Plaquemine Parish Coastal Restoration Wins Award

click on pictures for larger size

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) has named the Chaland Headland coastal restoration project as one of America's Top Restored Beaches.
The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) -- with NOAA's Fisheries Service as the federal sponsor performed the restoration work with funds from the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act.

The Chaland project was completed this year and is located some eight miles from where Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005.

Three other similar restoration projects -- Pelican Island, East Grand Terre and Chaland Pass to Grand Bayou Pass -- will create beaches and marshes that will help protect Plaquemines, Orleans, and Jefferson parishes.
The project involved pumping 1.79 million cubic yards of sand and 950,000 cubic yards of marsh fill to create a three-mile-long beach -- and backing marsh --- designed to protect wetlands against storms and storm surge. The project has restored over 400 acres of habitat but a second phase of the work is expected to benefit another 400 acres. The second phase of the project will go out for construction award later this year.

2007 Hurricane Prediction

Varg over at the chicory offers his opininon on the latest hurricane predictions .

Here's my take based on the first predictions a month ago

Great Webcomic

After the Deluge

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is about surviving Hurricane Katrina—and its aftermath told through the eyes of fictional characters. It's addictive.

Just the Beginning

John McQuaid: Brace Yourself -- New Orleans Was Just the Beginning

An opinion piece, penned by former Times Picayune journalist John McQuaid
discusses human complacency. An excerpt:
In reality, we are all New Orleans. Environmental change is accelerated there, yes. But similar -- and equally dangerous -- changes are coming down the pike for the rest of us; it's just going to happen a bit more slowly. And we haven't collectively recognized that yet.
…... people don't believe the data because it points to a very strange and different future, one profoundly different than our previous experience.

Culture Returns to NOLA

Culture returns to New Orleans by Jason Berry (Boston Globe 5/19/07)
In a city starved for leadership, a civic ethos is emerging from a cultural community that envisions at-risk schools and youngsters as human resources to salvage. If politicians joined that ticket, New Orleans would find itself a better, smarter, economically stronger place

Payback is now

Our Coast, to Fix or Lose

This is John Barry's article in May 12th WaPo where he argues that fixing the Louisiana coast benefits the WHOLE NATION.

Hey, all you nay sayers, all you NIMBYs, all your people out there who think Louisianians are idiots for living here: WAKE UP!!! All these years you have benefitted from the raping of the Louisiana coast. Payback is now. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself by reading Mr. Barry's article.

Here's an excerpt:


.... Eastern New Orleans (including the lower Ninth Ward) and St. Bernard Parish -- nearly all of which, incidentally, is at or above sea level -- exemplify this allocation of costs and benefits. Three man-made shipping canals pass through them, creating almost no jobs there but benefiting commerce throughout the country. Yet nearly all the 175,000 people living there saw their homes flooded not because of any natural vulnerability but because of levee breaks.....Despite all this and President Bush's pledge from New Orleans in September 2005 that "we will do what it takes" to help people rebuild, a draft White House cuts its own recommendation of $2 billion for coastal restoration to $1 billion while calling for an increase in the state's contribution from the usual 35 percent to 50 percent. Generating benefits to the nation is what created the problem, and the nation needs to solve it. Put simply: Why should a cab driver in Pittsburgh or Tulsa pay to fix Louisiana's coast? Because he gets a stronger economy and lower energy costs from it, and because his benefits created the problem. The failure of Congress and the president to act aggressively to repair the coastline at the mouth of the Mississippi River could threaten the economic vitality of the nation. Louisiana, one of the poorest states, can no longer afford to underwrite benefits for the rest of the nation.

Forgotton Buras, Louisiana

from reelrelief dot com comes the story of Buras, Louisiana"

In more than 20 months, little has been repaired. The parish (county) library is empty. The U.S. Post Office still lies in ruins. Only a few businesses have rebuilt; many people are still waiting for insurance money, grant money or to save up enough resources to rebuild.

But the desire to repopulate this town, that means so much to its residents, is still strong. EC runs a cafe, laundromat, supply distribution center, library and internet station and provides long distance service for the people in Lower Plaquemines Parish. The accommodations for volunteers are basic in Tent City: tents and army cots are available, or there is slab space to pitch your own tent. There are no walls in Tent city, just steel beams, most of a roof and inspirational quotes on the support posts. Live music is provided by musical volunteers. People work together to try to brighten up the lives of people whose options are severely limited. Individuals and groups are welcomed. It is an experience that will transform your life, as it transforms the lives of others.


thanks to Ellathebella

New Orleans' State of MInd

a snapshot of the state of mind in new orleans.

Here's another....

They are not okay.

Slideshow

Here's a slideshow put together by an eleven year old who, for his 11th birthday, asked for $11 donations to the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund instead of replacing the train he lost to Katrina .
In his free time, Jake collects toys for New Orleans children in the hospital because he's thankful for the hospital's care when he was younger. In the slideshow he made to commemorate New Orleans, Jake uses a song by Liverpool musician Joe Topping who walked from Chicago to New Orleans in support of NOMRF's efforts for displaced musicians.

It's worth the watch.

Bay Bridge ReOpens

The Bay Bridge

which connects Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and Waveland to beautiful Pass Christian will be open on May 17th, 2007, almost 21 months after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

To celebrate this occasion, there will be a "Bridge Fest" . This will be a mostly local event by the looks of things, but the opening of the bridge represents a big step toward recovery.

Congratulations to you all!