who thinks this is really premature?
I would hate to see people flock back to the city just to get sick from all the nastiness left behind from the flood waters .... we could lose more lives and scare people away from New Orleans for good.
You would think they would at least wait til the whole city is drained to make an evaluation....
I would hate to see people flock back to the city just to get sick from all the nastiness left behind from the flood waters .... we could lose more lives and scare people away from New Orleans for good.
You would think they would at least wait til the whole city is drained to make an evaluation....
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Mattie
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discussion also at this post - http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 01#1056501
See the last two entries.
See the last two entries.
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One can hope.
wwltv.com
Nagin to criminals: Don't come back
01:16 PM CDT on Thursday, September 15, 2005
WWLTV.com
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a warning to the criminals and drug gangs who used to dominate certain parts of the city Thursday, saying they aren’t wanted back.
“I told the governor today that for the first time in a long time, the city of New Orleans is crime free and drug free and we want to keep it that way,” said Nagin.
Nagin said any criminals expecting to return to business as usual in New Orleans will be in for a rude awakening.
“Our police officers have even a stronger bond to this community than before,” he said. “And they aren’t taking any crap.”
Nagin said that in addition, there are Army members, National Guard and other special services to ensure order.
He detailed the list of ammunition they were carrying, saying that there were even some “bazookas” reserved for some people.
Nagin said anyone who thinks they can return and resume their criminal activity would have a “rude awakening.”
wwltv.com
Nagin to criminals: Don't come back
01:16 PM CDT on Thursday, September 15, 2005
WWLTV.com
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a warning to the criminals and drug gangs who used to dominate certain parts of the city Thursday, saying they aren’t wanted back.
“I told the governor today that for the first time in a long time, the city of New Orleans is crime free and drug free and we want to keep it that way,” said Nagin.
Nagin said any criminals expecting to return to business as usual in New Orleans will be in for a rude awakening.
“Our police officers have even a stronger bond to this community than before,” he said. “And they aren’t taking any crap.”
Nagin said that in addition, there are Army members, National Guard and other special services to ensure order.
He detailed the list of ammunition they were carrying, saying that there were even some “bazookas” reserved for some people.
Nagin said anyone who thinks they can return and resume their criminal activity would have a “rude awakening.”
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Mattie
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- Location: North Texas (formerly South Louisiana)
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Too much too soon . . . . So the air is safe . . . woo hoo!!! It was just at the end of Bourbon @ Canal that the water rose. . . You can't tell me they expect to draw tourists, except other than those thrill seekers that want to see the damage. C'mon guys - they haven't even gotten the buildings down or secured that may be dangerous to even be around. Imagine opening the city to visitors who want to sightsee, check out the open and exposed retail stores. . . how will they contain that? Bad, Bad idea!!!
These came from an article off my comcast.net home page and the link probably wouldn't copy for non-subscribers, but it probably can be found at other A/P news outlets.
. . .
These came from an article off my comcast.net home page and the link probably wouldn't copy for non-subscribers, but it probably can be found at other A/P news outlets.
[emphasis added]Mayor Ray Nagin announced Thursday that large sections of the city will reopen next week, and the historic French Quarter the week after that. "The city of New Orleans ... will start to breathe again," he said.
The announcement came amid progress in restoring electricity and water service and the day after the release of government tests showing that the floodwaters contain dangerous bacteria and industrial chemicals but that the air is safe to breathe.[/b]
. . .
Nagin said there should be power in most areas where people will be allowed back. [b]But the water in some places will be good only for flushing toilets, not for drinking and bathing, he said.
The mayor said major retailers will use the city's Convention Center to supply returning residents with food, wood and other things they will need.
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jasons2k
- Storm2k Executive
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- Location: The Woodlands, TX
sunny wrote:One can hope.
wwltv.com
Nagin to criminals: Don't come back
01:16 PM CDT on Thursday, September 15, 2005
WWLTV.com
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a warning to the criminals and drug gangs who used to dominate certain parts of the city Thursday, saying they aren’t wanted back.
“I told the governor today that for the first time in a long time, the city of New Orleans is crime free and drug free and we want to keep it that way,” said Nagin.
Nagin said any criminals expecting to return to business as usual in New Orleans will be in for a rude awakening.
“Our police officers have even a stronger bond to this community than before,” he said. “And they aren’t taking any crap.”
Nagin said that in addition, there are Army members, National Guard and other special services to ensure order.
He detailed the list of ammunition they were carrying, saying that there were even some “bazookas” reserved for some people.
Nagin said anyone who thinks they can return and resume their criminal activity would have a “rude awakening.”
Well, not that I necessarily want them back in NOLA, but it's becoming a problem here in Houston unfortunately as many of the problems are now here. Good riddance as far as I'm concerned. (and no this is not directed at the majority of good people who have come; just the troublemakers)
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