One Year After Katrina the State of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

One Year After Katrina The State of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

A Special Report by GULF COAST RECONSTRUCTION WATCH

A Project of the INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN STUDIES/SOUTHERN EXPOSURE SPECIAL REPORT Volume XXXIV, No. 2 2006

“One Year after Katrina”is a special report published by Southern Exposure and the Institute for Southern Studies.

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR REPORT INTERNS Research support for “One Year after Katrina” was Chris Kromm Yolanda Carrington provided by the Investigative Fund of The Nation Cailin Deery Institute. For more information about ordering REPORT PROJECT DIRECTOR Peter Gilbert copies of this report, Gulf Coast Reconstruction Elena Everett Ana Pardo Watch, and the Institute for Southern Studies, please see the inside back cover. REPORT EDITORIAL COORDINATOR ART DIRECTOR Sue Sturgis Jan Martell Copyright 2006 Institute for Southern Studies One Year After Katrina The State of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION...... 2

SECTIONS PEOPLE OF KATRINA: Demographics & the Diaspora ...... 4 SEARCH FOR SHELTER: Housing ...... 14 BRICK BY BRICK: Infrastructure...... 18 Defending Democracy: Politics...... 22 MAKING A LIVING: Economy ...... 26 POWER BROKERS: Contracts and Corporations...... 32 SCHOOL SQUEEZE: Education ...... 42 A FRAGILE GULF: Environment ...... 48 VITAL SIGNS: Health...... 58 LAW AND ORDER: Justice System...... 64 SOUL OF THE GULF: Culture ...... 68 THE NEXT STORM: Hurricane Readiness...... 74 THE WORLD IS WATCHING: Human Rights...... 82

KATRINA DIRECTORY INDEX ...... 89

SOURCES ...... 90 One Year After Katrina The State of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

INTRODUCTION ne year ago, Hurricane Katrina crashed into the Gulf Coast. It was an event that shook the world, as millions watched in hor- “To all who carry a burden of loss, I extend the deepest sympathy of our Oror—not only at the devastating winds and floods, but also at country. To every person who has served and sacrificed in this emer- the shocking failure of national leaders in coming to the region’s aid. gency, I offer the gratitude of our country. And tonight I also offer this Unfortunately, for many, the disaster was just beginning. pledge of the American people: Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes, to help As the weeks and months passed, the catastrophes of Hurricanes citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. And all who question Katrina and Rita—and the failed emergency response—were being the future of the Crescent City need to know there is no way to imagine followed by another tragedy: In rebuilding and reconstruction, the America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again. Gulf Coast and its people were being left behind again. “When communities are rebuilt, they must be even better and stronger In February/March 2006, the Institute released The Mardi Gras Index, a than before the storm. Within the Gulf region are some of the most 36-page report on the state of New Orleans six months after the beautiful and historic places in America. As all of us saw on television, storms. Drawing on over 135 statistical indicators and examining there’s also some deep, persistent poverty in this region, as well. That issues from housing and schools to environmental safety and hurri- poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off gen- cane readiness, the report concluded that “New Orleans faces deep, erations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront fundamental barriers to renewal”—and that without bold, national this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished leadership, the region would continue to struggle to come back. from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.” The Mardi Gras Index also found that the people hurt most by the — President George W. Bush in Jackson Square, nation’s lack of commitment to rebuilding New Orleans were the same New Orleans, Sept. 15, 2005 people who suffered the most from the storms. The barriers were so great for so many that William Quigley—a Katrina evacuee and law professor at Loyola University in New Orleans—concluded in the report: “There is not a sign outside of New Orleans saying, ‘If you are poor, sick, elderly, disabled, a child or African-American, you cannot return.’But there might as well be.”

August 2006 August

Institute for Southern Studies Southern for Institute

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch Reconstruction Coast Gulf school year. year. school

New Orleans before Katrina are scheduled to open in the 2006-2007 the in open to scheduled are Katrina before Orleans New

country—depend on it. it. on country—depend

cult for many families to return. Only 57 of the 117 public schools in schools public 117 the of 57 Only return. to families many for cult

and the Gulf Coast—and the over 200,000 still displaced across the across displaced still 200,000 over the Coast—and Gulf the and

in the region, making it diffi- it making region, the in plague to continue Problems SCHOOLS

required. The lives and livelihood of millions who live in New Orleans New in live who millions of livelihood and lives The required.

unfolding tragedy of Katrina. Clearly, a bold change of course is course of change bold a Clearly, Katrina. of tragedy unfolding facilities will be shut down soon. down shut be will facilities

In the end, our federal leaders must be held accountable for the still- the for accountable held be must leaders federal our end, the In storm damage, and Mississippi residents learned that three coastal three that learned residents Mississippi and damage, storm

cent of public housing in New Orleans is still closed, despite minimal despite closed, still is Orleans New in housing public of cent

too many cases, they have only made the situation worse. situation the made only have they cases, many too

units—none in Mississippi— and rents are skyrocketing. Eighty per- Eighty skyrocketing. are rents and Mississippi— in units—none

problems—our leaders in Washington—have failed to do so. And in And so. do to failed Washington—have in leaders problems—our

bursed. Little money has been earmarked for rebuilding rental rebuilding for earmarked been has money Little bursed.

power and responsibility for taking leadership in resolving these these resolving in leadership taking for responsibility and power

was approved 10 months after the storms, and none has been dis- been has none and storms, the after months 10 approved was

and glacial pace of renewal. But ultimately, those with the most the with those ultimately, But renewal. of pace glacial and

coming back home. Aid for homeowners in Louisiana and Mississippi and Louisiana in homeowners for Aid home. back coming

institutions and individuals can be blamed for the region’s injustices region’s the for blamed be can individuals and institutions

still keeps tens of thousands of Gulf residents from residents Gulf of thousands of tens keeps still of Lack HOUSING

The stories and statistics in this report show that a broad range of range broad a that show report this in statistics and stories The

preventing the region from achieving a vibrant future. For example: For future. vibrant a achieving from region the preventing

coastal wetlands—the region’s best defense against future storms. future against defense best region’s wetlands—the coastal

renewal. Further, lack of federal leadership and misplaced priorities are priorities misplaced and leadership federal of lack Further, renewal.

Federal officials also have yet to commit the resources to restore to resources the commit to yet have also officials Federal

Orleans and the Gulf region still face basic, fundamental barriers to barriers fundamental basic, face still region Gulf the and Orleans

of toxins and making many think twice about returning to the region. the to returning about twice think many making and toxins of

The conclusion is unavoidable and devastating: One year later, New later, year One devastating: and unavoidable is conclusion The

are exposing residents to a wide range wide a to residents exposing are the to Threats ENVIRONMENT

Gulf region. Gulf

wrongfully collecting assistance. collecting wrongfully

power brokers and interviewed leading community activists in the in activists community leading interviewed and brokers power

times more than widely-publicized scandals involving individuals involving scandals widely-publicized than more times

issues, launched in-depth investigations into the region’s economic region’s the into investigations in-depth launched issues,

Institute finds that corporate contracting abuse has cost taxpayers 50 taxpayers cost has abuse contracting corporate that finds Institute

13 categories. We have also conducted status reports on key Gulf key on reports status conducted also have We categories. 13

troubling due to lack of oversight or misappropriation. Altogether, the Altogether, misappropriation. or oversight of lack to due troubling

To answer this question, the Institute analyzed over 200 indicators in indicators 200 over analyzed Institute the question, this answer To

tigators have highlighted contracts worth $428.7 million that are that million $428.7 worth contracts highlighted have tigators

in corporate fraud in Katrina-related contracts, and government inves- government and contracts, Katrina-related in fraud corporate in has New Orleans and the Gulf Coast made? made? Coast Gulf the and Orleans New has

ue to plague the recovery. Institute analysis has found $136.7 million $136.7 found has analysis Institute recovery. the plague to ue anniversary of the storms. A year after Katrina, how much progress much how Katrina, after year A storms. the of anniversary

and other special-interest dealings contin- dealings special-interest other and Another six months have passed, and we now stand at the one-year the at stand now we and passed, have months six Another CONTRACTING SCANDALS CONTRACTING KATRINA’S PEOPLE: Demographics and the Diaspora

Sources on p. 90 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

$4,479 storm median household income of $40,090: $40,090: of income household median storm

Increase since Katrina in the Mississippi Coast’s pre- Coast’s Mississippi the in Katrina since Increase

Katrina continues to rage a year later. year a rage to continues Katrina

For historically disadvantaged communities throughout the Gulf, the throughout communities disadvantaged historically For

26.8 that is African-American: African-American: is that

Percent of the Mississippi Coast’s post-storm population post-storm Coast’s Mississippi the of Percent those who have returned. have who those

African-American population as well as an increase in income among income in increase an as well as population African-American

16.7 that was African-American: African-American: was that

since Katrina showing a decline in the percentage of New Orleans’ New of percentage the in decline a showing Katrina since

Percent of the Mississippi Coast’s pre-storm population pre-storm Coast’s Mississippi the of Percent

unfortunate reality is illustrated in statistics that have been released been have that statistics in illustrated is reality unfortunate

task has been more difficult for poor people and people of color. That color. of people and people poor for difficult more been has task

16.8 Biloxi metro area population: population: area metro Biloxi

whites were able to summon the resources to return and rebuild, that rebuild, and return to resources the summon to able were whites

Percent decline since Katrina in Mississippi’s Gulfport- Mississippi’s in Katrina since decline Percent

to manifest in the recovery. While many middle-class people and people middle-class many While recovery. the in manifest to

The race and class divides exposed by last year’s hurricanes continue hurricanes year’s last by exposed divides class and race The 43 holds with children in the New Orleans area: area: Orleans New the in children with holds

Percent decline since Katrina in single-mother house- single-mother in Katrina since decline Percent

inhuman conditions in the days after the storm. the after days the in conditions inhuman

Convention Center, where thousands of residents had suffered through suffered had residents of thousands where Center, Convention

$9,000 storm mean household income of $55,000: $55,000: of income household mean storm

communities marched across the bridge following a rally at the at rally a following bridge the across marched communities

Increase since Katrina in the New Orleans area’s pre- area’s Orleans New the in Katrina since Increase

storm, when on Nov. 8 activists from New Orleans and other U.S. U.S. other and Orleans New from activists 8 Nov. on when storm,

incident sparked one of the first civil rights protests following the following protests rights civil first the of one sparked incident 21 that is African-American: African-American: is that

even firing shots over the heads of desperate storm victims. That tragic That victims. storm desperate of heads the over shots firing even Percent of the New Orleans area’s post-storm population post-storm area’s Orleans New the of Percent

Department of Transportation and Development), blocked their way, their blocked Development), and Transportation of Department

36 that was African-American: African-American: was that Office and the Crescent City Connection (a division of the state the of division (a Connection City Crescent the and Office

Percent of the New Orleans area’s pre-storm population pre-storm area’s Orleans New the of Percent on the other side. But police from Gretna, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Parish Jefferson the Gretna, from police But side. other the on

after New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin promised that buses were waiting were buses that promised Nagin Ray Mayor Orleans New after

37 returned as of June 30: 30: June of as returned

the storm, largely African-American crowds began to cross the bridge the cross to began crowds African-American largely storm, the

pre-storm population of about 460,000 that had that 460,000 about of population pre-storm

Mississippi River bridge from New Orleans to Gretna, La. Soon after Soon La. Gretna, to Orleans New from bridge River Mississippi

Estimated percentage of the New Orleans metro area’s metro Orleans New the of percentage Estimated

nowhere was that more apparent than in what happened on the on happened what in than apparent more that was nowhere

intensified discrimination in the chaos that followed Katrina. Perhaps Katrina. followed that chaos the in discrimination intensified

349 miles 349 in New Orleans: Orleans: New in

Katrina were poor and African-American people, many of whom faced whom of many people, African-American and poor were Katrina

Ninth Ward, a largely African-American community community African-American largely a Ward, Ninth

A disproportionate number of those whose lives were devastated by devastated were lives whose those of number disproportionate A

Average distance traveled by evacuees from the Lower the from evacuees by traveled distance Average

problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. stress post-traumatic and depression as such problems

193 miles 193

who remained behind—are also struggling with serious mental health mental serious with struggling also behind—are remained who

a largely white community in St. Bernard Parish, La.: Parish, Bernard St. in community white largely a

housing. Many survivors—both those who left their homes and those and homes their left who those survivors—both Many housing.

Average distance traveled by evacuees from Chalmette, from evacuees by traveled distance Average

many, with survivors facing problems finding steady jobs and secure and jobs steady finding problems facing survivors with many,

4,000 miles from home. Life in the diaspora has been difficult for difficult been has diaspora the in Life home. from miles 4,000

724 victims evacuated: evacuated: victims

munities throughout the United States, with some landing more than more landing some with States, United the throughout munities

Estimated number of U.S. communities to which storm which to communities U.S. of number Estimated

before the hurricane. Evacuees were scattered to more than 700 com- 700 than more to scattered were Evacuees hurricane. the before

southern Louisiana today is home to 344,781 fewer people today than today people fewer 344,781 to home is today Louisiana southern 88,000 who were ages 65 and older: older: and 65 ages were who

According to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau in June, in Bureau Census U.S. the by released estimates to According Estimated number of storm-displaced Gulf residents Gulf storm-displaced of number Estimated

Besides killing hundreds of people, Katrina displaced thousands. displaced Katrina people, of hundreds killing Besides

2,560,230 Assistance for Katrina and Rita: Rita: and Katrina for Assistance

least 135 are still missing. still are 135 least

Total number of applicants for FEMA Individual FEMA for applicants of number Total

fall. More than 1,500 people died as a result of the hurricane, and at and hurricane, the of result a as died people 1,500 than More fall.

people under evacuation orders before the storm made land- made storm the before orders evacuation under people hundred thousand hundred

munities from Alabama to Louisiana, with about 1.2 million 1.2 about with Louisiana, to Alabama from munities 66,000 to several to 66,000 Number displaced from Mississippi: Mississippi: from displaced Number

urricane Katrina had an enormous impact on Gulf Coast com- Coast Gulf on impact enormous an had Katrina urricane

645,000 to over 1.1 million 1.1 over to 645,000 Louisiana: Louisiana:

Number of persons Hurricane Katrina displaced from displaced Katrina Hurricane persons of Number

Demographics Index Demographics KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA An Uncertain Future on the Mississippi Coast by Joe Atkins and edginess of a combat veteran. “We’re making headway, but we really need a lot more help,” he says. “As you get p and down Division Street in this poor, blighted, further away from what happened, everything slows down. ethnically rich section of Biloxi, Miss., the closed People think everything is solved, that we’re taken care Ustorefronts, broken stoplights, piles of rubble, of. We are so far from that point it is not even funny.” and unlit street corners bear testimony to the ravages of One of the big issues facing Stallworth and others up and Hurricane Katrina a year ago this month. down the Mississippi Gulf Coast is how to rebuild Yet the lights are burning inside the Fancy Nails & Spa according to pending guidelines from FEMA. These shop, where three generations of Vietnamese women might require new structures to be built substantially attend to the lone customer, the only person in the shop higher above sea level than before to qualify for flood who speaks English—that is, except for a teenage girl insurance. The new structures could be as much as 22 enjoying her ice cream between quick translations of feet above sea level, compared to 13 feet before Katrina English to Vietnamese for her family members. in floodplain areas. “There are only a few stores open in East Biloxi—two “Once you start doing that, you remove the notion of convenience stores, this shop, and a grocery store,” says affordability out of the equation,” says Stallworth, noting 28-year-old Takiesha Green, an East Biloxi native, while that most of the 12,000 or so people who lived in East getting a pedicure. Since Katrina, she has been relocated Biloxi before Katrina made less than $35,000 a year, and to a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer in 40 percent of them less than $16,000. With the new ele- Gulfport, Miss. “They’re working on casinos, condos, vation, “you are asking for an increase in $25,000 or but we haven’t heard anything about homes.” $30,000 to the cost of the house.” Green’s hoping soon to upgrade to a mobile home that’ll The issues range widely up and down the coast, as do the provide some relief for her and her two teenage daughters questions—from how to restore the devastated tax base from their cramped two-bedroom trailer. “My home was in communities like Pass Christian to the “wind vs. water” flooded out,” she says. “I was a block from the beach. I’d federal trial in Gulfport pitting insurance companies love to come back—I love East Biloxi. Everybody knew against thousands of residents who say they were wrong- everybody. It’s a small community. But there’s nowhere ly denied flood claims. The “New Urbanism” of some of to live, no place to rent.” the experts brought in by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal frightened many residents who feared a wall of “There are only a few stores open in East Biloxi—two conven- high-rise and high-profit condos and casinos would ience stores, this shop, and a grocery store,” says 28-year-old replace the Gulf Coast they once knew and called home. Reports from Congress and the United Nations have been Takiesha Green. “They’re working on casinos, condos, but we sharply critical of the Bush administration’s response to haven’t heard anything about homes.” the disaster, a response that included opening the post- Katrina floodgates to no-bid contractors who wasted millions of dollars enriching themselves while failing to Tuan Vu, the owner of Fancy Nails, talks to me in English deliver promised work and goods. The hurricane cost some by phone from his home in Ocean Springs, Miss. 40,000 Mississippians their jobs while contractors hired “People have not fully come back yet, but we are all trying,” thousands of immigrant workers—many likely undocu- he says. “It will take three to five years to get to where we mented—at bottom-feeder wages to do the backbreaking, were. People are still very together in the church.” extremely hazardous and mainly unregulated work of rebuilding the coast. Indeed, this community’s heart remains in its churches. Around the corner are both Catholic and Protestant Barbour scored well with Mississippians for his quick churches, as well as a Buddhist temple. Its heart is also response to the catastrophe and working of his in places like the converted office space used by the East Washington connections to secure funding for the Gulf Biloxi Coordination Relief and Development Center at Coast. However, he rarely wavered in his politically par- the St. John AME Church, where local activist and city tisan support of the Bush administration—and the jury councilman Bill Stallworth works. remains out as to a final assessment of the state’s role in a rebuilt Gulf Coast. Stallworth is a no-nonsense, roll-up-your-sleeves-and- get-to-work kind of guy. He speaks with the intensity

convoys to the area seven days a week. After the fourth the After week. a days seven area the to convoys

For four months, we sent between five and seven vehicle seven and five between sent we months, four For

night, Common Ground has been in the Houma region. Houma the in been has Ground Common night,

kids in Rita but found them two weeks later. Ever since Ever later. weeks two them found but Rita in kids that [email protected].

his of two lost had Bennie family. his and Bennie by in nator Suncere Ali Shakur at 504-913-8693 or write or 504-913-8693 at Shakur Ali Suncere nator

from most of those present. After that night, we were taken were we night, that After present. those of most from program going. For more information, contact project coordi- project contact information, more For going. program

received the aid with tears in their eyes, happiness came happiness eyes, their in tears with aid the received have very limited funds and rely on donations to keep the keep to donations on rely and funds limited very have

around the rear of the the yellow truck. While some people some While truck. yellow the the of rear the around The Houma/Dulac Common Ground project needs help. We help. needs project Ground Common Houma/Dulac The

Ground fashion, began serving the people crowded people the serving began fashion, Ground

working to rebuild this community. this rebuild to working

We broke open the doors and, in our typical Common typical our in and, doors the open broke We

community wants, as well as housing for the volunteers the for housing as well as wants, community

considering that our base camp was about 85 miles away. miles 85 about was camp base our that considering

birthday parties, fundraising events or whatever the whatever or events fundraising parties, birthday

The trucks arrived three hours later—really quickly, later—really hours three arrived trucks The

by Dulac that allows us to provide space for weddings, for space provide to us allows that Dulac

aid—diapers, pots and pans, water, etc. water, pans, and pots aid—diapers, There’s also a Common Ground community center in near- in center community Ground Common a also There’s

Malik made a call to get three U-hauls filled with relief with filled U-hauls three get to call a made Malik

shrimping industry. shrimping

of caskets of loved ones floating down the interstate. the down floating ones loved of caskets of

community, which represents 30 percent of the U.S. the of percent 30 represents which community,

tears. There were stories of people losing their children, their losing people of stories were There tears.

that assists with the rebuilding of this great shrimping great this of rebuilding the with assists that

and Chauvin had packed the parking lot. Many were in were Many lot. parking the packed had Chauvin and

serve free breakfast for the Kids in the Community Program Community the in Kids the for breakfast free serve

People escaping the flood in south Houma and Dulac and Houma south in flood the escaping People

with a community center at 5741 Grand Calliou Rd. We Rd. Calliou Grand 5741 at center community a with

Houma, La. Houma, the first relief organization to arrive, and we are still there still are we and arrive, to organization relief first the

pulled over at a gas station on Grand Calliou Road in Road Calliou Grand on station gas a at over pulled Management Agency for 30 days. Common Ground was Ground Common days. 30 for Agency Management

waters blocking our only route to the reservation. So we So reservation. the to route only our blocking waters out any help from Red Cross or the Federal Emergency Federal the or Cross Red from help any out

reservation in Terrebonne Parish, but we found flood found we but Parish, Terrebonne in reservation The people in this area survived Katrina and Rita with- Rita and Katrina survived area this in people The

search-and-rescue mission that evening to an Indian an to evening that mission search-and-rescue

also fixed up a local graveyard. local a up fixed also

Rasmos, Malik Rahim, Kobie Maitland and I went on a on went I and Maitland Kobie Rahim, Malik Rasmos,

caskets to grave sites. At residents’ request, volunteers request, residents’ At sites. grave to caskets

project was born. was project unteers were out gutting, painting, roofing and returning and roofing painting, gutting, out were unteers

2005, the Common Ground Collective’s Houma Collective’s Ground Common the 2005, While the residents were running the main site, the vol- the site, main the running were residents the While

n the day that Hurricane Rita struck in September in struck Rita Hurricane that day the n by local residents, and it served over 200 people per day. per people 200 over served it and residents, local by

Ground center in Houma was our first to be run entirely run be to first our was Houma in center Ground

month, we had a home for our operations. The Common The operations. our for home a had we month, by Suncere Ali Shakur Ali Suncere by

Common Ground Aids Houma Region Houma Aids Ground Common

Robert Kaufmann/FEMA Robert

assistance, which continues today. continues which assistance,

Common Ground Relief distribution center in the lower Ninth Ward Ninth lower the in center distribution Relief Ground Common Ground Collective, a volunteer organization based in New Orleans, also provided also Orleans, New in based organization volunteer a Collective, Ground

NEW ORLEANS, FEB. 24, 2006 24, FEB. ORLEANS, NEW

tribe and surrounding Indian communities in Terrebonne Parish. Terrebonne in communities Indian surrounding and tribe And the Common the And

(3)

Mennonite Disaster Relief Services provided aid to members of the Pointe-au-Chien the of members to aid provided Services Relief Disaster Mennonite

storms, assessing the damage in order to distribute aid to those most in need. in most those to aid distribute to order in damage the assessing storms, The

(2)

The National Congress of American Indians arrived in the region shortly after the after shortly region the in arrived Indians American of Congress National The

Indian families make about half the median income of the average U.S. family. U.S. average the of income median the half about make families Indian

(1)

in aid was collected from Indian country—an impressive amount considering that considering amount impressive country—an Indian from collected was aid in

to native communities. In the immediate aftermath of the storms, about $5 million $5 about storms, the of aftermath immediate the In communities. native to

In the absence of government assistance, private relief efforts were critically important critically were efforts relief private assistance, government of absence the In

by Louisiana’s senators. Louisiana’s by

slow in coming. The tribes were also excluded from federal relief legislation sponsored legislation relief federal from excluded also were tribes The coming. in slow

And unfortunately, their lack of federal recognition meant U.S. government aid was aid government U.S. meant recognition federal of lack their unfortunately, And

destroyed, but their livelihood as fishers of crab, shrimp and oysters was disrupted. was oysters and shrimp crab, of fishers as livelihood their but destroyed,

Rita. Not only were their homes and communities flooded and in some cases some in and flooded communities and homes their were only Not Rita.

As coastal dwellers, Louisiana’s Indians were hit hard by hurricanes Katrina and Katrina hurricanes by hard hit were Indians Louisiana’s dwellers, coastal As

Indian tribes, the federal government still does not recognize them. recognize not does still government federal the tribes, Indian

Biloxi-Chitimacha. While Louisiana acknowledges these groups as legitimate as groups these acknowledges Louisiana While Biloxi-Chitimacha.

about 16,000 members of the United Houma Nation as well as various bands of the of bands various as well as Nation Houma United the of members 16,000 about The coastal areas of rural Louisiana are home to many American Indians, including Indians, American many to home are Louisiana rural of areas coastal The COMMUNITY VOICES Rethinking Democracy, Rebuilding New Orleans by Chris Kromm and Elena Everett On Fat Tuesday, the neighborhoods come out for an open-air concert, barbecues and parade. For the St. In June 2006, Chris Kromm, executive director of the Joseph’s Day parade, the Indian tribes from across the Institute for Southern Studies, sat down to talk with Khalil city come together and parade past the housing project. Tian Shahyd, a New Orleans native who was studying in You place a studio complex there and what’s that going Kerala, India at the time Katrina hit. Khalil is now an to do to the cultural center? organizer with the Peoples’ Hurricane Relief Fund and Other areas like the Lower Ninth Ward haven’t received Oversight Committee. He has been active in supporting resi- much planning support. They recently formed the Lower dents in the neighborhood planning process and working to Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network and ensure representation of those who are still displaced. Association to convene voices of the Lower Ninth Ward under one umbrella. CHRIS KROMM: What are some of the issues facing the neighborhood planning and rebuilding process In Treme, near the hotly contested downtown area and in New Orleans? the Iberville housing development, we are working with the Historic Treme Neighborhood Association. Our hope KHALIL TIAN SHAHYD: The city was divided into 13 is that the people of the area will stand up and challenge planning districts. Each district has areas that were hit other plans by saying, “We are the community and this is to a greater or lesser degree by the storm. This is an what we want.” issue because people [who have returned] are planning for the rest of the district or are taking parts of other What are some of the lessons you think we can learn neighborhoods into their own. from other national or international models? Currently, the Lafitte public housing development The opportunity I see is a way to rethink how we understand [where residents have not been allowed to return] is at our relationship to city, state and federal government— the center of a plan called the “Lafitte Corridor to rethink democracy. The neighborhood planning Development” where the city wants to sell property to process is an opportunity to institute a decentralized studio complexes. The Lafitte intersection is the scene participatory planning and budgeting process. of two important cultural events in the city: Fat Tuesday, the black community’s Mardi Gras carnival, and the St. I was in Kerala, India last year. It’s an anomaly in inter- Joseph’s Day parade. national development because the per capita income is about $360, yet they have high social indicators such as 5 percent illiteracy. In New Orleans we have 40 percent illiteracy. Life expectancy for African Americans here is about 50 or 55. So we’re doing much worse in terms of social indicators even though our income is 12 times higher. In Kerala they use a decentralized planning process in which they trained over 300,000 volunteers to facilitate planning workshops. Each community determines how areas are developed, and the state is mandated to devote 30 percent of their resources to implement these projects. That to me is democracy in action. That’s a mechanism to bring in those who have been socially excluded. Here we have about 45 percent voter turnout, and that by definition is social exclusion. Direct access to budgets and funding would encourage more people to participate in the process, but it takes public education. It has to The Peoples’Hurricane Relief Fund and come from government; it has to come from civil society. Oversight Committee was founded in the We need to create an infrastructure to manage and sup- wake of Katrina to ensure community port that type of public education, and it should be con- voices were heard in the rebuilding and tinual. This planning process is a brilliant opportunity reconstruction of the Gulf. to do that.

we had about 600 to 800 people. Then the next week we week next the Then people. 800 to 600 about had we

end, we had 270 people show up, and the second week second the and up, show people 270 had we end,

That’s how you get people to come back. That first week- first That back. come to people get you how That’s

that day, and after the Mass they were gone right away. right gone were they Mass the after and day, that

even though we had no lights. We made 3,500 eggrolls 3,500 made We lights. no had we though even

That weekend we had 2,000 parishioners come to Mass, to come parishioners 2,000 had we weekend That

and work together. work and

packed into a U-haul truck. U-haul a into packed of the community, we put our personal problems aside problems personal our put we community, the of

end, and they gave me big boxes of chicken, which we which chicken, of boxes big me gave they and end, differ in many ways, yes, but when it comes to the needs the to comes it when but yes, ways, many in differ

to feed the 2,000 people coming to church on the week- the on church to coming people 2,000 the feed to ture. That culture has always been kind of binding. We binding. of kind been always has culture That

Waveland, Miss. to a distribution site. I asked for chicken for asked I site. distribution a to Miss. Waveland, community—Vietnamese culture, traditional Asian cul- Asian traditional culture, community—Vietnamese

so on the third week of October I [went] with a big truck to truck big a with [went] I October of week third the on so The other difference is that we have a culturally unique culturally a have we that is difference other The

weekends we had begun preparing meals for the people, the for meals preparing begun had we weekends

and their physical needs. physical their and

some of the men were already sleeping here. On the On here. sleeping already were men the of some

where people find shelter, both for their spiritual life spiritual their for both shelter, find people where

The second week we decided to come back to live, because live, to back come to decided we week second The

ence lies in having the church as a center. It’s a place a It’s center. a as church the having in lies ence

on Oct. 9 and gathered about 270 people. 270 about gathered and 9 Oct. on they come together and share a meal. I think the differ- the think I meal. a share and together come they

prepared for Sunday Mass. We had our first Sunday Mass Sunday first our had We Mass. Sunday for prepared every weekend, and after Mass we put together food, and food, together put we Mass after and weekend, every

and three other men. First we cleaned up the church and church the up cleaned we First men. other three and church acts as an anchor for the people. They come to Mass to come They people. the for anchor an as acts church

community. We came back with five people—two priests people—two five with back came We community. I don’t think we could pull a lot of people together. The together. people of lot a pull could we think don’t I

I came back on Oct. 2 with a permit and had a peek at the at peek a had and permit a with 2 Oct. on back came I I think the church plays a big function. Without the church the Without function. big a plays church the think I

the storm? the comparative swiftness of the community’s recovery? community’s the of swiftness comparative

When and how did residents begin to come back after back come to begin residents did how and When long way from that point. How do you account for the for account you do How point. that from way

A lot of other New Orleans neighborhoods are still a still are neighborhoods Orleans New other of lot A

from this great-grandfather. this from

97 percent of the homes here. homes the of percent 97

from, that your father was such-and-such and you came you and such-and-such was father your that from,

been gutted, and people have put new sheetrock in about in sheetrock new put have people and gutted, been

very close-knit community. People know where you came you where know People community. close-knit very

people are trying to find jobs. Every house has already has house Every jobs. find to trying are people

of Saigon pushed them to come and settle here. It’s a It’s here. settle and come to them pushed Saigon of

evening Mass attended by 300 to 350 people. Right now Right people. 350 to 300 by attended Mass evening

the north and migrated to the south. Eventually the fall the Eventually south. the to migrated and north the

every weekend. Every day we have a morning and an and morning a have we day Every weekend. every

main areas of Vietnam in 1975. They knew each other in other each knew They 1975. in Vietnam of areas main

As of today we have 3,000 people attending Sunday Mass Sunday attending people 3,000 have we today of As

were factory workers. The people here came from three from came here people The workers. factory were

30 percent ran grocery shops and another 30 percent 30 another and shops grocery ran percent 30 rebuilding?

people living here. About 30 percent were fisherman, were percent 30 About here. living people Where is the Versailles community now in terms of terms in now community Versailles the is Where

Before the storm we had about 7,000 about had we storm the Before NGUYEN: REV.

that name. that

community before Katrina? before community

a lot of the communities here are coming together under together coming are here communities the of lot a

ANA PARDO: How would you describe the Versailles the describe you would How PARDO: ANA

who live here in Versailles, in Village de L’Est, and now and L’Est, de Village in Versailles, in here live who

for a Strong New Orleans East to include all the people the all include to East Orleans New Strong a for

had a chance to talk with Nguyen about the rebuilding effort. rebuilding the about Nguyen with talk to chance a had

[Club] coming. So we came up with the name Citizens name the with up came we So coming. [Club]

residents a voice in reconstruction efforts. Ana Pardo recently Pardo Ana efforts. reconstruction in voice a residents

housing and businesses re-opening, Wal-Mart and Sam’s and Wal-Mart re-opening, businesses and housing

opened Chef Menteur landfill (see story, page 51) and to give to and 51) page story, (see landfill Menteur Chef opened

will be affected by the landfill. Also there are matters of matters are there Also landfill. the by affected be will

Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East to combat the newly the combat to East Orleans New Strong a for Citizens

it’s not just our fight—that all the people who live here live who people the all fight—that our just not it’s

community. Earlier this year, community leaders formed leaders community year, this Earlier community.

It started with the landfill issue. We began to think that think to began We issue. landfill the with started It

impressive progress in cleaning up and re-establishing their re-establishing and up cleaning in progress impressive

after Katrina’s floods. Versailles residents have made have residents Versailles floods. Katrina’s after out of these efforts? these of out

Village de l’Est, one of the last parts of New Orleans to dry out dry to Orleans New of parts last the of one l’Est, de Village How did Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East came East Orleans New Strong a for Citizens did How

Vietnamese community in the Versailles neighborhood at neighborhood Versailles the in community Vietnamese

Roman Catholic church is at the center—literally—of a huge a center—literally—of the at is church Catholic Roman just the people who come to church. to come who people the just

Church in New Orleans East, part of St. Bernard Parish. The Parish. Bernard St. of part East, Orleans New in Church the neighborhood coming to weekend Masses, and that’s and Masses, weekend to coming neighborhood the

Rev. Luke Nguyen is a pastor at Mary Queen of Vietnam of Queen Mary at pastor a is Nguyen Luke Rev. Mass every Sunday. So far we’ve got 3,000 people from people 3,000 got we’ve far So Sunday. every Mass

and since then we’ve consistently had 1,500 people at people 1,500 had consistently we’ve then since and

saw over 2,000 people, then 1,300 the week after that, after week the 1,300 then people, 2,000 over saw by Ana Pardo Ana by

Working Together for New Orleans East Orleans New for Together Working COMMUNITY VOICES COMMUNITY COMMUNITY VOICES Hopes for Holy Cross by Yolanda Carrington [back in] Holy Cross. It did affect African Americans disproportionately. The Holy Cross neighborhood is part of the famous Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Before Katrina, it was a mixed How is Holy Cross rebuilding? but largely working-class, African-American neighborhood We first want to make sure that this part of the city will where 70 percent of the residents owned their own homes. be rebuilt. That is a primary focus. We’re working with Since the storm, the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association other organizations and individuals and institutions to has played an important role in the rebuilding of the com- make sure that it will be rebuilt. There were some ques- munity. Yolanda Carrington recently spoke with the group’s tions about the whole Lower Ninth Ward being worthy of director, Pam DeShields. being rebuilt. So that is job one. YOLANDA CARRINGTON: When was the Holy Cross The second thing is organizing and getting services for Neighborhood Association formed, and why? people who want to return, finding them and communi- cating with them. For those who are here, trying to con- PAM DESHIELDS: It was formed in 1981 by a group of nect them with basic relief and the tools for rebuilding. neighbors who wanted to preserve the architecture of the neighborhood and wanted it to become a historic The third thing is planning for rebuilding, and that is district. They also organized to deal with the [Army] Corps taking a lot of time and effort. It’s really important that of Engineers’ plans to expand the Industrial Canal. They folks be involved in the actual process of rebuilding. felt a neighborhood organization could deal with the city Getting information is one of our biggest problems. more effectively. It was an area that was not getting the Nobody will give you the real deal. Another thing is pro- services it needed—basically because it was below the viding social services for people who have come back. Industrial Canal. What challenges does HCNA face? How many members are in the HCNA? All of us have mental health issues—this PTSD [post- We had about 100 families pre-Katrina. At this point, we traumatic stress disorder] and whatever other mental have 40 paid members who reside in the city. There are health problems there are because of what happened. many more who attend the meetings. Most were home- And most of our friends and family are scattered. owners, some were renters. Do residents feel like they have a voice in the rebuild- How did Katrina affect Holy Cross? ing efforts? Everybody got damage from the storm. The steamboat Yes. I mean, it’s an opposition voice [to the city’s plans], houses that were built in the early 20th century—they’re but yeah, I think people feel like they have a voice. A made to accept floodwater and they’re on highest ground voice that’s not always heard or that is ignored, but I in the neighborhood, but even they got water damage. think that people believe that they do have a voice. We There was storm damage as well as water damage. There have a voice, and we have allies. was more damage than was shown on the maps, cause they only showed us as getting three or four feet. At my What are your hopes for the future of Holy Cross? house for example, which was three feet off the ground, I hope that it will be repopulated with a diverse, mostly I had six feet of water. African-American people. I hope in the short term that [The damage] did affect people differently, because whites— people who lost their homes in other parts of the Ninth even the working-class whites—had more resources, will come and live in Holy Cross, and I hope that the other and for whatever reason they were able to return more part of our neighborhood comes back. I hope that we can quickly. Now, many white folks were older, and they for develop an economic infrastructure that we didn’t have the most part have not returned, although there are a few pre-Katrina and sure don’t have now, and I hope it thrives. people that say that these [older whites] are going to come I hope that our mission—which is to make Holy Cross the back once their houses are fixed and the [Mississippi best place in the city to live and raise a family—can be Gulf-River Outlet] is closed and the levees are OK. accomplished greenly and sustainably and happily. I just African Americans have not been as fortunate. There hope for a bright future. I think there is one, but it’s not are far, far fewer African Americans than white people easy getting to it. 10

agencies, organizations who identify as women-of-color as identify who organizations agencies,

Because of the absence of the gender analysis of many of analysis gender the of absence the of Because

of women of color in the Gulf Coast region. Coast Gulf the in color of women of

and children. There’s been an invisibility [of] the needs the [of] invisibility an been There’s children. and

they are generally the primary caregivers for the elderly the for caregivers primary the generally are they

women increases as well as their responsibilities, since responsibilities, their as well as increases women

the most vulnerable populations. Violence against Violence populations. vulnerable most the

or times of war and conflict show that women are one of one are women that show conflict and war of times or

the needs of women. So many studies related to disaster to related studies many So women. of needs the

absence of consideration or special provisions to meet to provisions special or consideration of absence

One of the biggest post-Katrina challenges is the complete the is challenges post-Katrina biggest the of One

have been facing in the Gulf post-Katrina? Gulf the in facing been have

What do you see as unique challenges and issues women issues and challenges unique as see you do What

situations.

lation, the same poor black women in the most vulnerable most the in women black poor same the lation,

Time 24-hour notice to evacuate, it would be the same popu- same the be would it evacuate, to notice 24-hour

institutions that are equitable. equitable. are that institutions

their families. If you took any urban area and gave it a it gave and area urban any took you If families. their

ed. We have the power to reinvent ourselves and create and ourselves reinvent to power the have We

were women—poor black women and their children and children their and women black women—poor were

and discuss why these services and this approach is need- is approach this and services these why discuss and

On TV immediately after Katrina, most of the faces we saw we faces the of most Katrina, after immediately TV On

We see our clinic as a great opportunity to talk to people to talk to opportunity great a as clinic our see We

way they’re unfolding. they’re way

for racial, gender, economic and environmental justice. environmental and economic gender, racial, for

Coast, there are reasons why things are unfolding the unfolding are things why reasons are there Coast,

center that can meet immediate needs while also working also while needs immediate meet can that center

to look at things from an intersectionality. In the Gulf the In intersectionality. an from things at look to

as more than just a clinic—we want it to be an organizing an be to it want clinic—we a just than more as

we do have a class and ethnic background. It’s important It’s background. ethnic and class a have do we

gender-based violence, imperialism and war. We see it see We war. and imperialism violence, gender-based

son. We don’t exist as just women, we do have a race and race a have do we women, just as exist don’t We son.

access and our opportunities, such as poverty, racism, poverty, as such opportunities, our and access

selves and come in as just a woman or just a black per- black a just or woman a just as in come and selves

it’s also about challenging the conditions that limit our limit that conditions the challenging about also it’s

walk through the door and drop three-fourths of them- of three-fourths drop and door the through walk

ations. It’s more than providing health care services— care health providing than more It’s ations.

mented approach, meaning we don’t expect people to people expect don’t we meaning approach, mented

health status of women and work to improve those situ- those improve to work and women of status health

critique of privilege. We try to organize from an unfrag- an from organize to try We privilege. of critique

oppression and violence that have an impact on the on impact an have that violence and oppression

gender, race, class, citizenship status, sexuality and a and sexuality status, citizenship class, race, gender,

to primary health care. At the same time, we look at the at look we time, same the At care. health primary to

organize from an approach that includes an analysis of analysis an includes that approach an from organize

promote a holistic and community-centered approach community-centered and holistic a promote

I and the women I work with try to try with work I women the and I GRIFFIN: SHANA

for low-income and uninsured women of color and to and color of women uninsured and low-income for

issues? The purpose of the clinic is to improve health care access care health improve to is clinic the of purpose The

i zing philosophy differ and work to address women’s address to work and differ philosophy zing

of those issues? those of

about race and class post-Katrina. How does your organ- your does How post-Katrina. class and race about

How will the initiative and clinic work to address some address to work clinic and initiative the will How

ELENA EVERETT: There have been a lot of analyses of lot a been have There EVERETT: ELENA

those who are most directly impacted are women. are impacted directly most are who those

whji_info@yahoo. com. whji_info@yahoo.

to the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters, man-made and natural of aftermath the to

district of New Orleans. For more information, e-mail information, more For Orleans. New of district

tenants were women. I can go on and on. When it comes it When on. and on go can I women. were tenants

women’s health clinic this September in the historic Treme historic the in September this clinic health women’s

black women. In public housing, the vast majority of majority vast the housing, public In women. black

which is coordinating with several organizations to open a open to organizations several with coordinating is which

2003 in Louisiana, 80 percent of new HIV cases were cases HIV new of percent 80 Louisiana, in 2003

working on the Women’s Health and Justice Initiative, Justice and Health Women’s the on working

especially black women are much more vulnerable. In vulnerable. more much are women black especially

sociology at the University of New Orleans. She is currently is She Orleans. New of University the at sociology

housing, health care, even incarceration, women and women incarceration, even care, health housing,

Housing Development and is completing a Master’s degree in degree Master’s a completing is and Development Housing

women. Today when you look at the statistics around statistics the at look you when Today women.

Resistance New Orleans. Shana grew up in the Iberville the in up grew Shana Orleans. New Resistance

New Orleans’ pre-Katrina population was more than half than more was population pre-Katrina Orleans’ New

with INCITE: Women of Color Against Violence and Critical and Violence Against Color of Women INCITE: with

Shana Griffin is resident of New Orleans and an organizer an and Orleans New of resident is Griffin Shana existence in the work that we’re trying to do. to trying we’re that work the in existence

selves visible. At the same time, we have to justify our justify to have we time, same the At visible. selves

by Elena Everett Elena by organizations have to constantly fight to render our- render to fight constantly to have organizations

A Place for Women After Katrina After Women for Place A COMMUNITY VOICES COMMUNITY HOUSTON, SEPT. 3, 2005 A giant message board helps people locate friends and loved ones at the Reliant Center. Thousands of displaced citizens were moved from New Orleans to Houston as New Orleans was evacuated. Photo by Ed Edahl/FEMA Katrina Evacuees: Homesick but Making Do by Pam Broom I realized that I’d brought intact from New Orleans to Durham the spirit of hospitality and making do. I had a feeling of being irreparably detached from my desire to comfort, nurture and creatively uncover home, New Orleans, grips me one year after resources for as many evacuees as I could find. Last Katrina. Now staying in Durham, N.C., I listen to A October, I began volunteering with the Interfaith the news, anticipating some mention of the plight of the Hurricane Relief Task Force of Durham County. The task thousands of us still displaced throughout the country. force had two paid staff—a coordinator, Nicholas McCoy, My lifeline has been calls to my sister and mama in and a social worker, Winnie Breeden. It involved close Gretna, La. just about every other day. I ask about local to 125 local congregations, and worked in collaboration news reports, wondering what if anything is being said with the Durham County Commissioners and the Durham about those of us who cannot return. mayor as well as the Coalition for Affordable Housing Before I came to Durham, the colleague who offered her and other community-based groups. First Presbyterian vacant house to my family and me had called ahead to a Church served as the staging ground for coordination of friend who worked at the local Department of Social basic relief support: housing, clothing, food, information Services. I contacted DSS to register for relief assistance, and referrals to social services. Though the task force three months of food stamps and emergency health care. has served an important role, its organizers were not pre- It took three weeks of coaxing out a daily rhythm that pared for the magnitude and duration of resettlement resembled normality before I could consider a next step. needs of those displaced by Katrina. 12

Map source: Claritas source: Map

will be on the road, moving forward, revived. forward, moving road, the on be will ing those in distress remains a major problem. The task The problem. major a remains distress in those ing

to the day of fleeing home in anticipation of Katrina, we Katrina, of anticipation in home fleeing of day the to with the ongoing needs of Katrina neighbors, but reach- but neighbors, Katrina of needs ongoing the with

a professional life. Chicago answered. Just about one year one about Just answered. Chicago life. professional a social justice and grassroots groups are pledging to help to pledging are groups grassroots and justice social

the country, ready to take the next step of reestablishing of step next the take to ready country, the tions and in-kind contributions. A growing alliance of alliance growing A contributions. in-kind and tions

needs. In June, I updated my résumé and sent it around it sent and résumé my updated I June, In needs. enormous needs. The support group has relied on dona- on relied has group support The needs. enormous

FEMA rental assistance has helped to meet my family’s my meet to helped has assistance rental FEMA The task force is moderately funded but must address must but funded moderately is force task The

affirming and therapeutic. Periodic contract work plus work contract Periodic therapeutic. and affirming At this juncture, reflection and regrouping is in order. in is regrouping and reflection juncture, this At

alongside my Katrina and Durham neighbors has been has neighbors Durham and Katrina my alongside

available to meet the needs of Katrina neighbors. Katrina of needs the meet to available

no way” year. Volunteering and community organizing community and Volunteering year. way” no

community groups, there will not be adequate resources adequate be not will there groups, community

For me, this has been a transitional, “making a way out of out way a “making transitional, a been has this me, For

efforts of the task force, support group and other local other and group support force, task the of efforts

papers and other publications as well as on the radio. the on as well as publications other and papers get a job.” There is mounting concern that even with the with even that concern mounting is There job.” a get

placing regular public service advertisements in news- in advertisements service public regular placing edly said. “I’ve applied at so many places and still can’t still and places many so at applied “I’ve said.

force has proposed ideas to enhance outreach such as such outreach enhance to ideas proposed has force to give me a chance,” support group members have repeat- have members group support chance,” a me give to

maintaining safe, affordable housing. “I can’t get anyone get can’t “I housing. affordable safe, maintaining

and retaining sustainable employment, and locating and locating and employment, sustainable retaining and

Durham and other communities face difficulties finding difficulties face communities other and Durham

FEMA photo/Andrea Booher photo/Andrea FEMA

One year after the hurricane, Katrina neighbors in neighbors Katrina hurricane, the after year One

has just found out the whereabouts of a lost grandchild. grandchild. lost a of whereabouts the out found just has

difficult to link to much needed clinical mental health care. health mental clinical needed much to link to difficult A family from New Orleans sheltered in the Astrodome Astrodome the in sheltered Orleans New from family A

supportive conversation. However, it has been extremely been has it However, conversation. supportive HOUSTON, SEPT. 3, 2005 3, SEPT. HOUSTON,

opportunities to show off favorite dishes and engage in engage and dishes favorite off show to opportunities

FEMA and insurance failures, but they soon evolved into evolved soon they but failures, insurance and FEMA

heal. Early on the meetings were taken up by rants about rants by up taken were meetings the on Early heal.

close proximity of family members as they struggled to struggled they as members family of proximity close

Gulf Coast Katrina neighbors talked about missing the missing about talked neighbors Katrina Coast Gulf

the spirit of New Orleans as a means of bonding. Our bonding. of means a as Orleans New of spirit the

since then. We have shared stories of home, food and food home, of stories shared have We then. since

was formed in March and has met every other week other every met has and March in formed was

survivors. To help, the Katrina Neighbors Support Group Support Neighbors Katrina the help, To survivors.

severe mental anguish were common among Katrina among common were anguish mental severe

Persistent feelings of isolation, loss, depression and depression loss, isolation, of feelings Persistent

uees were dispersed throughout North Carolina. North throughout dispersed were uees

Management Agency and Red Cross, nearly 6,500 evac- 6,500 nearly Cross, Red and Agency Management

to information provided by the Federal Emergency Federal the by provided information to

ing in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. According area. Hill Raleigh-Durham-Chapel the in ing

to 500 New Orleans and Gulf Coast residents now resid- now residents Coast Gulf and Orleans New 500 to One big challenge is actually reaching the estimated 300 estimated the reaching actually is challenge big One SEARCH FOR SHELTER: Housing

Sources on p. 92 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

$0 to rebuild homes: homes: rebuild to

Total federal funds dispersed so far far so dispersed funds federal Total

10 reconstruction was approved: approved: was reconstruction

Months after Katrina that federal money for housing for money federal that Katrina after Months

5,000 scheduled for demolition: demolition: for scheduled

Minimum number of New Orleans public housing units units housing public Orleans New of number Minimum

Craig Morse Craig

In many communities, the battles are just beginning. just are battles the communities, many In

1,105 demolished in Louisiana since Katrina: Katrina: since Louisiana in demolished

of people to return home and live with dignity—is far from over. over. from far dignity—is with live and home return to people of

Number of homes the Army Corps of Engineers has Engineers of Corps Army the homes of Number

Across the Gulf Coast, the struggle for resettlement—of the right right the resettlement—of for struggle the Coast, Gulf the Across

holds, homeowners and renters. and homeowners holds,

80 that is still closed: closed: still is that

(4)

grants by not providing sufficient resources for low-income house- low-income for resources sufficient providing not by grants Minimum percent of New Orleans public housing housing public Orleans New of percent Minimum

that it violates the terms of the federal community development block development community federal the of terms the violates it that

housing advocates have filed a complaint against the plan, charging plan, the against complaint a filed have advocates housing

946,597 housing assistance: assistance: housing

rebuild through the state’s “Road Home”plan. “Road state’s the through rebuild Meanwhile, dozens of dozens Meanwhile,

(3) Number of storm-affected households approved for approved households storm-affected of Number

says it’s ready—almost—to start making grants to homeowners to homeowners to grants making start ready—almost—to it’s says

With the one-year anniversary of the storm approaching, Louisiana approaching, storm the of anniversary one-year the With

39 Emergency Management Agency hotel vouchers: vouchers: hotel Agency Management Emergency

while city hall refuses to discuss rent control. rent discuss to refuses hall city while Number of storm-affected households holding Federal holding households storm-affected of Number

skyrocketed, pricing residents out of their former neighborhoods former their of out residents pricing skyrocketed,

developments in protest. At the same time, rent in New Orleans has Orleans New in rent time, same the At protest. in developments

105,927 Number of smaller travel trailers : : trailers travel smaller of Number

several dozen residents have pitched tents outside public housing public outside tents pitched have residents dozen several

planning to rebuild only a fraction of units that existed before Katrina, before existed that units of fraction a only rebuild to planning

7,737

damage—would be demolished. With the city’s housing authority housing city’s the With demolished. be damage—would

Number of mobile homes ordered for the Gulf Coast: Gulf the for ordered homes mobile of Number

told that their former homes—many of which received no flood flood no received which of homes—many former their that told

In New Orleans, thousands of public housing residents have been been have residents housing public of thousands Orleans, New In

99 percent 99

that dot the region’s ravaged landscape. ravaged region’s the dot that

Occupancy rate of livable apartments in New Orleans: New in apartments livable of rate Occupancy

Emergency Management Agency. Untold more live in the flooded cars flooded the in live more Untold Agency. Management Emergency

in 240-square-foot trailers and mobile homes issued by the Federal the by issued homes mobile and trailers 240-square-foot in

$803 apartment as of July 2006: 2006: July of as apartment

In Mississippi and Louisiana, over 100,000 households continue to live to continue households 100,000 over Louisiana, and Mississippi In

Average rent for a one-bedroom New Orleans Orleans New one-bedroom a for rent Average

flooding.

(2)

companies were not required to pay claims on homes damaged by damaged homes on claims pay to required not were companies

$578 apartment before Katrina: Katrina: before apartment

devastating and precedent-setting ruling that held that insurance that held that ruling precedent-setting and devastating

Average rent for a one-bedroom New Orleans Orleans New one-bedroom a for rent Average

across the Gulf Coast, a federal judge in Mississippi handed down a down handed Mississippi in judge federal a Coast, Gulf the across

On Aug. 15, nearly one year after winds and rains destroyed homes destroyed rains and winds after year one nearly 15, Aug. On

4 National average for percent of past-due mortgages: mortgages: past-due of percent for average National

Tasered and detained after urging police to shoot him to death. to him shoot to police urging after detained and Tasered

(1)

insurance company would not rebuild his home. McCusker was McCusker home. his rebuild not would company insurance

E 13 Percent of Mississippi mortgages past due: due: past mortgages Mississippi of Percent

attempted a strange form of suicide after learning that his that learning after suicide of form strange a attempted

Times-Picayune — Orleans New the with photographer

20 as of July 2006: 2006: July of as

arly this month, John McCusker—a Pulitzer Prize-winning Prize-winning Pulitzer McCusker—a John month, this arly

Percent of Louisiana mortgages past due due past mortgages Louisiana of Percent

Housing Index Housing KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA ing off Social Security kept her budget tight, Ms. Mosely did not have flood insurance. Her neighborhood flooded with seven to eight feet of water. She stayed at her church and was helicoptered out. Her next-door neighbor, who was 89, stayed home to care for his dog and drowned. Ms. Mosely now lives in her half-gutted house with no stove, no refrigerator, and no air-conditioning. The bottom half of her walls have been stripped of sheetrock and are now bare wooden slats from the floor halfway up the wall. Her food is stored in a styrofoam cooler. Two small fans push the hot air around. Thousands of people like Ms. Mosely are back in their homes on the Gulf Coast. They are living in homes that most people would consider, at best, still under construction, or, at worst, uninhabitable. However, hundreds of thousands are not back at all yet— over 200,000 in New Orleans alone. NINTH WARD, NEW ORLEANS, MARCH 2006 Tens of thousands are staying in 240-square-foot Federal Marvin Nauman/FEMA photo Emergency Management Agency trailers. Tens of thousands of others are living in apartments month to month, under continuous threats of FEMA cutoffs. Still Waiting for Shelter Homeowners have not received a single dollar of federal housing rebuilding assistance yet. Like Ms. Mosely, they by Bill Quigley wait.

Bernice Mosely is 82 and lives alone in New Orleans in a Renters, who comprised a majority of New Orleans before double that never flooded before Katrina. On a blazing Katrina, are even worse off. The U.S. Department of hot summer day, Ms. Mosely uses crutches to gingerly Housing and Urban Development has kept thousands come down off her porch to open the padlock on her locked out of their public housing apartments and fence. Crutches are essential because she had hip and announced plans to demolish 5,000 homes. Rents have knee replacement surgery. skyrocketed in the undamaged parts of the area, pricing regular working people out of the market. Ms. Mosely worked in a New Orleans factory for over 30 years sewing uniforms. When she retired she was making The statistics tell some of the story. But behind every less than $4 an hour. She now lives off Social Security. number there is a real person like Ms. Mosely, still struggling for shelter. Because her house had never flooded, and because liv- Stopping the Bulldozers of New Orleans by Elena Everett is on the side of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. We cannot rest until they are treated fairly and with respect.” In January, Hurricane Katrina survivors in New Orleans The class-action settlement came after Mayor Ray Nagin won a settlement securing notification for residents unveiled his “Bring Back New Orleans” plan for rede- whose homes were targeted for demolition. The agreement velopment, which left residents angry over the rush to requires the city to notify people by publication and bulldoze properties when neighborhoods had not yet mail before taking any property, including rubble. had the opportunity to weigh in on the redevelopment. “Homeowners will have an opportunity to fight if they In December 2005, the city announced that it would believe that the city is unjustly forcing them out of their start bulldozing about 2,500 heavily damaged homes. homes and neighborhoods and to retrieve personal The plans drew an outcry, as most Katrina evacuees had belongings,” said Judith Browne, co-director of Advance- not yet returned to salvage their belongings. At the same ment Project and co-convener of the Grassroots Legal time, cleanup crews were continuing to find bodies, and Network of the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund. “Justice 16

homes of friends and relatives,” it recommended. it relatives,” and friends of homes

persistent coughs and nosebleeds. and coughs persistent

facilities such as library or recreation centers, or at the at or centers, recreation or library as such facilities

such as burning eyes, irritated throat, sinus congestion, sinus throat, irritated eyes, burning as such

“If possible, spend part of the day outdoors, at public at outdoors, day the of part spend possible, “If

ed problems associated with formaldehyde exposure formaldehyde with associated problems ed

residents of trailers where the testing occurred report- occurred testing the where trailers of residents amount of time spent in the trailer. the in spent time of amount

al trailers were more than three times the limit. Some limit. the times three than more were trailers al problems that could be linked to formaldehyde limit the limit formaldehyde to linked be could that problems

and the American Lung Association. The levels in sever- in levels The Association. Lung American the and new. It also suggests that residents experiencing health experiencing residents that suggests also It new.

safety limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency Protection Environmental the by set limit safety their homes using fans, especially when the trailers are trailers the when especially fans, using homes their

formaldehyde were at or below the 0.1 parts per million per parts 0.1 the below or at were formaldehyde The Sierra Club has advised trailer residents to ventilate to residents trailer advised has Club Sierra The

vivors. It found only two trailers where the levels of levels the where trailers two only found It

(2)

grant the case class-action status, according to MSNBC. to according status, class-action case the grant

tests in 31 FEMA trailers issued to Gulf Coast storm sur- storm Coast Gulf to issued trailers FEMA 31 in tests

District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana to Louisiana of District Eastern the in Court District

In May, Sierra Club reported on the results of indoor air indoor of results the on reported Club Sierra May, In

residents. The plaintiffs’ attorneys are asking the U.S. the asking are attorneys plaintiffs’ The residents.

anything.” anything.” ing presents a danger to the health and well-being of well-being and health the to danger a presents ing

Cynthia Willis told WLOX-TV. “You can’t breathe or breathe can’t “You WLOX-TV. told Willis Cynthia trailer manufacturers alleging that the temporary hous- temporary the that alleging manufacturers trailer

“It makes everybody stuffed up,” trailer resident trailer up,” stuffed everybody makes “It suit in Louisiana against the federal government and government federal the against Louisiana in suit

FEMA trailers have led to the filing of at least one law- one least at of filing the to led have trailers FEMA

dents complained of health problems. health of complained dents

(1)

Reports of respiratory problems among people living in living people among problems respiratory of Reports

urged comprehensive testing of the trailers after resi- after trailers the of testing comprehensive urged

an interfaith community group in Mississippi, also Mississippi, in group community interfaith an pected human carcinogen. human pected

ordered air quality tests of its own. The Amos Network, Amos The own. its of tests quality air ordered urea-formaldehyde resins. The EPA considers it a sus- a it considers EPA The resins. urea-formaldehyde

pendent testing conducted by the Sierra Club, FEMA Club, Sierra the by conducted testing pendent such as particleboard made using adhesives containing adhesives using made particleboard as such

Months after the problem was discovered through inde- through discovered was problem the after Months Formaldehyde is a gas emitted by pressed wood products wood pressed by emitted gas a is Formaldehyde

respiratory disorders and cancer. and disorders respiratory tamination.

(3)

dangerous levels of formaldehyde, a toxic gas linked to linked gas toxic a formaldehyde, of levels dangerous received 46 complaints of suspected formaldehyde con- formaldehyde suspected of complaints 46 received

Mississippi—and at least some of those trailers contain trailers those of some least at Mississippi—and spokesperson also acknowledged that FEMA has FEMA that acknowledged also spokesperson

Management Agency trailers in Louisiana and Louisiana in trailers Agency Management remains confident in the trailers’ safety. However, the However, safety. trailers’ the in confident remains

Hurricane Katrina are living in Federal Emergency Federal in living are Katrina Hurricane said his agency requested the tests to be cautious but cautious be to tests the requested agency his said

More than 100,000 people who lost their homes in homes their lost who people 100,000 than More own testing, MSNBC reported. A FEMA spokesperson FEMA A reported. MSNBC testing, own

asked the Environmental Protection Agency to do its do to Agency Protection Environmental the asked

Three months after the Sierra Club’s report, FEMA report, Club’s Sierra the after months Three by Sue Sturgis Sue by

FEMA Tests Trailers for Toxins for Trailers Tests FEMA

ACORN

Hurricane Network. Hurricane

Intracoastal CDC, and student volunteers of the Student the of volunteers student and CDC, Intracoastal

Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Council, New Life New Council, Neighborhood Ward Ninth Lower

Fund, ACORN, Hope House, Common Ground Collective, Ground Common House, Hope ACORN, Fund,

plaintiff homeowners and the People’s Hurricane Relief Hurricane People’s the and homeowners plaintiff

Washington with the assistance and support of the of support and assistance the with Washington

by Advancement Project, Loyola Law Clinic and Tracie and Clinic Law Loyola Project, Advancement by

The suit, titled Kirk v. City of New Orleans, was brought was Orleans, New of City v. Kirk titled suit, The

federal court hearing, where the settlement was won. was settlement the where hearing, court federal

ning a temporary stay for the bulldozers until the Jan. 19 Jan. the until bulldozers the for stay temporary a ning

tion in the Lower Ninth Ward, and in the courts, by win- by courts, the in and Ward, Ninth Lower the in tion

in an emergency demonstration that blocked a demoli- a blocked that demonstration emergency an in

succeeded in stopping the bulldozers—both physically, bulldozers—both the stopping in succeeded

In early January, housing advocates and a legal aid team aid legal a and advocates housing January, early In

of storm victims. storm of it was feared that bulldozers would desecrate the remains the desecrate would bulldozers that feared was it BRICK BY BRICK: Infrastructure

Sources on p. 90 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

in stock options stock in

$9.5 million annual salary plus $48 million million $48 plus salary annual million $9.5

Compensation for Entergy CEO J. Wayne Leonard: Leonard: Wayne J. CEO Entergy for Compensation

$281 million $281 of 2006: 2006: of

Profits reported by Entergy between April and June June and April between Entergy by reported Profits

25 percent 25 was denied: was

repairs after its request for block grant funding funding grant block for request its after repairs

Rate increase proposed by Entergy New Orleans to fund to Orleans New Entergy by proposed increase Rate

$718 million $718 following the storm: storm: the following

Grant program, after declaring bankruptcy bankruptcy declaring after program, Grant

federal relief from the Community Development Block Development Community the from relief federal

Amount Entergy’s New Orleans subsidiary requested in requested subsidiary Orleans New Entergy’s Amount

$909 million $909 region, reported earning before Katrina: Katrina: before earning reported region,

electricity to most of the Gulf the of most to electricity whose subsidiaries provide provide subsidiaries whose

Annual profits that Entergy Corp., the national entity national the Corp., Entergy that profits Annual

Merle Wolfe/FEMA Merle

have yet to be rebuilt. be to yet have

$196,350 Daily cost to the city from the leaks: leaks: the from city the to cost Daily

Vietnamese community in New Orleans East to the rest New Orleans New rest the to East Orleans New in community Vietnamese

while the bridge to Bay St. Louis and the one connecting the connecting one the and Louis St. Bay to bridge the while

85 million 85 underfunded repair budget: repair underfunded

Ward neighborhoods remain without gas and electricity service electricity and gas without remain neighborhoods Ward ,

(4) each day due to breaks caused by Katrina and an an and Katrina by caused breaks to due day each

Meanwhile, sections of the New Orleans’Lakeview and Lower Ninth Lower and Orleans’Lakeview New the of sections Meanwhile,

Gallons of water the New Orleans water system loses system water Orleans New the water of Gallons

tax incentives for bigger pipelines and other expansion projects. expansion other and pipelines bigger for incentives tax

Utilities and developers have moved quickly to collect state and federal and state collect to quickly moved have developers and Utilities

$1.4 billion $1.4

with driveways and walkways that led to nowhere. to led that walkways and driveways with systems in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi: Mississippi: and Louisiana Alabama, in systems

half-mile of the Mississippi beach, leaving Waveland and Pass Christian Pass and Waveland leaving beach, Mississippi the of half-mile Estimated cost of Katrina-related damage to sewer sewer to damage Katrina-related of cost Estimated

At its most intense, Katrina obliterated almost every structure within a within structure every almost obliterated Katrina intense, most its At

61 Katrina, number operating as of July 2006: 2006: July of as operating number Katrina,

Biloxi to Ocean Springs were destroyed. were Springs Ocean to Biloxi

(3)

Of the 368 buses operating in New Orleans before Orleans New in operating buses 368 the Of

Highway 90 and the bridges from Bay St. Louis to Pass Christian and Christian Pass to Louis St. Bay from bridges the and 90 Highway

percent of the buildings along the Biloxi-Gulfport coastline. Coastal coastline. Biloxi-Gulfport the along buildings the of percent

60 percent 60 2006, compared to former customer levels: levels: customer former to compared 2006,

traffic for weeks. In Mississippi, a 30-foot storm surge wiped out 90 out wiped surge storm 30-foot a Mississippi, In weeks. for traffic

Level of electricity hook-up in New Orleans in August in Orleans New in hook-up electricity of Level

and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway could carry only emergency only carry could Causeway Pontchartrain Lake the and

, The Interstate 10 bridge from New Orleans to Slidell, La. collapsed La. Slidell, to Orleans New from bridge 10 Interstate The

(2) 2.6 million 2.6 after Katrina: Katrina: after

and many evacuations had to be conducted by boat or helicopter. or boat by conducted be to had evacuations many and Number of people left without power immediately immediately power without left people of Number

without electricity. without Numerous roadways were flooded or damaged, or flooded were roadways Numerous

(1)

Mississippi—nearly one-third of the population—were temporarily population—were the of one-third Mississippi—nearly 29 miles 29 washed out by the storm: storm: the by out washed

Nearly 1 million people in Louisiana and over 800,000 homes in homes 800,000 over and Louisiana in people million 1 Nearly Portion of U.S. Highway 90 through coastal Mississippi coastal through 90 Highway U.S. of Portion

levees and entire towns were blown down and washed away. washed and down blown were towns entire and levees

$200 billion $200

of the physical infrastructure. Bridges, pipelines, power lines, power pipelines, Bridges, infrastructure. physical the of

Estimated cost of damage caused by Katrina: Katrina: by caused damage of cost Estimated

Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, obliterating much obliterating Coast, Gulf the through tore Katrina Hurricane

he 125-mile-per-hour winds and powerful storm surge from surge storm powerful and winds 125-mile-per-hour he

90,000 square miles square 90,000

Area of the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina: Hurricane by affected Coast Gulf the of Area

Infrastructure Index Infrastructure KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Entergy: The Power of Profits by Sue Sturgis the system and restoring Entergy New Orleans’ financial health,” the company said in a press release announcing o understand how some corporations have tried to the bankruptcy filing. “Entergy is working with public take advantage of the public in the wake of officials at the federal, state and local levels to try to THurricane Katrina, consider the case of Entergy New secure vital government assistance.” Orleans. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Louisiana- The company asked for federal relief from Congress, based Entergy Corp., ENO provides electricity and nat- including a cut of the $11.5 billion in Community ural gas service to Crescent City residents. It’s a separate Development Block Grants that Congress approved as subsidiary from Entergy Louisiana, which serves Louisiana part of the Katrina Relief Bill. ENO requested $718 mil- residents outside the east bank of Orleans Parish. lion in CDBG money, which is being administered by the Louisiana Recovery Authority. The company says this is the amount needed to fix the damage it suffered "The risk of a financial loss from a natural disaster is one that any in the storm. investor in a private firm must face, and it would be wrong for the The Bush administration was unsympathetic to the com- taxpayer to bail out those investors after the fact," wrote a White pany’s request. “The risk of a financial loss from a natural disaster is one that any investor in a private firm must House official. face, and it would be wrong for the taxpayer to bail out those investors after the fact,” Allan Hubbard, chairman of the White House’s Gulf Coast Recovery and Rebuilding If ever there were a company that should have been able Council, wrote last year in a letter to an Entergy execu- to pick itself up by its bootstraps following last year’s tive obtained by the New Orleans Times-Picayune.(1) hurricane, it was Entergy. The year before the storm Hubbard suggested that ENO should either tap the finan- struck, Entergy earned $909 million in profits on rev- cial resources of its parent corporation or ask the utility’s enues of $10 billion. But less than a month after Katrina bondholders to write down the value of the subsidiary’s struck the Gulf, its ENO subsidiary filed for Chapter 11 debt. Another possibility would be to spread the burden bankruptcy—and immediately sought a taxpayer bailout. of financing repairs to more of the company’s rate payers “Federal resources, in addition to reimbursement of by merging ENO with the Louisiana subsidiary. certain costs covered by insurance, are critical to restoring Instead, Entergy has decided to make ENO’s storm- shrunken customer base pay: The company recently filed a plan with New Orleans City Council to impose a 25 percent rate hike, which would raise its customers’ electric and gas bills on average by $45 a month(2). The council has until Nov. 1 to decide on the proposal. The company is still pursuing CDBG funds as well, though the LRA has not made any promises. In the meantime, 30 percent of Lower Ninth Ward residents still lack gas service and 8 percent still lack electricity(3), while intermittent power outages remain a fact of life throughout the city. But all is bright at Entergy, which reported $282 million in earnings on revenue of $2.63 billion between April and June of this year.(4) And Entergy CEO J. Wayne Leonard is living comfortably: His total compensation for 2005 was $9.5 million, and he still holds $48 million in exercisable Entergy stock options(5).

CAMERON, LA, NOV. 2005 A lineman repairs damage from Hurricane Rita. MARVIN NAUMAN/FEMA photo

able by Sept. 1. Sept. by able

The wireless The Orleans. New in business BellSouth’s

(1)

15 square miles. square 15 The service is scheduled to be avail- be to scheduled is service The

as taxpayer-funded competition that would greatly reduce greatly would that competition taxpayer-funded as (3)

WiFi broadband network and expand the service area to area service the expand and network broadband WiFi BellSouth viewed the WiFi plan, short for wireless fidelity, wireless for short plan, WiFi the viewed BellSouth

On May 26, Earthlink announced that it would build a build would it that announced Earthlink 26, May On

to the recovering city. recovering the to

(1)

access the service. the access

unveiled plans to offer free high-speed Internet access Internet high-speed free offer to plans unveiled (2)

chief technology officer, says about 1,000 people can people 1,000 about says officer, technology chief math. However, it withdrew the offer after New Orleans New after offer the withdrew it However, math.

part of the French Quarter. Greg Meffert, New Orleans’ New Meffert, Greg Quarter. French the of part their previous building was destroyed in Katrina’s after- Katrina’s in destroyed was building previous their

area of New Orleans, concentrated in downtown and downtown in concentrated Orleans, New of area Orleans Police Department to use as a headquarters after headquarters a as use to Department Police Orleans

Currently, free WiFi is available in a four-square-mile a in available is WiFi free Currently,

pledged to donate a flood-damaged building for the New the for building flood-damaged a donate to pledged

Consider the case of the BellSouth Corp. The company The Corp. BellSouth the of case the Consider

operating out of hotel rooms and precinct stations. precinct and rooms hotel of out operating

(1)

remained. Since the hurricane, the N.O.P.D. has been has N.O.P.D. the hurricane, the Since remained.

times came with strings attached. strings with came times

need of repairs, but 250,000 square feet of usable space usable of feet square 250,000 but repairs, of need Coast. However, this corporate generosity some- generosity corporate this However, Coast.

The BellSouth building in question was flooded and in and flooded was question in building BellSouth The nies stepped up to help hard-hit areas of the Gulf the of areas hard-hit help to up stepped nies

ollowing Hurricane Katrina, many private compa- private many Katrina, Hurricane ollowing

businesses.

relocation by providing Internet access to homes and homes to access Internet providing by relocation

by Cailin Deery Cailin by network was pitched as a way to stimulate recovery and recovery stimulate to way a as pitched was network

Wireless Dispute Wireless

BellSouth Withdraws N.O. Aid Over Over Aid N.O. Withdraws BellSouth

such as sprinklers in high-rise buildings malfunctioning buildings high-rise in sprinklers as such water at an alarming rate. alarming an at water

serious problems associated with low water pressure, water low with associated problems serious But in the meantime, New Orleans continues to lose to continues Orleans New meantime, the in But

restrooms and air conditioners. There are even more even are There conditioners. air and restrooms

Martin.

when there was not enough water for drinking fountains, drinking for water enough not was there when

equipment,” said S&WB Executive Director Marcia St. Marcia Director Executive S&WB said equipment,”

the civil court building to close for several days in June in days several for close to building court civil the

possibly requiring a smaller response of staff and staff of response smaller a requiring possibly

The lack of pressure caused New Orleans City Hall and Hall City Orleans New caused pressure of lack The

based on not having to react in an emergency mode and mode emergency an in react to having not on based

reporting pressures of 20 pounds or less. or pounds 20 of pressures reporting , costly less be will which repair a allow and customers on

(3)

storm, building managers across New Orleans have been have Orleans New across managers building storm, “This proactive approach is a way to reduce the impact the reduce to way a is approach proactive “This

municipal systems provide about 60 pounds. Since the Since pounds. 60 about provide systems municipal

leaks before they develop into major breaks. major into develop they before leaks

an average of only about 30 pounds of pressure. Most pressure. of pounds 30 about only of average an

the pipeline, with the goal of finding and repairing small repairing and finding of goal the with pipeline, the

was losing about 20 million gallons a day and provided and day a gallons million 20 about losing was

work. The company uses monitors to listen for noise on noise for listen to monitors uses company The work.

Even before Katrina, New Orleans’ aging water system water aging Orleans’ New Katrina, before Even

Ohio to search for leaks throughout the 1,600-mile net- 1,600-mile the throughout leaks for search to Ohio

repaired quickly. repaired contracted with Fluid Conservation Systems Inc. of Inc. Systems Conservation Fluid with contracted

(2)

will not recover from the storm if the problem isn’t problem the if storm the from recover not will In hopes of fixing the problem, S&WB earlier this year this earlier S&WB problem, the fixing of hopes In

board’s members recently acknowledged that the city the that acknowledged recently members board’s

losing $196,350 in revenue daily and $1.3 million weekly. million $1.3 and daily revenue in $196,350 losing

(4)

thirds of what’s pumped through the pipes. the through pumped what’s of thirds The

(1)

tomer charge of $2.31 per 1,000 gallons, the agency is agency the gallons, 1,000 per $2.31 of charge tomer

about 85 million gallons of water a day—more than two- than day—more a water of gallons million 85 about

The leaks are also costing S&WB dearly: Based on the cus- the on Based dearly: S&WB costing also are leaks The

17,000 leaks to date, but the system continues to bleed to continues system the but date, to leaks 17,000

city’s Sewerage and Water Board has repaired more than more repaired has Board Water and Sewerage city’s effect on insurance prices. insurance on effect

ground water pipes, causing thousands of breaks. The breaks. of thousands causing pipes, water ground some property managers are worried about the potential the about worried are managers property some

had grown entangled in the city’s network of under- of network city’s the in entangled grown had and firefighters being unable to quell blazes. In addition, In blazes. quell to unable being firefighters and

wind and flooding toppled countless trees whose roots whose trees countless toppled flooding and wind When Katrina blew past New Orleans last August, the August, last Orleans New past blew Katrina When

more than two-thirds of what’s pumped through the pipes. the through pumped what’s of two-thirds than more ously dry. ously

New New Orleans a year ago is now draining the city danger- city the draining now is ago year a Orleans

tem continues to bleed about 85 million gallons of water a day— a water of gallons million 85 about bleed to continues tem

n a cruel irony, the same hurricane that inundated that hurricane same the irony, cruel a n

The city has repaired more than 17,000 leaks to date, but the sys- the but date, to leaks 17,000 than more repaired has city The

by Sue Sturgis Sue by Massive Water Leaks Imperil New Orleans New Imperil Leaks Water Massive DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Politics

Sources on p. 94 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

resources and chances for recovery. for chances and resources

and connections drastically impact hard-hit communities’access to communities’access hard-hit impact drastically connections and

Meanwhile, it has become increasingly clear that political cronyism political that clear increasingly become has it Meanwhile,

Stakes remain high as millions of dollars are spent on the recovery. the on spent are dollars of millions as high remain Stakes

21.7 in 2004: 2004: in

Percent of Orleans Parish voters who voted for Bush Bush for voted who voters Parish Orleans of Percent mobilize voters throughout the country. the throughout voters mobilize

NAACP and Industrial Areas Foundation affiliates to organize and organize to affiliates Foundation Areas Industrial and NAACP

organizations such as ACORN, Peoples Hurricane Relief Fund, the Fund, Relief Hurricane Peoples ACORN, as such organizations 59.45 in 2004: 2004: in

A federal judge denied the motion, however, and left it to grassroots to it left and however, motion, the denied judge federal A Percent of Mississippi voters who voted for Bush Bush for voted who voters Mississippi of Percent

for Iraqi citizens living in the United States for their recent elections. elections. recent their for States United the in living citizens Iraqi for

satellite voting booths across the diaspora, similar to the ones provided ones the to similar diaspora, the across booths voting satellite $75 Cost for a travel trailer per night: night: per trailer travel a for Cost

rights groups filed suit to delay the municipal elections and to set up set to and elections municipal the delay to suit filed groups rights

the displaced would be heard through the ballot box. Several civil Several box. ballot the through heard be would displaced the $124 Cost to government for a mobile home per night: night: per home mobile a for government to Cost

Louisiana for failing to take a proactive role in ensuring the voices of voices the ensuring in role proactive a take to failing for Louisiana

and “welfare queens”to return. queens”to “welfare and Much criticism was directed at directed was criticism Much

4.6 mobile homes: homes: mobile

(3)

hopefuls exclaimed in televised debates that they didn’t want “pimps” want didn’t they that debates televised in exclaimed hopefuls

Percent of those living in more spacious spacious more in living those of Percent

tively disenfranchised in the city’s spring elections while mayoral while elections spring city’s the in disenfranchised tively

And in New Orleans, tens of thousands of displaced voters were effec- were voters displaced of thousands of tens Orleans, New in And

75,907 trailers and mobile homes as of July 19, 2006: 2006: 19, July of as homes mobile and trailers

Number of Louisiana households living in FEMA travel FEMA in living households Louisiana of Number substantial federal resources for recovery. for resources federal substantial

ership passed around blame while encountering difficulty winning difficulty encountering while blame around passed ership

12.5 mobile homes: homes: mobile perate situation in neighboring Louisiana, where the Democratic lead- Democratic the where Louisiana, neighboring in situation perate

Percent of those living in more spacious spacious more in living those of Percent viewed as particularly impressive compared to the volatile and des- and volatile the to compared impressive particularly as viewed

resources for the rebuilding of his state. His accomplishments were accomplishments His state. his of rebuilding the for resources

Barbour was praised for his quick action and ability to secure to ability and action quick his for praised was Barbour 37,505 trailers and mobile homes as of July 19, 2006: 2006: 19, July of as homes mobile and trailers

Bush administration. Bush In the weeks and months following Katrina, following months and weeks the In Number of Mississippi households living in FEMA travel FEMA in living households Mississippi of Number

(2)

mer chair of the Republican National Committee and close ties to the to ties close and Committee National Republican the of chair mer

Washington insider clout he had accrued through his position as for- as position his through accrued had he clout insider Washington $115.58 cost: cost:

Barbour himself made no secret of the fact that he was tapping the tapping was he that fact the of secret no made himself Barbour Approximate amount of dollars in gas the trip would trip the gas in dollars of amount Approximate

porary shelters along the Mississippi coast. Mississippi the along shelters porary

(1)

934 Orleans: Orleans: subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root to remove debris and set up tem- up set and debris remove to Root and Brown Kellogg subsidiary

voters in Atlanta traveled to cast their ballots in New in ballots their cast to traveled Atlanta in voters no-bid contracts for clients AshBritt, The Shaw Group and Halliburton and Group Shaw The AshBritt, clients for contracts no-bid

Number of miles roundtrip that hundreds of displaced of hundreds that roundtrip miles of Number storm, Allbaugh succeeded in winning substantial and controversial and substantial winning in succeeded Allbaugh storm,

founded by Haley Barbour, now governor of Mississippi. Days after the after Days Mississippi. of governor now Barbour, Haley by founded

25 places: places: closely with Barbour Griffith and Rogers, a Republican lobbying firm lobbying Republican a Rogers, and Griffith Barbour with closely

through absentee ballots or in-state satellite polling satellite in-state or ballots absentee through Director Joe Allbaugh began his new career as a lobbyist, he worked he lobbyist, a as career new his began Allbaugh Joe Director

Percent of votes that came from displaced residents displaced from came that votes of Percent For example, when former Federal Emergency Management Agency Management Emergency Federal former when example, For

disaster contracts. disaster

200,000 displaced by Katrina at election time: time: election at Katrina by displaced

turned-lobbyists secured millions of dollars of federal money in in money federal of dollars of millions secured turned-lobbyists

Estimated number of registered voters who were still still were who voters registered of number Estimated

found themselves in desperate straits, former government officials- government former straits, desperate in themselves found

mobilized for some but not others. While ordinary hurricane victims hurricane ordinary While others. not but some for mobilized

299,073 of the 2006 elections: elections: 2006 the of

government-industry revolving door, as resources were speedily were resources as door, revolving government-industry

Number of registered voters in New Orleans at the time the at Orleans New in voters registered of Number

lucrative opportunities for those who had passed through the the through passed had who those for opportunities lucrative

n the post-Katrina political landscape, the devastation created devastation the landscape, political post-Katrina the n

38 percent 38 Landrieu and Ray Nagin: Nagin: Ray and Landrieu

Turnout for the 2006 mayoral run-off between Mitch between run-off mayoral 2006 the for Turnout

the porch.” —George W. Bush, Sept. 2, 2005 2, Sept. Bush, W. —George porch.” the

there’s going to be a fantastic house. And I’m looking forward to sitting on sitting to forward looking I’m And house. fantastic a be to going there’s

46 percent 46

“Out of the rubble of Trent Lott’s house—he’s lost his entire house— entire his lost house—he’s Lott’s Trent of rubble the of “Out

Turnout for the 2002 mayoral race in New Orleans: Orleans: New in race mayoral 2002 the for Turnout

Politics Index Politics KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA REBUILDING AND THE BALLOT: Race and Politics After Katrina by Kristen Clarke-Avery publicized to voters dispersed throughout the country— a difficult task given that many displaced voters were in a The recent spring municipal elections in New Orleans constant state of flux. This reality was further compli- were historic in a number of regards. They were the first cated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s to be conducted following a major natural disaster and unwillingness to share updated address lists on the with significant numbers of residents displaced from grounds that it would breach privacy restrictions. the city. These elections tested our nation’s commit- The recent elections in New Orleans will serve as a guide- ment to ensuring broad levels of equal and open partic- post for future elections conducted under emergency ipation in the political process. And ultimately, these circumstances. With the specter of intensifying inter- elections will figure significantly into the rebuilding national conflict and a world that is increasingly vulner- and reconstruction process that is now unfolding. able to natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina will certainly In the weeks leading up to the elections, many black not be the last tragedy to befall the country. These elec- leaders called for satellite voting at strategically placed tions showed that officials are unwilling to take aggressive centers around the country that would have allowed dis- steps to facilitate voting in such situations.In addition to placed voters to cast their ballots from their temporary out-of-state satellite voting centers, a number of other places of residence. Given the displacement patterns steps could have been taken to make it easier for dis- that emerged following Katrina, satellite voting centers placed voters to participate in what were arguably the in cities such as Houston; Atlanta; Memphis, Tenn.; most important elections in the city’s storied history. Jackson, Miss.; and Dallas would certainly have helped An extended period of early voting could have been make participation easier for significant numbers of made available at registrar’s offices around the country, displaced voters. giving displaced voters a wide window of time to cast their ballots. Pre-addressed, pre-stamped ballots could have Although a federal judge was unwilling to order it, the been made available at post offices around the country Louisiana legislature could have implemented the satel- with a verification process established at the Orleans lite voting centers. The legislature voted against this and Parish Registrar’s Office for all ballots returned by mail. instead allowed for limited satellite voting in the registrar’s offices of 10 parishes around the state. Problems with mailing lists aside, ballots could have been automatically been mailed to all displaced voters, In addition, notice of all elections changes needed to be thus eliminating the requirement that voters first

George Armstrong/FEMA George

preparedness for the 2006 hurricane season. hurricane 2006 the for preparedness

Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, discuss Chertoff, Michael Secretary, Security Homeland

At a press conference, Gov. Haley Barbour and Barbour Haley Gov. conference, press a At

JACKSON, MISS., APRIL 14, 2006 14, APRIL MISS., JACKSON,

White House photo by Eric Draper Eric by photo House White

tion progress six months after Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane after months six progress tion

Industrial Levee Canal during a tour to view reconstruc- view to tour a during Canal Levee Industrial

Nagin, right, view flood wall construction in the in construction wall flood view right, Nagin,

President George W. Bush and New Orleans Mayor Ray Mayor Orleans New and Bush W. George President

NEW ORLEANS, MARCH 8, 2006 8, MARCH ORLEANS, NEW

Photo by Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA Jocelyn by Photo

Urban Search and Rescue task forces base of operations. of base forces task Rescue and Search Urban

Brown, center, meet with Mayor Ray Nagin at the FEMA the at Nagin Ray Mayor with meet center, Brown,

Chertoff, right, and Undersecretary of FEMA Mike FEMA of Undersecretary and right, Chertoff,

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Secretary Security Homeland of Department

NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 4, 2005 4, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

black residents that the city would be rebuilt to their to rebuilt be would city the that residents black

that existed before Katrina. Katrina. before existed that

in the city and reduced fears among many displaced many among fears reduced and city the in

homes but to maintain the long-sought political gains political long-sought the maintain to but homes

American continued to hold the most powerful position powerful most the hold to continued American

evidences a real commitment to not only rebuild their rebuild only not to commitment real a evidences

city. Nagin’s victory, however, meant that an African an that meant however, victory, Nagin’s city.

the political will exercised by many African Americans African many by exercised will political the

black voters might be able to make a speedy return to the to return speedy a make to able be might voters black

able number were not able to overcome the obstacles, the overcome to able not were number able

Orleanians and increased the likelihood that poor, that likelihood the increased and Orleanians

to ensure their voice would be heard. Although a size- a Although heard. be would voice their ensure to

likely brought a more immediate impact on poor New poor on impact immediate more a brought likely

satellite voting center, or cast an absentee ballot absentee an cast or center, voting satellite in order in

more progressive candidate, whose platform would have would platform whose candidate, progressive more

long bus rides to the city, found their way to an an to way their found city, the to rides bus long in-state

Analysts suggested that Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu was Landrieu Mitch Gov. Lt. that suggested Analysts the

the obstacles they faced, many displaced voters endured voters displaced many faced, they obstacles the

to throw his hat in the ring for the mayoral race. mayoral the for ring the in hat his throw to With these heightened stakes as a backdrop, and despite and backdrop, a as stakes heightened these With

that he was the only viable African-American candidate African-American viable only the was he that

look like. look

favor in the months following Katrina when it appeared it when Katrina following months the in favor

the city—while black voters feared what that face might face that what feared voters black city—while the

interests in the city. However, the tide shifted in Nagin’s in shifted tide the However, city. the in interests

elections as a unique opportunity to put a new face face new a put to opportunity unique a as elections on

regarded as serving on behalf of white and monied and white of behalf on serving as regarded

reform to the social fabric of the city. They saw these saw They city. the of fabric social the to reform

Preceding hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nagin was Nagin Rita, and Katrina hurricanes Preceding

middle or upper class, expressed a desire to see major see to desire a expressed class, upper or middle

Nagin’s favor. favor. Nagin’s Indeed, some white voters, the vast majority of whom of majority vast the voters, white some Indeed, are

in high numbers, helping ultimately to tip the scales in scales the tip to ultimately helping numbers, high in

rebuild a “new” New Orleans. Orleans. New “new” a rebuild

Ninth Ward. However, white voters turned out to the polls the to out turned voters white However, Ward. Ninth

the mass destruction of the city as an opportunity to opportunity an as city the of destruction mass the

of support were in black enclaves of the city such as the as such city the of enclaves black in were support of

mayoral legacy intact. Likewise, white voters have seen have voters white Likewise, intact. legacy mayoral

Police Chief Richard Pennington. Nagin’s lowest levels lowest Nagin’s Pennington. Richard Chief Police

Nagin out of a desire to keep the city’s 28-year old black old 28-year city’s the keep to desire a of out Nagin

voters supporting his opponent, former New Orleans New former opponent, his supporting voters

in the Ninth Ward, cast aside their profound disdain for disdain profound their aside cast Ward, Ninth the in

black community, with the majority of African-American of majority the with community, black

power balance in the city. Many black voters, particularly voters, black Many city. the in balance power

He received the support of only about 45 percent of the of percent 45 about only of support the received He

fear that the hurricanes may upset a delicately a upset may hurricanes the that fear forged

to white voters and business interests in New Orleans. New in interests business and voters white to

concerned about holding on to their political political their to on holding about concerned gains and gains

In 2002, Ray Nagin ran a campaign that clearly appealed clearly that campaign a ran Nagin Ray 2002, In

African-American voters in New Orleans are deeply are Orleans New in voters African-American

Shifting Allegiances, Overcoming Obstacles Overcoming Allegiances, Shifting

South—a reality that has not been altered by the hurricanes. the by altered been not has that reality South—a

a significant role in the political consciousness of the Deep the of consciousness political the in role significant a

receipt of social services and benefits. and services social of receipt

Nagin’s victory reflects the fact that race continues to play to continues race that fact the reflects victory Nagin’s

around the country to educate displaced voters about the about voters displaced educate to country the around

and during the well-attended public meetings held meetings public well-attended the during and promise on his part to maintain the racial status quo. status racial the maintain to part his on promise

outreach by making ballots available at FEMA centers FEMA at available ballots making by outreach black voters interpreted this as a firm, if perhaps belated, perhaps if firm, a as this interpreted voters black

for his now-infamous “Chocolate City” comment, some comment, City” “Chocolate now-infamous his for election officials could have conducted extensive voter extensive conducted have could officials election

exclusion. Although Nagin came under sharp criticism sharp under came Nagin Although exclusion. request their ballots and wait for their arrival. Finally, arrival. their for wait and ballots their request MAKING A LIVING: Economy

Sources on p. 93 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

5 of workers, as of May 2006: 2006: May of as workers, of

had in Louisiana and Mississippi to investigate abuse abuse investigate to Mississippi and Louisiana in had

which to reconstruct and repopulate the city.” the repopulate and reconstruct to which

(9)

Number of bilingual staff the U.S. Department of Labor of Department U.S. the staff bilingual of Number

city. Exploitation and exclusion are deeply immoral grounds upon grounds immoral deeply are exclusion and Exploitation city.

existed pre-Katrina, and ensuring its existence in the newly-rebuilt the in existence its ensuring and pre-Katrina, existed 725 undocumented workers: workers: undocumented

of underpaid and unpaid workers perpetuating cycles of poverty that poverty of cycles perpetuating workers unpaid and underpaid of including officers for “detention and removal”of removal”of and “detention for officers including

As the report concludes, “New Orleans is being rebuilt on the backs backs the on rebuilt being is Orleans “New concludes, report the As personnel dispatched to the Gulf in September 2005, September in Gulf the to dispatched personnel

Number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Office Office Customs and Immigration U.S. of Number

harassment.

19 hazardous substances or in dangerous conditions: conditions: dangerous in or substances hazardous theft, firings without cause, unsafe working conditions and police and conditions working unsafe cause, without firings theft,

h wit working while equipment protective given being not interviews with 700 workers in New Orleans found rampant wage rampant found Orleans New in workers 700 with interviews

Percent of undocumented workers in Gulf that report that Gulf in workers undocumented of Percent took advantage of this vulnerable work population. A study based on based study A population. work vulnerable this of advantage took

New Orleans are undocumented Latinos. undocumented are Orleans New Contractors immediately Contractors

over $700,000 over Immigrant Rights Alliance: Alliance: Rights Immigrant

(8)

Gulf workforce. By one estimate, 25 percent of construction workers in workers construction of percent 25 estimate, one By workforce. Gulf that were eventually recovered by the Mississippi the by recovered eventually were that

in the region’s rebuilding. Nearly 100,000 Latino laborers entered the entered laborers Latino 100,000 Nearly rebuilding. region’s the in Amount of wages contractors had not paid to workers to paid not had contractors wages of Amount

Katrina also attracted a massive influx of new workers to take part part take to workers new of influx massive a attracted also Katrina

28 report difficulty receiving payment for their work: work: their for payment receiving difficulty report

work: Nearly one out of four hurricane evacuees are jobless. are evacuees hurricane four of out one Nearly work: Percent of undocumented workers in the Gulf that Gulf the in workers undocumented of Percent

(7)

Those displaced by the storms are having the hardest time finding time hardest the having are storms the by displaced Those

25 estimated to be undocumented Latinos: Latinos: undocumented be to estimated

Orleans, the labor force is 30 percent smaller than it was a year ago. year a was it than smaller percent 30 is force labor the Orleans,

Percent of construction workers in New Orleans Orleans New in workers construction of Percent

the region’s rebuilding. Katrina destroyed thousands of jobs. In New In jobs. of thousands destroyed Katrina rebuilding. region’s the

100,000 the Gulf Coast after Katrina: Katrina: after Coast Gulf the those displaced by the storm, and those who came to the region to join to region the to came who those and storm, the by displaced those

Estimated number of Latino workers that moved to to moved that workers Latino of number Estimated Yet those affected most by the hurricanes have been workers—both been have hurricanes the by most affected those Yet

4,200

“failed entrepreneurs impacted by Hurricane Katrina.” Hurricane by impacted entrepreneurs “failed

(6) Number of businesses that had actually received checks: received actually had that businesses of Number

SBA chief Hector Barreto resigned amidst charges that the agency had agency the that charges amidst resigned Barreto Hector chief SBA

11,400 from Louisiana: Louisiana: from of the 28,540 disaster loans submitted by December 2005. December by submitted loans disaster 28,540 the of In April, In

(5)

By May 2006, number of loans the SBA had approved had SBA the loans of number 2006, May By in distributing disaster loans; the SBA had processed only 10 percent 10 only processed had SBA the loans; disaster distributing in

Administration also came under scathing criticism for being too slow too being for criticism scathing under came also Administration 10 number processed by December 2005: 2005: December by processed number

the $1.6 billion allocated by October 2005. October by allocated billion $1.6 the The Small Business Small The

to Small Business Administration from the Gulf Coast, Gulf the from Administration Business Small to

(4)

were largely left out of recovery contracts, receiving 1.5 percent of of percent 1.5 receiving contracts, recovery of out left largely were Out of 28,540 disaster loan applications submitted submitted applications loan disaster 28,540 of Out

Federal policy compounded an already bad situation. Small businesses Small situation. bad already an compounded policy Federal

60 by Katrina: Katrina: by

New Orleans alone. Orleans New Percent of New Orleans small businesses destroyed destroyed businesses small Orleans New of Percent

(3)

impacted by the storms. Sixty percent were driven out of business in business of out driven were percent Sixty storms. the by impacted

145,000

connected to the tourist industry—operating in the 77 counties 77 the in industry—operating tourist the to connected

77 counties worst hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: and Katrina Hurricanes by hit worst counties 77

Particularly vulnerable were the 145,000 small businesses—many small 145,000 the were vulnerable Particularly

Number of small businesses that were operating in the in operating were that businesses small of Number

indirectly by the region’s economic downturn. economic region’s the by indirectly

64,000 rolls on that date: date: that on rolls

(2)

causing nearly $4 billion in lost revenues, while many more were hurt were more many while revenues, lost in billion $4 nearly causing Number of unemployed evacuees who were cut off the off cut were who evacuees unemployed of Number

130,000 businesses establishments were directly damaged by Katrina, by damaged directly were establishments businesses 130,000

23 terminated for all Katrina evacuees: evacuees: Katrina all for terminated

billion, with the bulk being from lost structures and equipment. and structures lost from being bulk the with billion, Over

(1) Date in June 2006 that unemployment assistance was assistance unemployment that 2006 June in Date

Estimates of total economic damage range from $150 billion to $200 to billion $150 from range damage economic total of Estimates

23 in their original homes: homes: original their in

Katrina’s economic damage would be uniquely deep and lasting. and deep uniquely be would damage economic Katrina’s

Unemployment rate among evacuees who aren’t back aren’t who evacuees among rate Unemployment

the Mississippi River, a major transportation artery, ensured that ensured artery, transportation major a River, Mississippi the

4.2 who are now back in their original homes: original their in back now are who

devastation of the urban center of New Orleans and the disruption of disruption the and Orleans New of center urban the of devastation

Unemployment rate among Hurricane Katrina evacuees Katrina Hurricane among rate Unemployment Coast. The region’s key role in national energy production, the production, energy national in role key region’s The Coast.

anywhere, but the consequences were magnified in the Gulf the in magnified were consequences the but anywhere, 30 workforce has shrunk: shrunk: has workforce

hurricane the size of Katrina would cause economic damage economic cause would Katrina of size the hurricane A year after Katrina, percent by which New Orleans’ New which by percent Katrina, after year A

230,000 Hurricane Katrina: Katrina: Hurricane

Number of jobs eliminated in the Gulf Coast by Coast Gulf the in eliminated jobs of Number

Economy Index Economy KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Finding Family in City Park With many labor protections stripped by the Bush adminis- three weeks. Then one day the police noticed them, and tration in the wake of the storms, people who came to work told them to leave by 6 p.m. “They told us they would call on Gulf rebuilding projects faced near-lawless and danger- immigration on us at 6:30 p.m. At 6:30 they arrived and ous conditions. The large influx of immigrant laborers also screamed at us. We told them we didn’t have anywhere fostered tensions between Latino, African-American and to go.” white workers. A focal point of this volatile situation was They drove around that night until they found Scout Island, “Tent City” in New Orleans’ City Park, where hundreds of an area of City Park. A woman told them they could camp workers lived in a muddy field. But this excerpt from a recent here and gave them a tent. report reveals how exploitive conditions didn’t cause workers to lose their sense of humanity and solidarity. Titled “And Finally, they found a job fixing up a house. They worked Injustice for All: Worker’s Lives in the Reconstruction of New for two weeks and were paid. A woman at a day labor Orleans,” the report was published by the Advancement location offered them a place to stay for $100 every three Project, National Immigration Law Center, and the New days. “At least you’ll have a roof over your head,” she said, Orleans Worker Justice Coalition in July 2006. but they couldn’t afford it. “My husband and I will never forget what happened to us n the wake of Hurricane Katrina, construction work- here, how we were treated. If anyone from this country ers from across the United States traveled to New ever came to my house in Mexico they would always be Orleans. Several hundred of these workers lived on I welcome: food, a bed, our house would be open. But we’ve Scout Island, part of the City Park in the heart of town. come here, far from home, and we are treated so badly. The workers in New Orleans’ “Tent City” were recruited Is it because everyone is rich here?” from across the country with the promise of steady jobs, fair pay and free rent. Instead, workers were charged Deidre Woods $300 a month in rent to live in tents, which they had to purchase. They had no heat, no electricity and no light. Deidre “Deedy” Woods is from Pensacola and is a sur- They paid $5 to take cold showers. vivor of Hurricane Ivan. She lost her trailer house and obtained a FEMA trailer, but the time ran out and she On Feb. 20, 2006, the workers of Tent City met in the found herself homeless. dark and shared their common concerns by flashlight. After the meeting, two workers met to have an extended She was staying with family members when she received conversation. Deidre Ward, an African-American a phone call about work in New Orleans. She was guar- woman from Florida, invited us to her campfire. Aurora anteed $1,500 a week and rent-free living on the campsite, Sanchez, a Mexican woman, sat with her and they with a tent, heat, free showers and three hot meals a day. exchanged stories. What follows is a record of their So Deidre relocated to New Orleans. But the promises interaction. were empty. She is charged for rent, had to purchase a tent, pays $5 a day for showers and spends $100 a month Aurora Sanchez on laundry; and even worse, there were no jobs. Aurora Sanchez is from Chiapas, Mexico. Her daughter When Deidre arrived in New Orleans, she drove around had a hip replacement, and the costs of surgery drove for days looking for work. Finally, she met a man who the family deep into debt. So Aurora’s husband crossed told her about a contractor who would pay her $125 a the border to work. Two years later, Aurora joined him day. Actually, she was paid $10 an hour. She left that job in Maryland. and found another—for 10 days she worked from 10 a.m. One day [after Hurricane Katrina], Aurora was at work at to 9 p.m. inside the supermarket, where Aurora and her a canned fruit factory when a man arrived looking for husband were living in their car in the parking lot. people to come with him to New Orleans. “He offered us trailers, $15 an hour, $18 overtime.” So they went to New Working, Fighting, Living Orleans. The supermarket is a hub of contractor hiring. Deidre “When we arrived at the location that we had been given went from job to job. She only lasted 10 days at the super- [a supermarket chain] we were told that workers from market. Then she went to work for a woman who was a the Carolinas had already arrived, and they didn’t need subcontractor. She worked for this woman for a week, us anymore.” but did not get paid at the end of the week. Aurora and her husband retreated to their car, pulled “I had to hunt the woman down to get my paycheck.” She into a supermarket chain parking lot, and lived there for finally obtained her paycheck the following Wednesday.

know what a hurricane is. hurricane a what know

make some money, and also help out the people here. I here. people the out help also and money, some make

when I got that phone call I thought I could come and come could I thought I call phone that got I when

went through Hurricane Ivan, and I lost my trailer, and trailer, my lost I and Ivan, Hurricane through went

ple who live in the park came here to better ourselves. I ourselves. better to here came park the in live who ple

Robert Kaufmann/FEMA Robert Deidre: “Look at who is here. Ninety percent of the peo- the of percent Ninety here. is who at “Look Deidre:

Contruction projects line New Orleans streets. streets. Orleans New line projects Contruction

pened to us here in New Orleans.” New in here us to pened

NEW ORLEANS, DECEMBER, 2005 DECEMBER, ORLEANS, NEW

Aurora closed her eyes. “We’ll never forget what hap- what forget never “We’ll eyes. her closed Aurora

Bobcat and sit there laughing and eating their lunch.” their eating and laughing there sit and Bobcat

ing up. I can’t hold my diarrhea my hold can’t I up. ing in.’ And they park their park they And in.’

that sign. And I am telling them, ‘Look at me. I’m I’m me. at ‘Look them, telling am I And sign. that throw-

“They left me, standing there. And I am still holding still am I And there. standing me, left “They

Deidre talked about that rainy afternoon as if in a trance. a in if as afternoon rainy that about talked Deidre

Reflections and Invitations and Reflections

lie.” But they fired her anyway. her fired they But lie.”

ing in the middle of the street with no sign,’ which was a was which sign,’ no with street the of middle the in ing

said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Because you left the Bobcat stand- Bobcat the left you ‘Because said, He ‘Why?’ said,

got to work [the foreman] said, ‘Give me your badge.’ I badge.’ your me ‘Give said, foreman] [the work to got

down, disgusted, and walked home. “ The next day when I when day next The “ home. walked and disgusted, down,

ting there laughing and eating.” Deidre threw her sign her threw Deidre eating.” and laughing there ting

“Instead of telling me it was lunchtime, they are just sit- just are they lunchtime, was it me telling of “Instead

the street and had lunch. had and street the

And the foreman and his wife went down to the end of end the to down went wife his and foreman the And

ing in the street holding the sign. It was still raining. still was It sign. the holding street the in ing

Finally there was a lunch break. Deidre was still stand- still was Deidre break. lunch a was there Finally Deedy’s.”

if I’m not here just let people know you’re a friend of friend a you’re know people let just here not I’m if

license.’” And she did. she And license.’”

Deidre said: “Same here. My tent is right over here. And here. over right is tent My here. “Same said: Deidre

me ride a Bobcat without a sign, I’m going to lose my lose to going I’m sign, a without Bobcat a ride me

and hold that sign: if [the higher tier contractor] sees contractor] tier higher [the if sign: that hold and you’re always welcome.” always you’re

break. The foreman said, ‘Get your black ass back here back ass black your ‘Get said, foreman The break. always welcome. Whatever we have, we have food, water— food, have we have, we Whatever welcome. always

“I told them I was sick, I was throwing up, I needed a needed I up, throwing was I sick, was I them told “I tions are the same. My tent is right over there and you are you and there over right is tent My same. the are tions

tell you through an interpreter: I know that our situa- our that know I interpreter: an through you tell

for the Bobcat. the for

“I want to say this to you in English but I can’t, so I will I so can’t, I but English in you to this say to want “I

was vomiting in the rain—and she was still holding a sign a holding still was she rain—and the in vomiting was

As we got up to leave, Aurora turned to Deidre and said, and Deidre to turned Aurora leave, to up got we As

and Deidre felt worse and worse. She had diarrhea, and diarrhea, had She worse. and worse felt Deidre and

she was holding up a sign for a Bobcat. It started to rain, to started It Bobcat. a for sign a up holding was she and they would have to find more work somewhere. work more find to have would they and

she had the flu, but she went to work anyway. That day That anyway. work to went she but flu, the had she daughter would have to have another surgical procedure surgical another have to have would daughter

Deidre also worked for this contractor. A few weeks ago weeks few A contractor. this for worked also Deidre off the debt of their daughter’s hip surgery. But now their now But surgery. hip daughter’s their of debt the off

Aurora said that she and her husband were trying to pay to trying were husband her and she that said Aurora

employing them three days a week. a days three them employing

another contractor … but [this contractor] is only is contractor] [this but … contractor another Hispanics to clean up the city while it’s still toxic.” still it’s while city the up clean to Hispanics

they left, and Aurora and her husband found a job with job a found husband her and Aurora and left, they “The Hispanics have it worse. They are bringing in the in bringing are They worse. it have Hispanics “The

response, the boss fired all the workers on the spot. So spot. the on workers the all fired boss the response,

get an X-ray done when I go back home; I am getting sick. getting am I home; back go I when done X-ray an get

When the inspector came, Aurora told the truth. In truth. the told Aurora came, inspector the When

bladder long enough to get to the bathroom. I’m going to going I’m bathroom. the to get to enough long bladder

nose has been bleeding since I got here. I can’t hold my hold can’t I here. got I since bleeding been has nose all. at none times

standing on it. I have a cough, I don’t know what it is. My is. it what know don’t I cough, a have I it. on standing some- hour—and an half than longer never and break,

dump. That swamp over there has [three inches] of sludge of inches] [three has there over swamp That dump. one only generally was There truth: the tell would she that

to say they were getting regular breaks. Aurora told him told Aurora breaks. regular getting were they say to have to wash all of my clothes. We are living in a toxic a in living are We clothes. my of all wash to have

was going to be an inspection, and that the workers had workers the that and inspection, an be to going was for bathrooms. Paying for laundry. Every time it rains I rains it time Every laundry. for Paying bathrooms. for

breaks. One day a man from the company said that there that said company the from man a day One breaks. more money than I am saving. I’m paying rent. Paying rent. paying I’m saving. am I than money more

“But I am not benefiting from being here. I am spending am I here. being from benefiting not am I “But workers its refused that company a for worked Aurora COMMUNITY VOICES Justice for the Gulf’s Immigrant Workers by Chris Kromm You’ve had successes in taking on some of these companies. Vicky Cintra is the organizing coordinator of the Mississippi Sure. Mississippi is the only state that does not have a Immigrants Rights Alliance, an organization founded five labor department, so we have to rely on the U.S. Depart- years ago by Executive Director Bill Chandler to fight the ment of Labor. We handed the KBR investigation to the abuse of immigrants in the state. Before Hurricane Katrina, Department of Labor on Oct. 20, and by Feb. 23 we recov- MIRA!—an acronym that means “look!” in Spanish— ered $141,000 for 106 workers who thought they would focused on advocacy and legislative policy work. Since the never see that money. People came from Florida, North storm, however, the state has experienced an explosion in the Carolina and Texas to come pick up their checks. We’ve number of immigrant workers coming for clean up and also collected thousands of dollars from contractors reconstruction jobs. Many have faced exploitation, which inside the different hotels and casinos. In all, we’ve col- MIRA! has been working to stop by organizing and empower- lected over $700,000 for workers. ing the immigrant community to stand up for its rights. In June 2006 Chris Kromm, executive director of the Institute for In New Orleans, one of the issues we came across was Southern Studies, sat down with Cintra to learn more about anti-immigrant sentiment because of the influx of MIRA!’s work. workers involved in the rebuilding. Has that been a problem here? CHRIS KROMM: What are some of the biggest issues immigrants have faced since Katrina? You’ve got to come to a point where you stop blaming the workers and start blaming the right people. It’s not the VICKY CINTRA: Many people have not been getting workers’ fault that President Bush suspended the Davis- paid. When a disaster of this magnitude hits, you’d think Bacon Act, which opened the door for contractors to the first thing a president would do would be to make exploit the workforce and pay literally anything that they sure people have adequate food, water, medical supplies wanted. It’s not the workers’ fault that the Department and temporary housing. But one of the first things of Homeland Security said that for 45 days after the storm President Bush did was to repeal the Davis-Bacon Act, employers wouldn’t be required to fill out the I-9 form, which literally took away any kind of protective worker which verifies employment eligibility for the Immigra- rights and prevailing wages. tion and Naturalization Service. Who were some of the worst offenders? When the workers are recruited, they are not told, “You are going to come to the United States to take away jobs Kellogg Brown & Root—a subsidiary of Halliburton— from people, to be paid $7 an hour to pick up toxic waste, hired Tipton Friendly Rollins, who hired Kansas City and to die in 20 years.” These workers are told, “We’re Tree, who hired Karen Tovar Construction Services of going to pay you $15, $18, $20 an hour. You’re going to North Carolina, who hired 106 workers for anywhere get a place to live, and we’re going to pay for it. You’re from two to five weeks—and then tried not to pay them. going to get a $20 to $30 per diem. You’re going to get A company by the name of LVI Environmental Services safety equipment, and we’re going to take care of you.” Inc. did all kinds of atrocious things to employees. We’ve really got to stop blaming the workers and start Before the hurricane hit, Cosmotec out of Houston redirecting that anger to those that really deserve it: our began recruiting workers for the Belle Chase Navy base in government, the Halliburtons, the Kellogg Brown & Roots. Louisiana and the Seabee Navy Base in Gulfport, Miss. They would promise them $12, $15 an hour and per diems—none of that was true. Some people were getting three cookies a day as food. They were living out in the elements, weren’t getting per diems, weren’t getting food and certainly weren’t getting $15 an hour. They weren’t even getting proper dress and equipment to remove asbestos and other toxic waste.

contract started during the suspension period. period. suspension the during started contract

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Davis-Bacon were reinstated—but still do not apply to any any to apply not do still reinstated—but were Davis-Bacon

unions and other advocates, the prevailing wage provisions of provisions wage prevailing the advocates, other and unions

wage discrimination and fraud. Under pressure from labor from pressure Under fraud. and discrimination wage

tain records on wage rates paid for specific work, facilitating work, specific for paid rates wage on records tain

Orleans Worker Justice Coalition in July 2006. July in Coalition Justice Worker Orleans

els. In addition, contractors were no longer required to main- to required longer no were contractors addition, In

(6)

the Advancement Project/National Immigration Law Center/New Law Immigration Project/National Advancement the

pay of construction workers below the region’s already low lev- low already region’s the below workers construction of pay

Worker’s Lives in the Reconstruction of New Orleans,” published by published Orleans,” New of Reconstruction the in Lives Worker’s

lar area of the United States United the of area lar —allowing contractors to cut the cut to contractors —allowing

(5)

Excerpted and updated from the report “And Injustice for All: for Injustice “And report the from updated and Excerpted

vailing wage rates for private construction workers in a particu- a in workers construction private for rates wage vailing

that federal construction contractors pay no less than the pre- the than less no pay contractors construction federal that about 11,400, but had distributed only 4,200. only distributed had but 11,400, about

(12)

suspended provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires which Act, Davis-Bacon the of provisions suspended approximately 11,500 Louisiana loan applications and approved and applications loan Louisiana 11,500 approximately

On Sept. 8, 2005, President Bush President 2005, 8, Sept. On Suspending Wage Laws: Wage Suspending received approval. received As of May 2006, the SBA had denied had SBA the 2006, May of As

(11)

Coast, only 10 percent had been processed and only 3 percent 3 only and processed been had percent 10 only Coast,

reinstated this requirement on Oct. 21, 2005. 21, Oct. on requirement this reinstated

(4)

28,540 loan applications received by the SBA from the Gulf the from SBA the by received applications loan 28,540

employees as required under federal immigration law. immigration federal under required as employees DHS

(3)

By Dec. 2006, of the of 2006, Dec. By Small Business Administration Delays: Administration Business Small

employers who failed to verify the work authorization of their of authorization work the verify to failed who employers

Department of Homeland Security suspended sanctions for sanctions suspended Security Homeland of Department 9, 2005. 2005. 9,

(10)

On Sept. 5, 2005, the 2005, 5, Sept. On Suspending Employer Sanctions: Employer Suspending small business organizations, the suspension was lifted on Dec. on lifted was suspension the organizations, business small

pressure from civil rights, grassroots, and black commerce and commerce black and grassroots, rights, civil from pressure

New Orleans. New

(2)

tify and eliminate barriers to equal opportunity. Under intense Under opportunity. equal to barriers eliminate and tify

been resumed in the hardest-hit parts of Louisiana, including Louisiana, of parts hardest-hit the in resumed been

not required to monitor the diversity of their workforce, or iden- or workforce, their of diversity the monitor to required not

suspended in Mississippi until June 28, 2006, and have still not still have and 2006, 28, June until Mississippi in suspended

and nondiscrimination plans. nondiscrimination and Thus, federal contractors were contractors federal Thus,

by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. and Katrina Hurricanes by These regulations remained regulations These (9)

(1)

requires federal contractors to submit written affirmative action affirmative written submit to contractors federal requires

health standards in a number of counties and parishes affected parishes and counties of number a in standards health

Department of Labor suspended Executive Order 11246, which 11246, Order Executive suspended Labor of Department

Health Administration suspended enforcement of job safety and safety job of enforcement suspended Administration Health

On Sept. 9, 2005, the U.S. the 2005, 9, Sept. On Suspending Affirmative Action: Affirmative Suspending

On Aug. 30, 2005, the Occupational Safety and Safety Occupational the 2005, 30, Aug. On Standards:

Suspending Enforcement of Job Safety and Health and Safety Job of Enforcement Suspending Investigations and Detention and Removal Operations.” Removal and Detention and Investigations

(8)

prised of highly trained armed personnel from the Office of Office the from personnel armed trained highly of prised

region’s economic renewal: economic region’s

Operations.”ICE also sent “eight Special Response Teams com- Teams Response Special “eight sent also Operations.”ICE

designed to avoid these problems that have hampered the hampered have that problems these avoid to designed

Gulf, including 100 officers from “Detention and Removal and “Detention from officers 100 including Gulf,

the wake of the storms that stripped away key protections key away stripped that storms the of wake the

announced it had deployed more than 725 personnel to the to personnel 725 than more deployed had it announced

process. The federal government made several key decisions in decisions key several made government federal The process.

2005, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Customs and Immigration U.S. the 2005,

rebuilding efforts, and other inequities in the reconstruction the in inequities other and efforts, rebuilding

against contractors hiring undocumented workers, on Sept. 8, Sept. on workers, undocumented hiring contractors against

mistreatment of workers, small businesses being left out of out left being businesses small workers, of mistreatment

After loosening sanctions loosening After Climate of Fear for Workers: Workers: for Fear of Climate Since Hurricane Katrina, evidence has mounted of widespread of mounted has evidence Katrina, Hurricane Since Creating a Climate for Abuse for Climate a Creating POWER BROKERS: Contracts and Corporations

Sources on p. 90 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

$9.5 million $9.5 hurricane reconstruction zone: zone: reconstruction hurricane

ment by several Mississippi companies across the the across companies Mississippi several by ment

Minimum amount Ashbritt has been sued for nonpay- for sued been has Ashbritt amount Minimum

$580 million $580 in Mississippi: Mississippi: in

from the Army Corps of Engineers for debris removal removal debris for Engineers of Corps Army the from

founded by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, received Barbour, Haley Gov. Mississippi by founded

Amount that AshBritt, with help from the lobbying firm lobbying the from help with AshBritt, that Amount

$50,000 a government lien: lien: government a

Value of Corvette Heldreth gave his son to avoid paying avoid to son his gave Heldreth Corvette of Value

$5.2 million $5.2

and real estate and to transfer cash to family members: family to cash transfer to and estate real and

Bernard Parish, which he used instead to purchase cars purchase to instead used he which Parish, Bernard

to set up a base camp for first responders in flooded St. flooded in responders first for camp base a up set to

Amount awarded to West Virginia pastor Gary Heldreth Gary pastor Virginia West to awarded Amount

$330 million $330 Ystueta: Ystueta:

charging three times more than Alabama competitor Alabama than more times three charging the suffering of the disadvantaged. the of suffering the

FEMA director Joe Allbaugh, for tarping roofs—despite tarping for Allbaugh, Joe director FEMA benefits a small number of private corporations while often worsening often while corporations private of number small a benefits

awarded to the Shaw Group, whose lobbyist is former is lobbyist whose Group, Shaw the to awarded The storm has revealed an existing system of political patronage that patronage political of system existing an revealed has storm The

Amount of the federal contract, the bulk of which was which of bulk the contract, federal the of Amount

open competition, no such review had been done since 1992. since done been had review such no competition, open

$48 million $48 for trailers was billed twice: twice: billed was trailers for review their contracting operations each year to promote full and full promote to year each operations contracting their review

error”in which preventive and corrective maintenance corrective and preventive which error”in Federal Emergency Management Agency staff were supposed to supposed were staff Agency Management Emergency Federal

Amount Bechtel overbilled because of a “computation a of because overbilled Bechtel Amount Department of Homeland Security in 2004 found that, although that, found 2004 in Security Homeland of Department

are issues of long-standing concern: An internal report by the by report internal An concern: long-standing of issues are $33,332,250 Hurricane Katrina Efforts”: Efforts”: Katrina Hurricane

These problems with contracting fraud didn’t arise with Katrina but Katrina with arise didn’t fraud contracting with problems These Enforcement paid for “Armed Guard Services Related to Related Services Guard “Armed for paid Enforcement

Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs and Immigration of Bureau Security’s

lack of proper oversight and misappropriations. and oversight proper of lack

Minimum amount the Department of Homeland of Department the amount Minimum

contracts worth $428.7 million were plagued by problems including problems by plagued were million $428.7 worth contracts

$92.28 knives, described as “scimitars”: “scimitars”: as described knives, related contracts. At the same time, government investigators say investigators government time, same the At contracts. related

Goodnow Manufacturing Co. for each of three steak three of each for Co. Manufacturing Goodnow found a total of at least $136.7 million in corporate fraud in Katrina- in fraud corporate in million $136.7 least at of total a found

Amount the Federal Supply Service paid Lamson and Lamson paid Service Supply Federal the Amount tions have committed fraud on a much larger scale. Our own analysis own Our scale. larger much a on fraud committed have tions

wrongdoing perpetrated by individuals seeking assistance, corpora- assistance, seeking individuals by perpetrated wrongdoing $88,584.24

While much media attention has focused on relatively small-scale relatively on focused has attention media much While Equipment Co. for a Combat Assault and Tactical Vehicle: Tactical and Assault Combat a for Co. Equipment

Amount the Federal Supply Service paid Skyland paid Service Supply Federal the Amount

are very apprehensive about what we are seeing.” are we what about apprehensive very are

4 buses arrived at the New Orleans Convention Center: Center: Convention Orleans New the at arrived buses Even a Department of Homeland Security official admitted that “we that admitted official Security Homeland of Department a Even

Days after Hurricane Katrina struck that evacuation that struck Katrina Hurricane after Days desperate need of help were often cut out of the contracting process. contracting the of out cut often were help of need desperate

competition or oversight. At the same time, regional companies in companies regional time, same the At oversight. or competition 2 tory evacuation that Landstar ordered buses: buses: ordered Landstar that evacuation tory

Many of these recovery contracts were awarded without adequate without awarded were contracts recovery these of Many Days after the mayor of New Orleans declared a manda- a declared Orleans New of mayor the after Days

government agencies handing out the contracts. the out handing agencies government 2002 evacuation buses for national disasters: disasters: national for buses evacuation

help of lobbyists who formerly served as officials for the same same the for officials as served formerly who lobbyists of help company, received the federal contract for providing for contract federal the received company,

storm-related cleanup and reconstruction—in some cases with the with cases some reconstruction—in and cleanup storm-related Year that Landstar Express America, a Florida trucking Florida a America, Express Landstar that Year

The Shaw Group soon landed lucrative deals providing services for services providing deals lucrative landed soon Group Shaw The

80 or no competition: competition: no or

Politically connected corporations such as Bechtel, Halliburton and and Halliburton Bechtel, as such corporations connected Politically Percent of those contracts awarded with little little with awarded contracts those of Percent

a golden opportunity for some private contractors. private some for opportunity golden a $3.4 billion $3.4

year, it created a grim disaster for the region’s residents but residents region’s the for disaster grim a created it year, Amount given out by FEMA for storm-related contracts: storm-related for FEMA by out given Amount

hen Hurricanes Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast last Coast Gulf the into slammed Katrina Hurricanes hen

$9.7 billion $9.7 Katrina and Rita: Rita: and Katrina

awarded to private companies for work related to related work for companies private to awarded

Minimum value of contracts federal agencies have agencies federal contracts of value Minimum

Contracts and Corporations Index Corporations and Contracts KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Profiting from Disaster Fraud, scandal and greed has crippled the Gulf recovery—but made some very rich

by Jordan Green to help Lighthouse finish the job, the government contends. “Even with this assistance, the base camp was not t had been over three weeks since Katrina made land- sufficient to perform the contract,” the government fall, but when David Bailey and his group of Virginia investigators charge. “While the contract provided for a Ifirefighters arrived in St. Bernard Parish to help, it camp able to house and feed 1,000 emergency workers, looked like the storm had only hit days ago. “The whole the camp was never able to support more than 400 people.” parish is a soup bowl,” said Bailey, battalion chief with The company argues the project’s failure is the result of Chesterfield Fire and EMS. “It’s under sea level.” a mix-up in FEMA’s orders. St. Bernard, a mostly white, working-class community How Heldreth and codefendant Kerry Lynn Farmer got immediately east of New Orleans, was hit by the infamous into the hurricane relief business remains unclear. “wall of water” that forced residents to hack through “About the closest thing I have done to this is just their attics to survive after a storm surge combined with organize a youth camp with my church,” Heldreth breaches in the Industrial Canal and Mississippi River- admitted on the PBS program “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” Gulf Outlet to inundate the community. only two days after the camp opened. While Heldreth insists his company did nothing wrong, How West Virginia Pastor Gary Heldreth and codefendant Kerry a federal judge has upheld a court order to garnish $1.5 million from Lighthouse bank accounts. Heldreth tried Lynn Farmer got a $5.2 million contract remains unclear. “About another tack to avoid repaying the government: Following the closest thing I have done to this is just organize a youth camp a May 19 hearing, court documents allege, the pastor gave his son a $50,000 Corvette on which he had previously with my church,” Heldreth admitted. agreed the government could place a lien. Following the transfer, government lawyers were led to believe Heldreth and his son were no longer speaking to each other. Given the level of destruction, the Virginia volunteers were astonished to discover members of the St. Bernard Profiteering, Big and Small Fire Department already working full-tilt. Local firefight- A year after Hurricane Katrina ripped a path of destruc- ers, many who had lost their homes, were taking four- or tion and tragedy across the Gulf Coast, much of the pub- five-day shifts and then rotating out to recuperate and lic debate is dominated by reproach toward evacuees join families evacuated further from the coastline. and other ordinary people who defrauded the govern- “I don’t know how they held up like they did,” Bailey said. ment through false emergency assistance claims. “Your family’s devastated and you’re still making the A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) rescues. They saved a lot of lives.” study estimates improper or fraudulent payments related But soon after Bailey’s team arrived, another group entered to hurricanes Katrina and Rita might have come to as the picture, seemingly out of nowhere. On Sept. 18, the much as $1.4 billion. According to the New York Times, Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded a $5.2 one hotel owner in Sugar Land, Texas, rang up $236,000 million contract to Gary Heldreth, a West Virginia pas- in false billings. And then there were the infamous words tor, and his company, Lighthouse Disaster Relief, based of Juvenile, a New Orleans rapper: In the first cut on his on the company’s assurances that it could set up a base latest album, after observing that “We starvin’, we livin’ camp within 48 hours to support 1,000 first responders like Haiti without no government,” he says “Everybody in St. Bernard Parish. The results were disastrous. need a check from FEMA, so he can sco’ him some cocaina. Get money!” “[Lighthouse] billed the entire $5.2 million in advance of beginning work in violation of the contract terms, But opportunism and ill-gotten riches have hardly been and upon receipt of the proceeds began spending them the exclusive preserve of gangsta hip-hoppers or small- at an incredible pace, buying cars and real estate, with- time scam artists. While the government’s Hurricane drawing large cash withdrawals, and transferring tens of Katrina Fraud Task Force has focused attention on fraud thousands of dollars to family members,” a federal law- by emergency assistance recipients, instances of corpo- suit would later allege. rate contract and procurement fraud have been documented at 50 times that amount. Around Oct. 2 Lighthouse finally opened the camp, but that only happened because FEMA brought in firefighters A review of congressional testimony and other docu- 34

Marvin Nauman/FEMA photo Nauman/FEMA Marvin evacuees at the Superdome and later at the Convention the at later and Superdome the at evacuees

to support Jeb and George W. Bush’s re-election. Bush’s W. George and Jeb support to Despite the death and deprivation experienced by Katrina by experienced deprivation and death the Despite

Carnival’s services; the company’s advertising director Ric Cooper had donated $115,000 since 2002 since $115,000 donated had Cooper Ric director advertising company’s the services; Carnival’s

until Saturday [see story, page 41]. page story, [see Saturday until

cost of $740,000 for six months. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush e-mailed FEMA after Katrina hit recommending hit Katrina after FEMA e-mailed Bush Jeb Gov. Florida months. six for $740,000 of cost

for Common Sense. Common for But the buses wouldn’t show up show wouldn’t buses the But

(1)

The “Sensation,”one of the ships provided by Carnival Cruise Lines for emergency housing—at a housing—at emergency for Lines Cruise Carnival by provided ships the of “Sensation,”one The

tract worth at least $284 million, according to Taxpayers to according million, $284 least at worth tract

NEW ORLEANS, MARCH 2, 2006 2, MARCH ORLEANS, NEW

ny, had been awarded a emergency transportation con- transportation emergency a awarded been had ny,

Wednesday. Landstar, a Florida-based trucking compa- trucking Florida-based a Landstar, Wednesday.

said he did not request the buses until Tuesday or Tuesday until buses the request not did he said

failure of evacuation buses to show up for six days. Brown days. six for up show to buses evacuation of failure

The tragedy at the Superdome was exacerbated by the by exacerbated was Superdome the at tragedy The

ing riot and said they could not ensure officials’ safety. officials’ ensure not could they said and riot ing

Sept. 1, when the National Guard warned of an impend- an of warned Guard National the when 1, Sept.

because the agency’s personnel withdrew on Thursday, on withdrew personnel agency’s the because

But FEMA was unable to help at the Superdome. That’s Superdome. the at help to unable was FEMA But

it was inhumane, and it was so wrong.” so was it and inhumane, was it

amongst it all, children—thousands of them. It was sad, was It them. of children—thousands all, it amongst

dors were used as toilets, trash was everywhere, and everywhere, was trash toilets, as used were dors

horrid smell and conditions inside. Hallways and corri- and Hallways inside. conditions and smell horrid

forced to live outside in 95-degree heat because of the of because heat 95-degree in outside live to forced

facilities for 25,000 people for five days. People were People days. five for people 25,000 for facilities

cesspool of human waste and filth. Imagine no toilet no Imagine filth. and waste human of cesspool

ordered double the amount of ice needed, and did not did and needed, ice of amount the double ordered 20. “It was a shelter of last resort that cascaded into a into cascaded that resort last of shelter a was “It 20.

A GAO report the following March found that FEMA that found March following the report GAO A told the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Oct. on Committee Security Homeland Senate the told

lars. dol million $26 earning Gulf, the across warehouses became,” FEMA public affairs officer Marty Bahamonde Marty officer affairs public FEMA became,”

f rom a warehouse in the Atlanta suburbs to various other various to suburbs Atlanta the in warehouse a rom “I am most haunted by what the [New Orleans] Superdome Orleans] [New the what by haunted most am “I

three days before Katrina made landfall with moving ice moving with landfall made Katrina before days three

Fiddling While the Contractors Fail Contractors the While Fiddling

A Georgia company, Americold, had been tasked by FEMA by tasked been had Americold, company, Georgia A

covered. the public trough claimed first priority. first claimed trough public the

g ency responders, congressional investigators later dis- later investigators congressional responders, ency was an abstraction and tending to relationships around relationships to tending and abstraction an was

less than 15 percent of amounts requested by state emer- state by requested amounts of percent 15 than less same insider Washington milieu, where human suffering human where milieu, Washington insider same

Hattiesburg, Miss. were expected to fall woefully short— woefully fall to expected were Miss. Hattiesburg, agencies and private contractors seemed to occupy the occupy to seemed contractors private and agencies

of ice and other commodities to Camp Shelby near Shelby Camp to commodities other and ice of Katrina laid waste to the Gulf Coast, the government the Coast, Gulf the to waste laid Katrina

ees discussed how, despite earlier promises, deliveries promises, earlier despite how, discussed ees c ompanies pursuing work with those same agencies. When agencies. same those with work pursuing ompanies

government backers. By Wednesday night, FEMA employ- FEMA night, Wednesday By backers. government and the next acting as high-powered consultants for the for consultants high-powered as acting next the and

survivors were let down by private contractors and their and contractors private by down let were survivors awarding contracts as government officials one moment, one officials government as contracts awarding

New Orleans was not the only place where hurricane where place only the not was Orleans New system where players move in and out of government, of out and in move players where system

In truth, both parties are part of the same machinery—a same the of part are parties both truth, In

we hope, yours as well.” as yours hope, we

appreciation of the Department of Transportation and, Transportation of Department the of appreciation at the feet of the feds, and vice versa. vice and feds, the of feet the at

they were asked to. They have earned the thanks and thanks the earned have They to. asked were they and other essentials. The contractors could lay the blame the lay could contractors The essentials. other and

brought thousands of buses and trucks when and where and when trucks and buses of thousands brought points of distribution for ice, water, meals-ready-to-eat water, ice, for distribution of points

Pearce told Congress. “In a chaotic environment, they environment, chaotic a “In Congress. told Pearce Coast, and failed to establish efficient supply lines and lines supply efficient establish to failed and Coast,

Katrina,” National Response Program Manager Vincent Manager Program Response National Katrina,” crucial resources from the hardest hit areas of the Gulf the of areas hit hardest the from resources crucial

ees of Landstar are among the unsung heroes of heroes unsung the among are Landstar of ees leadership of former Director Michael Brown, withheld Brown, Michael Director former of leadership

performance. “The drivers, dispatchers and other employ- other and dispatchers drivers, “The performance. case that the government, most notably FEMA under the under FEMA notably most government, the that case

Department of Transportation applauded Landstar’s applauded Transportation of Department some private companies inflated costs. It was also the also was It costs. inflated companies private some

Center as they waited for the buses to arrive, the U.S. the arrive, to buses the for waited they as Center performed. Taking advantage of inadequate oversight, inadequate of advantage Taking performed.

and charged the government for work that was never was that work for government the charged and

Some of the contractors failed to meet their obligations, their meet to failed contractors the of Some

documented at 50 times that amount. that times 50 at documented

of agency oversight or misappropriation. or oversight agency of

instances of corporate contract and procurement fraud have been have fraud procurement and contract corporate of instances $428.7 million that they found troubling because of lack of because troubling found they that million $428.7

have highlighted contracts cumulatively valued at valued cumulatively contracts highlighted have

focused attention on fraud by emergency assistance recipients, assistance emergency by fraud on attention focused

related contracts. In addition, government investigators government addition, In contracts. related

While the government’s Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force has Force Task Fraud Katrina Hurricane government’s the While of at least $136.7 million in corporate fraud in Katrina- in fraud corporate in million $136.7 least at of ments by Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch found a total a found Watch Reconstruction Coast Gulf by ments have enough distribution points established to get it to connections to the Bush administration, charged the people in need. government three times as much as an Alabama competitor, Ystueta, for work covering damaged homes with Tonda Hadley, a Homeland Security auditor in Dallas, found tarps as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “blue that Clearbrook, an Alabama company, overcharged the roof” program, according to a report by the New Orleans government by $3 million while contracted to provide Times-Picayune. The Army Corps of Engineers’ program food and lodging at seven base camps for first responders cost taxpayers a total of $330 million. across Louisiana. The Shaw Group has earned more than half a billion dol- The Shaw Group, a Baton Rouge company with close

Even before Katrina made its Gulf Coast landfall, the usual suspects stepped up to claim their share of federal contracts. In return for political connections and years of generous campaign contributions, the disaster profiteers have raked in millions, secured by savvy former government officials-turned-lobbyists who are all too familiar with the players and the game. Meanwhile, these contracts, which went primarily to companies outside the Gulf, have been fraught with waste, overcharges and fraud. Profiles of Disaster Profiteers by Elena Everett

AshBritt Inc. Fluor Corp. $580 million for debris removal in Mississippi $1.4 billion for temporary housing This Pompano Beach, Fla. firm spent years cultivating its relationship with The Fluor Corp. is a multinational industrial construction company with the federal government, contributing tens of thousands of dollars to the clients such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron and several gas and oil consortiums Republican Party and, more recently, hiring a powerful firm to lobby the from Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. Army Corps of Engineers on “disaster mitigation.” It has several former government officials on its payroll including Kenneth J. In 2005, Ashbritt hired the lobbying firm of Barbour Griffith & Rogers, which Oscar, former acting administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement was founded by Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, and paid the firm Policy in the White House Office of Management and Budget under the $40,000 to lobby the Corps and Congress. AshBritt is currently being sued for Clinton administration. nonpayment by several companies across the Mississippi coast (see “Profiting Fluor’s political action committee has contributed nearly $1 million toward from Disaster,”p. 34). political campaigns since 2000, primarily for Republican candidates. Also on the AshBritt lobbyist payroll: Joe Allbaugh, the Bush administration’s former Federal Emergency Management Agency director.

Carnival Cruise Lines The Shaw Group Inc. $236 million for “pass through expenses” and temporary housing $950 million for temporary housing, blue-tarp roofing and delivery services onboard three cruise ships This politically connected company was immediately awarded $100 million The Miami-based company provided cruise-ship cabins that went primarily after Katrina, but when controversy erupted FEMA announced it would ter- to New Orleans police officers and their families, at a cost to taxpayers of minate the contract and rebid the remainder of the work. Several months $240,000 per family for six months of housing. later, however, Shaw’s existing contract was increased to $500 million, and in August 2006 it was again increased—to $950 million.(3) Carnival is incorporated in Panama to avoid U.S. taxes, but it has contributed $347,500 to both the Republican and Democratic parties since 2000. Shaw’s executive vice president, Edward Badolato, served as deputy assistant secretary for security affairs at the Department of Energy as well as senior The company’s advertising director, Ric Cooper, began lobbying for the con- consultant to the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection. tract even before Katrina hit. Soon after the storm, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush sent an encouraging e-mail regarding Carnival’s bid to then-FEMA director, On the company’s lobbyist payroll: Michael Brown. Cooper has donated $115,000 to Republican Party commit- Allbaugh, the Bush administration’s former FEMA director. tees since 2002 to support Jeb and George W. Bush’s reelection campaigns.(2)

36 lars from Katrina-related work from contracts awarded contracts to large, out-of-state companies that had little by the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA. The company, notion of how to do business in areas hit by the hurricane. a major contractor in the Iraqi reconstruction, acted fast Immediately after Katrina struck the Gulf, Paul Adams, after Katrina made landfall. On Sept. 21 the Shaw Group a Yazoo City, Miss. businessman who specialized in set- hired Charles Hess to head its hurricane recovery pro- ting up temporary classrooms, called his suppliers and the gram and oversee its indefinite delivery/indefinite Mississippi Department of Education, anticipating that quantity FEMA contract. Hess had recently left a posi- students would be displaced. Told by the department tion as head of the Army’s contracting office for Iraqi that FEMA would supply temporary trailers to house the reconstruction. He had also directed FEMA’s emergency students, he eventually discovered that the Army Corps response division. of Engineers was obligated to give the work to Akima, an More help came from Joe Allbaugh, a former FEMA Alaska native corporation. director and director of Bush’s 2000 election campaign, Adams alleges in a lawsuit that he tracked down 450 who helped the company develop contract bids for Katrina temporary classrooms, and submitted a bid to Akima as reconstruction jobs, The Hill and other media outlets a subcontractor, which in turn used the information to have reported. win a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers. Later Akima Senior Project Manager Al Cialone went to Florida Bypassing Gulf Business to inspect the trailers—and then purchased them directly, Other instances of fraud and overcharging appear to have cutting Adams out of the deal, according to the lawsuit. taken place because the government awarded advance

Landstar Express America Inc. Kellogg, Brown & Root (now KBR) $286 million for trucking and busing services $168.9 million to fix pumps and repair military bases Landstar was the company responsible for the tardy evacuation from the The Army Corps of Engineers awarded millions to this Halliburton sub- New Orleans Superdome and Convention Center, which resulted in the deaths sidiary. Halliburton—for whom Vice President Dick Cheney served as chief of at least 34 people—including several babies who died of dehydration(1) executive from 1995 to 2000—has come under investigation by the Securities (see “Katrina busing fiasco”pg 47). and Exchange Commission for its accounting practices and was charged $2 million in 2002 for over-billing on another KBR government contract. Company chairman Jeffrey Crowe recently headed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, whose political action committee regularly contributes to the The KBR PAC has contributed nearly $200,000 to Republican candidates and GOP. The U.S. Department of Transportation approved payments on the causes since 2000. Landstar contract without issuing written orders or otherwise recording Among its lobbyists: former FEMA director Allbaugh. them in ways to allow adequate oversight.

Bechtel Corp. CH2M Hill Inc. $575 million for temporary housing up to $530 million for debris removal, support for emergency operations, setting up temporary classrooms, A recent Defense Contract Agency audit found that Bechtel was double- portable buildings and temporary housing(5) billing for trailer maintenance at an overcharge of $48 million over the life of the contract.(4) The company is currently the subject of a review by the state This Colorado-based company offers engineering, construction and opera- of Massachusetts over its handling of the Boston urban construction project tions services with a special focus on hazardous-waste cleanup and waste- known as “The Big Dig,” which is currently about $1.6 billion over budget. treatment design. CH2M Hill has also been awarded contracts in the West Bank and Palestinian territories, Iraq, Honduras, Russia and Kuwait. On the Bechtel payroll sits J. Bennett Johnston, U.S. Senator from Louisiana from 1972 to 1997 and author of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. There are six lobbying firms working on behalf of the corporation. Since 2000, CH2M Hill and its affiliate PAC have contributed $926,704 to The PAC for Bechtel and its related companies has contributed more than $1.34 Republican and Democrat campaigns and party committees. million to Republican and Democratic candidates since 2000.

Unless otherwise noted, information on companies’ political donations and history comes from

Taxpayers for Common Sense’s “Profiles of Selected Katrina Contractors” and the Center for Public Integrity. 37 As a result of a shaming campaign, the Mississippi Some contracts are subcontracted three or four times, each Immigrant Rights Alliance in Jackson has recovered more than $700,000 in back wages owed to immigrant work- company in the middle taking a cut—and creating an environ- ers by companies contracted to rebuild the Mississippi ment ripe for abuse. coast. When the alliance traced the withheld wages up through several tiers of subcontracting, they found that two companies, Mississippi-based W.G. Yates & Sons and Houston-based KBR (then a division of Halliburton The deal troubled the GAO. It reported to Congress in Co.), together managed the majority of the jobs where May that “the Corps accepted Akima’s proposed price of immigrants were exploited. $39.5 million although it had information that the cost for the classrooms was significantly less than what Akima “What happens a lot of times with the contractors is they was charging. ... We believe the Corps could have, but failed do not speak Spanish, so they get someone who’s bilin- to, negotiate a lower price.” gual to be crew leaders,” said Bill Chandler, executive director of MIRA. “The workers think they’re contractors. David Machado, a staff engineer with Necaise Brothers The crew leaders—generally, they’re the ones who have Construction Co. in Gulfport, Miss., also expressed frus- not been paid. Often times they’re just as abandoned as tration about getting cut out of reconstruction work in anybody else.” his home state in testimony before the House Government Reform Committee. Some contracts are subcontracted three or four times, each company in the middle taking a cut—and creating “We have all felt the injustice,” he said. “From truck driv- an environment ripe for abuse. “Halliburton doesn’t ers to chainsaw operators, we have had to scrape and actually do any work,” Chandler said. “There are several claw to be afforded an opportunity to rebuild the very layers of subcontractors. From our standpoint, they have place we call home.” to pay the workers; it’s up to them to recover the monies Necaise Brothers is one of about a half-dozen subcon- up the food chain.” tractors that have filed suit against AshBritt, complaining The alliance helped recover $430,000 in back wages for that the politically connected Florida company withheld workers employed in projects overseen by W.G. Yates & payment or “looted” work from smaller firms. AshBritt Sons. The company has won $2.6 million in Katrina- has been sued for a total of at least $9.5 million by com- related contracts from the Army Corps of Engineers. panies that have crossed its path in the hurricane recon- Members of the Yates family gave $15,000 to Republican struction zone along the coast of Mississippi. Perhaps candidates during the 2004 election cycle and during that should come as no surprise considering that the the early months of 2005. Among the top recipients were company landed contracts valued at more than half a bil- the Republican Party of Mississippi and the state’s two lion dollars from the Army Corps of Engineers between U.S. senators. September 2005 and March 2006. Then there’s Houston-based KBR, a company that iron- AshBritt appears to have benefited from the fact that ically has also been contracted by the Army Corps of local companies that would otherwise have been given Engineers to expand immigrant detention facilities. preference for federal contracts under the Stafford Act— MIRA recovered $141,000 in back wages for 106 workers passed in 1988 to revitalize communities struck by dis- for a project that involved KBR on Feb. 22. KBR’s parent aster by using local businesses to clean up debris—were company, Halliburton, has long thrived on political demobilized by the hurricane. connections. An oil-services company formerly headed The company also enjoyed some help from high-placed by Vice President Dick Cheney, Halliburton favored friends. Among them was Mike Parker, a lobbyist who Republican candidates by a ratio of 9-to-1 in the 2004 had formerly served as assistant secretary of the Army election, pouring $189,000 into Republican races. Corps of Engineers, according to The Hill. The company “It’s blatant racism,” Chandler said. “Here you have Latinos has also engaged the lobbying services of Barbour Griffith and other immigrants who are people of color, they don’t & Rogers, a lobbying firm founded by Mississippi’s speak English and they may not be familiar with the ins Republican governor, Haley Barbour, according to a report and outs of laws. Further, if they’re undocumented they’re by the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics. afraid to say anything, and the contractors know this.” The Bottom of the Contracting Chain When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, it exposed If local companies suffered a disadvantage in the scramble more than poverty, environmental fragility and com- for reconstruction work, immigrant workers—many of promised infrastructure: It laid bare a national system of whom were drawn to jobs like welding in Gulf shipyards political patronage that has enriched a handful of pow- before the storm—fared much worse. erful corporations and deepened the despair of those on society’s margin. 38

out $1.6 billion by 2015, according to a cost estimate cost a to according 2015, by billion $1.6 out

costs. The loser will be the U.S. Treasury, which could be could which Treasury, U.S. the be will loser The costs.

settle for a lower interest rate, thus reducing borrowing reducing thus rate, interest lower a for settle

exempt from federal income tax. Investors are willing to willing are Investors tax. income federal from exempt

firms are responsible for repayment, the interest is interest the repayment, for responsible are firms

bonds on behalf of individual businesses. While those While businesses. individual of behalf on bonds

financing, where states and other public entities issue entities public other and states where financing,

The GO Zone program is a type of “private activity” “private of type a is program Zone GO The

York were “unclear and likely to remain unknown.” remain to likely and “unclear were York

(3)

lions of dollars in direct federal aid. federal direct in dollars of lions

Office) concluded that the Liberty Zone’s benefits to New to benefits Zone’s Liberty the that concluded Office)

ing operations are already in line for hundreds of mil- of hundreds for line in already are operations ing

Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Government the (now Office Accounting

Northrop Grumman, whose three Gulf Coast shipbuild- Coast Gulf three whose Grumman, Northrop

In a report released two years ago, the General the ago, years two released report a In

biggest chunk—$400 million—is for defense contractor defense for million—is chunk—$400 biggest

waterfront counties raked hardest by Katrina. The Katrina. by hardest raked counties waterfront Manhattan.

projects. Fewer than half of the ventures are in the three the in are ventures the of half than Fewer projects. was an office complex in downtown Brooklyn—not lower Brooklyn—not downtown in complex office an was

(MBFC) had granted preliminary approval to some 90 some to approval preliminary granted had (MBFC) first commercial project approved to use Liberty Bonds Liberty use to approved project commercial first

As of June 2006, the Mississippi Business Finance Corp. Finance Business Mississippi the 2006, June of As help New York City rebound from the 9/11 attacks. The attacks. 9/11 the from rebound City York New help

gram is modeled on the Liberty Zone program created to created program Zone Liberty the on modeled is gram

Tuscaloosa, a drive of several hours from the coast. the from hours several of drive a Tuscaloosa,

Recent history is not encouraging. The GO Zone pro- Zone GO The encouraging. not is history Recent

planned before the storm and a Mexican restaurant in restaurant Mexican a and storm the before planned

reported. Others include an aircraft assembly plant assembly aircraft an include Others reported. regional planning at the University of Iowa. of University the at planning regional

Mobile Press-Register Mobile the Katrina, to tied directly are two mous waste,” said Alan Peters, professor of urban and urban of professor Peters, Alan said waste,” mous

enough. Of the 19 projects green-lighted thus far, only far, thus green-lighted projects 19 the Of enough. “It would be deeply surprising if there was not enor- not was there if surprising deeply be would “It

ity of life or stimulating economic development may be may development economic stimulating or life of ity

little more than an industry giveaway. industry an than more little

to show any link to hurricane recovery. Improving qual- Improving recovery. hurricane to link any show to

anyway. If so, critics say, the program risks becoming risks program the say, critics so, If anyway.

In Alabama, applicants for GO Zone financing don’t have don’t financing Zone GO for applicants Alabama, In

the money will aid projects that would have occurred have would that projects aid will money the

according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Management Emergency Federal the to according Ultimately, however, the question is whether much of much whether is question the however, Ultimately,

$950 million in hurricane-related federal business, federal hurricane-related in million $950

needed.

ically connected engineering firm that’s received almost received that’s firm engineering connected ically

guidelines normally allow. Its supporters argue that it’s that argue supporters Its allow. normally guidelines

building and parking garage for The Shaw Group, a polit- a Group, Shaw The for garage parking and building

in the volume of private activity financing that federal that financing activity private of volume the in

upriver from New Orleans. Among them were a new office new a were them Among Orleans. New from upriver

For all three states, the program offers a huge increase huge a offers program the states, three all For

liminary go-ahead included several in Baton Rouge, well Rouge, Baton in several included go-ahead liminary

In Louisiana, for example, the first projects to get a pre- a get to projects first the example, for Louisiana, In cheap money on tap for the other 18. other the for tap on money cheap

parishes. But that will still leave almost $4 billion in billion $4 almost leave still will that But parishes.

Katrina and Rita. and Katrina

bond allocation for ventures in the 13 hardest-hit 13 the in ventures for allocation bond

loosely connected to the devastation from Hurricanes from devastation the to connected loosely

tial priorities, the state has set aside half of its GO Zone GO its of half aside set has state the priorities, tial

er, many firms are seeking the loans for ventures only ventures for loans the seeking are firms many er,

Under a compromise reached after the outcry over ini- over outcry the after reached compromise a Under

companies seeking to build or renovate. So far, howev- far, So renovate. or build to seeking companies

Louisiana, projects in 31 out of 68 parishes can qualify. can parishes 68 of out 31 in projects Louisiana,

to $15 billion of tax-free “GO Zone” bonds on behalf of behalf on bonds Zone” “GO tax-free of billion $15 to

the state—are eligible for GO Zone financing. In financing. Zone GO for eligible state—are the

renaissance. The legislation allows the states to issue up issue to states the allows legislation The renaissance.

hand. In Mississippi, 49 counties—about two-thirds of two-thirds counties—about 49 Mississippi, In hand.

But a funny thing happened on the road to economic to road the on happened thing funny a But

Indeed, lawmakers designed the program with a liberal a with program the designed lawmakers Indeed,

Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. and Mississippi Alabama,

Bill Barry. “We traveled with it.” with traveled “We Barry. Bill

ing and tax breaks to stimulate reconstruction in reconstruction stimulate to breaks tax and ing

passed what they passed,” said MBFC Executive Director Executive MBFC said passed,” they what passed

vides billions of dollars in federally subsidized financ- subsidized federally in dollars of billions vides

communities were also hurt by the storms. “Congress storms. the by hurt also were communities

2005. Hustled through Congress in 10 days, the act pro- act the days, 10 in Congress through Hustled 2005.

Such chiding irks some state officials, who note that inland that note who officials, state some irks chiding Such

signing ceremony for the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of Act Zone Opportunity Gulf the for ceremony signing

That was President Bush talking last December at a at December last talking Bush President was That

“work for those in most in need.” in most in those for “work

(2)

In a recent report, he urged states to make the bonds the make to states urged he report, recent a In

earlier this year.” this earlier

Philip Mattera with Good Jobs First in Washington, D.C. Washington, in First Jobs Good with Mattera Philip

wake of the devastating hurricanes that hit the region the hit that hurricanes devastating the of wake

could truly benefit are ready to proceed, according to according proceed, to ready are benefit truly could “T

together and rebuild their communities in the in communities their rebuild and together

money will be exhausted by the time businesses that businesses time the by exhausted be will money

Gulf Coast continue to put their lives back lives their put to continue Coast Gulf

bonds to work. But at the current clip, the risk is that the that is risk the clip, current the at But work. to bonds

his important bill will help the citizens of the of citizens the help will bill important his

The three states have until 2010 to put their GO Zone GO their put to 2010 until have states three The

from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Budget Congressional non-partisan the from by Sean Reilly Sean by (1) GO Zone Giveaways Zone GO Casino Interests Hit the Jackpot in Post-Katrina Development by Tim Shorrock their remains blown across Interstate 90 and scattered along the shore. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, s tens of thousands of Katrina victims continue to the state’s gaming commission joined with Harrah’s and live in dilapidated trailers and thousands more other operators to press the legislature to pass their long- Aremain stranded in states as far away as Utah and sought change in the law and allow these structures to be Georgia, multinational corporations loaded with cash rebuilt on solid land. are forging ahead with business projects with question- In a special session called by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour able benefits for the stricken people of the Gulf Coast. in September 2005, casinos were given the right to build The casino industry is a prime example. Thanks to a bill out to an 800-foot area adjacent to a coast or waterway. passed last year by the Mississippi legislature lifting a That technical change alone has generated nearly $3 bil- 16-year ban on land-based casinos, gaming giants like lion in investment. Harrah’s Entertainment and Donald Trump’s Entertain- Harrah’s is now sinking more than $1 billion into a huge ment Resorts Inc. are pouring millions of dollars into casino resort and hotel complex in Biloxi. MGM Mirage, huge, luxurious casinos that will transform the coastal city its chief rival, has invested $500 million to restore the of Biloxi into the gaming and entertainment capital of Beau Rivage, the largest casino on the Gulf Coast. Trump the South. has seized the opportunity to expand his casino empire Despite Katrina’s terrible impact, the hurricane gave beyond Atlantic City, committing an unspecified amount the gambling industry an “opening to muscle through a to a casino and real estate project in Hancock County law change that before was unthinkable in this Bible Belt along Interstate 10. That highway is fast-becoming Main state wary of casino expansion,” the Wall Street Journal Street in this new gambling Mecca, drawing companies points out.(1) such as Pinnacle Entertainment Inc., Isle of Capri Casinos and the Mashantucker Pequot Tribal Nation. New Orleans may also get into the act. In late July, the All of these gambling projects will take advantage of the $3 billion city’s Levee Board opened negotiations with Atlantis in tax breaks for Gulf Coast investors that Congress included in the Internet Group Corp. of Nevada for a proposed $200 million hotel and gambling complex along the shore of Gulf Opportunity Zone Act passed in 2005. Lake Pontchartrain. All of these projects will take advantage of the $3 billion That story goes back to 1990, when Mississippi lawmak- in tax breaks for Gulf Coast investors that Congress ers legalized gambling based on the understanding that included in the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act passed in casinos would be built only on barges along the Gulf or 2005. Sen. Trent Lott, an indefatigable defender of on riverboats plying the Mississippi River. That was the Mississippi business interests, tried to include casinos only way to convince religious conservatives, who oppose in the bill. He failed, but the final $8 billion package gambling, that the industry would not expand through- provided lucrative tax credits to companies investing in out the state. Gulf Coast hotels and shopping centers even if their owners are gaming companies. But companies cleverly exploited loopholes in the law and rapidly became the dominant force in Mississippi’s As a result, the Beau Rivage may claim more than $50 economy. In the gambling town of Tunica just south of million in write-offs, the Washington Post reported last Memphis, for example, casinos were built on dry land year.(2) That was too much for Rep. Frank R. Wolf, a Virginia adjacent to, but not quite on, the Mississippi River. The Republican, who urged President Bush in a letter to “do companies then dug ditches that brought the river to their the right thing and make sure federal resources go to the entranceways so their casinos could be classified as poor, the needy and the vulnerable and not the gam- “river boats” and meet the terms of the law. By the fall of bling interests who already have insurance to cover cat- 2005, the casinos in the Delta and along the Gulf were astrophic events like hurricanes.” Bush ignored him, contributing more than $300 million a year to the state’s however, and signed the bill as presented to him. tax coffers. To be sure, the casinos are big employers: The Beau The floating casinos on the Gulf were disasters waiting to Rivage, for example, will have more than 3,800 people happen. During Katrina, nearly all of them were destroyed, on staff when it opens at the end of August, making it the 40

for emergency disaster relief transportation services. It services. transportation relief disaster emergency for

Photo by Win Henderson / FEMA photo. FEMA / Henderson Win by Photo

In June, the DOT IG issued another audit of payments of audit another issued IG DOT the June, In

evacuation buses didn’t make it to many of the city’s hardest-hit areas until days after the storm. the after days until areas hardest-hit city’s the of many to it make didn’t buses evacuation

suppliers had been conducted. been had suppliers Charter buses wait to be summoned into the New Orleans Airport. Due to contracting mix-ups, contracting to Due Airport. Orleans New the into summoned be to wait buses Charter

been provided to show that a price comparison between comparison price a that show to provided been NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 4, 2005 4, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

from the contractor even though no documentation had documentation no though even contractor the from

found that the contracting officer accepted price quotes price accepted officer contracting the that found

issued by the FAA against the Landstar contract. The IG The contract. Landstar the against FAA the by issued

released an audit that randomly reviewed task orders task reviewed randomly that audit an released

OT-Landstar deal. In January, the DOT Inspector General Inspector DOT the January, In deal. OT-Landstar D

Federal Aviation Administration, which administered the administered which Administration, Aviation Federal

Audits have found a pattern of sloppy oversight by the by oversight sloppy of pattern a found have Audits

for its work, though it repaid the disputed amount. disputed the repaid it though work, its for

taxpayers, arguing that the money was part of advance of part was money the that arguing taxpayers,

The company also rejected allegations that it overcharged it that allegations rejected also company The

ernment. However, that was two days after the storm hit. storm the after days two was that However, ernment.

Orleans just hours after getting an order from the gov- the from order an getting after hours just Orleans

Landstar points out that it got several buses to New to buses several got it that out points Landstar

million overcharge later discovered by auditors. by discovered later overcharge million

rescue effort still cost taxpayers $137 million—plus a $32 a million—plus $137 taxpayers cost still effort rescue

dome, Convention Center and Interstate 10. But the botched the But 10. Interstate and Center Convention dome,

to be rescued from nightmarish conditions at the Super the at conditions nightmarish from rescued be to -

Meanwhile, some storm victims waited as long as six days six as long as waited victims storm some Meanwhile,

times of need,” Gerken said. Gerken need,” of times

subcontractor.

“The government knows it can count on us to be there in there be to us on count can it knows government “The

Carey Limousine. Carey then passed the job off to another to off job the passed then Carey Limousine. Carey

dents, and it ordered those buses from a subcontractor, a from buses those ordered it and dents, ny’s service to Gulf Coast residents. Coast Gulf to service ny’s

(4)

after Katrina hit to order 300 buses to evacuate resi- evacuate to buses 300 order to hit Katrina after President and CEO Henry Gerken honoring the compa- the honoring Gerken Henry CEO and President

Government auditors say Landstar waited until 18 hours 18 until waited Landstar say auditors Government contract. And in April, DOT presented a plaque to Landstar to plaque a presented DOT April, in And contract.

revenue of $276 million related to the disaster relief disaster the to related million $276 of revenue

Gov. Jeb Bush’s advisory group on military base closures. base military on group advisory Bush’s Jeb Gov.

(2)

booming for Landstar. The company reported fiscal 2005 fiscal reported company The Landstar. for booming

of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and served on Florida on served and Commerce of Chamber U.S. the of

Despite the problems with its performance, business is business performance, its with problems the Despite

any trucks. Chairman Jeffrey Crowe is the former head former the is Crowe Jeffrey Chairman trucks. any

of the U.S. transportation industry without actually owni actually without industry transportation U.S. the of ng transportation services had been provided as billed. as provided been had services transportation

(3)

politically-connected corporation that’s risen to the top the to risen that’s corporation politically-connected umentation provided by the contractor to verify that verify to contractor the by provided umentation

emergencies worth at least $289 million. $289 least at worth emergencies Landstar is a is Landstar discovered that FAA contracting officers relied on doc- on relied officers contracting FAA that discovered

(1)

shuttle people and relief supplies during national during supplies relief and people shuttle

year contract from the Department of Transportation to Transportation of Department the from contract year

In 2002, Landstar System of Jacksonville, Fla. won a five- a won Fla. Jacksonville, of System Landstar 2002, In

long as six days to be rescued from nightmarish conditions. nightmarish from rescued be to days six as long

ensure the government gets services it pays for. pays it services gets government the ensure

another subcontractor. Meanwhile, some storm victims waited as waited victims storm some Meanwhile, subcontractor. another

uncovered a system of woefully inadequate controls to controls inadequate woefully of system a uncovered

New Orleans, a watchdog agency investigated—and agency watchdog a Orleans, New those buses from a subcontractor, who then passed the job off to off job the passed then who subcontractor, a from buses those

buses to rescue Hurricane Katrina survivors from survivors Katrina Hurricane rescue to buses

Katrina hit to order 300 buses to evacuate residents, and it ordered it and residents, evacuate to buses 300 order to hit Katrina fter a federal contractor failed to promptly provide promptly to failed contractor federal a fter

Government auditors say Landstar waited until 18 hours after hours 18 until waited Landstar say auditors Government

by Sue Sturgis Sue by

Weaknesses

Katrina Bus Fiasco Reveals Contracting Reveals Fiasco Bus Katrina

workers, who will risk millions of dollars in their sweat their in dollars of millions risk will who workers,

the state and the pockets of wealthy investors. wealthy of pockets the and state the the mega-casinos will also lure thousands of low-income of thousands lure also will mega-casinos the

most of their money flows one way—into the coffers of coffers the way—into one flows money their of most will undoubtedly pump economic life back to the region, the to back life economic pump undoubtedly will

equity in slot machines, poker and blackjack. Sadly, blackjack. and poker machines, slot in equity largest single employer on the Gulf. While these jobs these While Gulf. the on employer single largest SCHOOL SQUEEZE: Education

Sources on p. 91 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

$29,494 Orleans Parish pre-Katrina: pre-Katrina: Parish Orleans

Average starting salary for public school teacher in teacher school public for salary starting Average holds for Gulf Coast children. Coast Gulf for holds

tional experiment underway leaves many wondering what the future the what wondering many leaves underway experiment tional

themselves as consumers in a brand-new marketplace. brand-new a in consumers as themselves The educa- The

(6) 7,500 school system’s post-Katrina downsizing: downsizing: post-Katrina system’s school

among the myriad new charter schools are encouraged to think of think to encouraged are schools charter new myriad the among

Number of employees who lost jobs in Orleans Parish Orleans in jobs lost who employees of Number

teachers for the Recovery District. Meanwhile, parents forced to shop to forced parents Meanwhile, District. Recovery the for teachers

With the school year getting underway, Louisiana is still hiring new hiring still is Louisiana underway, getting year school the With

$0 by the storm: storm: the by already struggling public education system. education public struggling already

(5)

Amount given for traditional public schools damaged damaged schools public traditional for given Amount restrictions on charter schools, a move that could further damage an damage further could that move a schools, charter on restrictions

allowing Louisiana to take control of local school districts also eases also districts school local of control take to Louisiana allowing

federal assistance. Furthermore, state legislation passed last year last passed legislation state Furthermore, assistance. federal

$44.8 million $44.8 for charter schools since Katrina: Katrina: since schools charter for

Louisiana charter schools have received at least $44 million dollars in dollars million $44 least at received have schools charter Louisiana

Amount given to Louisiana by U.S. Dept. of Education of Dept. U.S. by Louisiana to given Amount

The government is also embracing charters. Since the storms, the Since charters. embracing also is government The

a wide choice of educational options. educational of choice wide a

(4)

57 open for 2006-2007 school year: year: school 2006-2007 for open phenomenon “a cause for celebration”that gives students and parents and students gives celebration”that for cause “a phenomenon

Number of New Orleans public schools scheduled to scheduled schools public Orleans New of Number Parish school board president Phyllis Landrieu has called the charter the called has Landrieu Phyllis president board school Parish

Some education officials are enthusiastic about the trend. Orleans trend. the about enthusiastic are officials education Some

they serve. they 117 before Katrina: Katrina: before

autonomy and, some say, little accountability to the local communities local the to accountability little say, some and, autonomy Number of New Orleans public schools schools public Orleans New of Number

which receive both federal and state dollars but operate with more with operate but dollars state and federal both receive which

accountable and elected school board. The other 53 are charter schools, charter are 53 other The board. school elected and accountable

43 that number represents: represents: number that District this fall, only five are traditional public schools overseen by an by overseen schools public traditional are five only fall, this District

Percent of the school system’s pre-Katrina population pre-Katrina system’s school the of Percent the 57 schools slated to open in Louisiana’s State Recovery School Recovery State Louisiana’s in open to slated schools 57 the

children is the post-storm increase in controversial charter schools. Of schools. charter controversial in increase post-storm the is children

In New Orleans, an issue of concern for many parents of public school public of parents many for concern of issue an Orleans, New In

26,000 New Orleans public schools in fall 2006: 2006: fall in schools public Orleans New

adequate. Estimated number of students expected to enroll in enroll to expected students of number Estimated

(3)

administrators have raised concerns over whether the spending is spending the whether over concerns raised have administrators

for students in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, but some school some but Alabama, and Mississippi Louisiana, in students for

83 by Katrina: Katrina: by $385 million on schools, temporary classrooms, and books and supplies and books and classrooms, temporary schools, on million $385

Percentage of New Orleans schools damaged damaged schools Orleans New of Percentage governments contributing the rest. To date, FEMA has spent at least at spent has FEMA date, To rest. the contributing governments

cost to repair or rebuild storm-damaged schools, with state and local and state with schools, storm-damaged rebuild or repair to cost

The federal government is responsible for paying 90 percent of the of percent 90 paying for responsible is government federal The

30 in Mississippi: Mississippi: in

badly damaged. badly

Number of schools completely destroyed destroyed completely schools of Number (2)

from the nearest hospital—roofs on all five school buildings were buildings school five all on hospital—roofs nearest the from

African-American. In Bogalusa City, La.—a community 50 miles 50 community La.—a City, Bogalusa In

(1)

715 Number of schools damaged in both states: states: both in damaged schools of Number eligible for federally subsidized meals and about one-third of them of one-third about and meals subsidized federally for eligible

there were 419 rural schools with nearly 220,000 students, most most students, 220,000 nearly with schools rural 419 were there

In the areas of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana affected by Katrina, by affected Louisiana and Mississippi Alabama, of areas the In

125,000 Number of Mississippi students displaced: displaced: students Mississippi of Number

some of the disasters’youngest victims. disasters’youngest the of some

start of the 2005-2006 school year, making the affected students affected the making year, school 2005-2006 the of start

247,000 by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The storms hit just before the before just hit storms The Rita. and Katrina Hurricanes by

schools displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: and Katrina Hurricanes by displaced schools housands of schoolchildren across the Gulf Coast were displaced were Coast Gulf the across schoolchildren of housands

Number of Louisiana students in private and public and private in students Louisiana of Number

Education Index Education KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Chaos and Hope in New Orleans Schools by Aesha Rasheed nation among school operators, the 15 different school- governing authorities are not obligated to participate in tanding on the steps of a flood-devastated and these efforts. dilapidated elementary school in eastern New Critics of the grand experiment in urban education Orleans in July, a dozen public school children out- S underway in New Orleans warn that the school morass lined their dreams for decent schools. “The schools didn’t will serve to further disadvantage the city’s most vulner- even need to be the best,” they said. “Just schools where we able youth. Well-off parents will be first in line to enroll can learn.” their children in the best-resourced schools, while poor The children, part of the recently formed Kids Rethinking families still struggling to secure housing and jobs will New Orleans (“Rethink” for short), told disturbing stories be left with few choices. about the conditions they have endured in the city’s Perhaps even more troubling is evidence that the Bush public schools, from absent textbooks to overcrowding. administration views New Orleans as a staging ground High on their list of suggestions for better schools: clean for plans to dismantle urban education systems across bathrooms with toilet paper and soap. the country. Over the past year, more than $48 million Their tales were testimonies to the old problems that in federal money has been channeled to charter schools have plagued New Orleans schools for generations, while in New Orleans. That has raised concerns that federal the mud-coated and moldering building behind them officials want to fuel a charter-based system, since similar bore witness to the host of new obstacles now hamper- amounts have not been allocated for traditional public ing the city’s education system. schools. A year after Hurricane Katrina damaged 80 percent of New Orleans teachers’ union officials view the creation New Orleans public schools, only about half of those of mass numbers of charter schools in New Orleans as a schools are scheduled to open by August 2006. Most of direct attack on collective bargaining rights. Louisiana the city’s schools are now under the authority of the schools are not required to negotiate with teachers’ unions, Louisiana Department of Education, which after the but New Orleans was one of only a few school districts in storm moved to take over 102 of 117 public schools. With the state where teachers had won collective bargaining most of the buildings still in need of serious repair and rights. That agreement was nullified for schools under all of the district’s 4,000-plus teachers laid off, only 56 state takeover, and the Orleans Parish School Board schools are slated to open this fall. voted in June not to extend its agreement with the United Teachers of New Orleans, so even teachers working in Of the schools that are opening, 34 are charter schools the handful of district-run schools do not have the pro- operated by a dizzying array of independent chartering tection of a union contract. organizations including universities, community organizations and parent groups. The Louisiana Department “It is also an insult to every teacher who has worked in of Education plans to open another 18, and the Orleans the district under a collective bargaining contract, espe- Parish School Board—the panel elected to oversee the city’s cially to the several hundred teachers who returned this public education system—will directly operate just five. year to resume classes under the most overwhelming conditions imaginable,” said Brenda Mitchell, union presi- Proponents of this web of charter, traditional, state- dent. “I don’t believe they will take this sitting down,” managed and locally managed schools argue that families returning to New Orleans will be greeted with new and In fact, several former school employees filed a lawsuit better choices for their children’s education. No longer against the state and local education officials in August bound by school attendance zones, students may attend challenging the firing of more than 7,500 school system any school where they are accepted. employees in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But the maze of choices means a host of new problems Within the chaos, there are reasons to hope that commu- and confusion for families already struggling through nities that have banded together in the wake of tragedy massive change in the city’s housing and medical infra- can seize opportunities to build a deeper relationship to structure. Even before the school year gets underway, their schools. The uncertainty and confusion surrounding the complications are daunting. Parents who have been New Orleans public schools have also spurred renewed able to return to the city must dart from school to school, focus on public education and discussion of how best to juggling widely varied application and entrance policies. organize communities around school equity. The 57 schools set to open have 10 different starting Some of the charter schools working to open this fall are dates ranging from mid-July to early September. While the result of true community collaboration. Most of them some efforts are underway to encourage greater coordi- 44

everybody from cafeteria workers, truck drivers and cus- and drivers truck workers, cafeteria from everybody

Orleans was fired. There were 7,500 school employees, school 7,500 were There fired. was Orleans

Exactly. You’re right. Every teacher in New in teacher Every right. You’re Exactly. DeROSE: JOE

of these schools, they would have been appalled. been have would they schools, these of

Orleans. If people had seen before Katrina the conditions the Katrina before seen had people If Orleans. in this country understand they were all fired. all were they understand country this in

Louisiana, for one, and certainly not in the city of New of city the in not certainly and one, for Louisiana, the firing of the teachers? I don’t think most people most think don’t I teachers? the of firing the

is needed to properly educate children in the state of state the in children educate properly to needed is AMY GOODMAN: Can you start off by telling us about us telling by off start you Can GOODMAN: AMY

money. Nobody has ever determined how much money much how determined ever has Nobody money.

not really adequately supported. There was not enough not was There supported. adequately really not excerpt from that interview, online at www.democracynow.org. at online interview, that from excerpt

ings with terrible conditions, a school system that was that system school a conditions, terrible with ings public education funds to private charter schools. This is an is This schools. charter private to funds education public

impoverished students, and they were also in the build- the in also were they and students, impoverished gram. They discussed the mass firings and the diversion of diversion the and firings mass the discussed They gram.

New Orleans public schools were left with really the most the really with left were schools public Orleans New spoke with Amy Goodman of the Democracy Now! news pro- news Now! Democracy the of Goodman Amy with spoke

were able to send their children to Catholic schools. So schools. Catholic to children their send to able were munications director for the United Teachers of New Orleans, New of Teachers United the for director munications

Americans of means, middle-class African Americans, African middle-class means, of Americans On June 20, veteran New Orleans educator Joe DeRose, com- DeRose, Joe educator Orleans New veteran 20, June On

a class division within the city, where many African many where city, the within division class a

dards, fairness and accountability in education. in accountability and fairness dards,

Yes, it’s probably closer to 95 percent. And we also have also we And percent. 95 to closer probably it’s Yes,

what the current push for charter schools means for stan- for means schools charter for push current the what

90 percent of the schools are African American? African are schools the of percent 90 grave concerns about the future of public education and education public of future the about concerns grave

percentage of the public schools—are we talking over talking we schools—are public the of percentage schools received nothing. Parents and teachers alike express alike teachers and Parents nothing. received schools

And so what happened through this year? And what And year? this through happened what so And purpose of supporting charter schools, while traditional public traditional while schools, charter supporting of purpose

Louisiana by the Department of Education for the express the for Education of Department the by Louisiana

who were in touch with the media. the with touch in were who that $24 million dollars of federal funds was granted to granted was funds federal of dollars million $24 that

morning or by phone calls from friends and relatives and friends from calls phone by or morning federal Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced Spellings Margaret Education of Secretary federal

living in the city found out in the newspaper the next the newspaper the in out found city the in living lic schools was granted to charter organizations. In addition, In organizations. charter to granted was schools lic

o’clock news. Those who didn’t have TVs or weren’t still weren’t or TVs have didn’t who Those news. o’clock recovery school district, control over many New Orleans pub- Orleans New many over control district, school recovery

found out that they were being terminated on the 5 the on terminated being were they that out found To add insult to injury, under the state-administered Katrina state-administered the under injury, to insult add To

going to have such a conference. Therefore, most people most Therefore, conference. a such have to going

information.

ence, notified us about an hour before that they were they that before hour an about us notified ence,

media or from family and friends who had access to media to access had who friends and family from or media

October, when the school board called a press confer- press a called board school the when October,

employees only learned about their terminations through the through terminations their about learned only employees

notification that they would be fired until one day in day one until fired be would they that notification

before the decision was made public, so most of these of most so public, made was decision the before

They were treated with utter disrespect. There was no was There disrespect. utter with treated were They

including nearly 4,000 teachers. No advance notice was given was notice advance No teachers. 4,000 nearly including

saw in the days immediately following Katrina. following immediately days the in saw School Board to fire 7,500 school employees from their jobs, their from employees school 7,500 fire to Board School

a city with one of the highest poverty rates, as everybody as rates, poverty highest the of one with city a public schools, a process that allowed the Orleans Parish Orleans the allowed that process a schools, public

the children in one of the neediest cities in the country, the in cities neediest the of one in children the In October, state lawmakers voted to take over New Orleans New over take to voted lawmakers state October, In

who had dedicated their careers to helping try to educate to try helping to careers their dedicated had who dealt a devastating blow by the Louisiana state legislature. state Louisiana the by blow devastating a dealt

ers. Solid middle-class employees, career professionals career employees, middle-class Solid ers. the city’s already struggling public education system was system education public struggling already city’s the

dians to teachers, and there were about 4,000 teach- 4,000 about were there and teachers, to dians to Less than a month after Katrina devastated New Orleans, New devastated Katrina after month a than Less

Gutting Public Education in New Orleans Orleans New in Education Public Gutting

COMMUNITY VOICES COMMUNITY

founded by Community United to Reform Education, a Education, Reform to United Community by founded

and Treme Charter Schools Association, which was which Association, Schools Charter Treme and adults need to listen.” listen.” to need adults

Martin Luther King Jr. School in the Lower Ninth Ward Ninth Lower the in School Jr. King Luther Martin Nelson, who is working with the Rethink students. “And students. Rethink the with working is who Nelson,

created with deep community involvement such as such involvement community deep with created “The [children’s] stories need to be told,” said Ashley said told,” be to need stories [children’s] “The

local community. As a result, several schools are being are schools several result, a As community. local

ers”?) to whether students feel teachers care about them. about care teachers feel students whether to ers”?)

chartering organizations to prove collaboration with the with collaboration prove to organizations chartering

quality of lunch fare (are there more than “greasy burg- “greasy than more there (are fare lunch of quality

operating one of these schools and specifically requires specifically and schools these of one operating

school report cards which will measure such factors as factors such measure will which cards report school

groups, such as the notorious Edison Schools Inc., from Inc., Schools Edison notorious the as such groups,

ing quality education. The students promised to deliver to promised students The education. quality ing

charters. State law explicitly prohibits for-profit prohibits explicitly law State charters.

aunching monitoring projects to ensure schools are offer- are schools ensure to projects monitoring aunching l

and then granted to local organizations to reopen as reopen to organizations local to granted then and

Rethink is one of a handful of organizations interested in interested organizations of handful a of one is Rethink

schools was stripped from local education authorities education local from stripped was schools

the Treme neighborhood before the storm. the before neighborhood Treme the storm as traditional public schools. Control of these of Control schools. public traditional as storm

group that worked with A.P. Tureaud Middle School in School Middle Tureaud A.P. with worked that group are reconfigurations of schools that existed before the before existed that schools of reconfigurations are So what happens now? How many public schools have Education at the first meeting of the state board after the been opened? And what does the Spellings announce- hurricane—he announced the schools in New Orleans ment mean for the tens of millions of dollars going [and] in St. Bernard Parish would not open for the rest into charter schools? of the year. The president of United Teachers of New Orleans made an impassioned plea to re-evaluate that Well, as far as the number of schools that are opened, decision, that there were people who were living in the before Katrina there were about 116 schools that were city whose houses were not damaged that deserved an run by the Orleans Parish School Board. Now there are education, and that there were people who would want to four. There are about 25 schools that have been given come back to the city that needed some hope that there charter status by the Orleans Parish School Board, and would be schools open. another 88 or 90 or so that have been taken over by the state and will be run under what’s called the Recovery ...Now, going to Spellings’s announcement that more School District, under the direct authority of the state. money is going to be provided for charter schools. This reinforces the belief that charter schools were a primary There was a long delay in opening any schools, and there objective of post-Katrina New Orleans in the eyes of is a strong feeling, which we think is valid, that there was many officials. We’ve got to ask—where was the federal a concerted effort to not reopen the schools. The very help in the pre-existing school system? first announcement given by the state superintendent of

Robert Kaufmann/FEMA

Above and right: Marvin Nauman/FEMA Marvin right: and Above

Robert Kaufmann/FEMA Robert

area schools that have enrolled large numbers of numbers large enrolled have that schools

to students in a user-friendly format.(2) Eight Houston- Eight format.(2) user-friendly a in students to best way to help the [evacuee] students.” [evacuee] the help to way best

on Wheels,” it provides multimedia curricular content curricular multimedia provides it Wheels,” on of his program [and] honestly felt that this would be the be would this that felt honestly [and] program his of

Houston-area schools this past winter. Titled “ Titled winter. past this schools Houston-area Curriculum Becker told the Chronicle. “She is genuinely supportive genuinely is “She Chronicle. the told Becker

Barbara and Neil Bush presented the donated software to software donated the presented Bush Neil and Barbara obviously an enthusiastic supporter of her son,” Jean son,” her of supporter enthusiastic an obviously

marked donation for Katrina survivors. “Mrs. Bush is Bush “Mrs. survivors. Katrina for donation marked

company owned by her son Neil. son her by owned company

(1)

A Bush family spokesperson defended Mrs. Bush’s ear- Bush’s Mrs. defended spokesperson family Bush A

tional software produced by Ignite Learning Corp.—a Learning Ignite by produced software tional

instructed that her entire donation be spent on educa- on spent be donation entire her that instructed for the city’s schools. city’s the for

But Mrs. Bush raised more than a few eyebrows when she when eyebrows few a than more raised Bush Mrs. But School District Foundation, a charity that raises money raises that charity a Foundation, District School

Bill Clinton and Barbara’s husband, George H.W. Bush. H.W. George husband, Barbara’s and Clinton Bill solicit the contributions for the Houston Independent Houston the for contributions the solicit

the charitable foundation founded by former Presidents former by founded foundation charitable the cerns because Neil Bush and company officials helped officials company and Bush Neil because cerns

undisclosed amount to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, Katrina Bush-Clinton the to amount undisclosed

spent on Ignite. The deal raised conflict of interest con- interest of conflict raised deal The Ignite. on spent

In March, former First Lady Barbara Bush donated an donated Bush Barbara Lady First former March, In businesses and individuals who specified the money be money the specified who individuals and businesses

board agreed to accept $115,000 in donations from donations in $115,000 accept to agreed board

America’s first family. first America’s

donations, the paper reported. At the time, the school the time, the At reported. paper the donations, H

financial interests. Among them are members of members are them Among interests. financial

when it expanded the COW program through private through program COW the expanded it when

some well-off Americans to promote their own their promote to Americans well-off some

In 2004, the Houston school district came under fire under came district school Houston the 2004, In

urricane Katrina has provided an opportunity for opportunity an provided has Katrina urricane

program, according to the Houston Chronicle. Houston the to according program,

Hurricane Katrina evacuees have installed the COW the installed have evacuees Katrina Hurricane by Yolanda Carrington Yolanda by

Donation in the Family the in Donation Helping Her Own: First Mother Keeps Education Keeps Mother First Own: Her Helping A FRAGILE GULF: Environment

Sources on p. 91 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

20 to 30 percent 30 to 20 Agency official: official: Agency

stream, according to an Environmental Protection Environmental an to according stream,

be “lucky”to remove from the post-Katrina waste post-Katrina the from remove “lucky”to be

Portion of hazardous materials that authorities would authorities that materials hazardous of Portion

2 miles 2 using water from a nearby canal: canal: nearby a from water using

where 1,000 families live and tend traditional gardens traditional tend and live families 1,000 where

Vietnamese-American community Village de l’Est, de Village community Vietnamese-American

Distance between Chef Menteur landfill and landfill Menteur Chef between Distance

the threats to environmental health still loom large over the Gulf. the over large loom still health environmental to threats the

30 feet 30 below the surface: surface: the below nated with formaldehyde. Consequently, a year after Katrina and Rita, and Katrina after year a Consequently, formaldehyde. with nated

area where the water table lies 1 to 4 feet feet 4 to 1 lies table water the where area Emergency Management Agency’s issuance of trailer homes contami- homes trailer of issuance Agency’s Management Emergency

the unlined Chef Menteur storm-waste landfill, in an in landfill, storm-waste Menteur Chef unlined the sensitive wetland areas near eastern New Orleans, and the Federal the and Orleans, New eastern near areas wetland sensitive

Depth of pit dug into wetlands of New Orleans East for East Orleans New of wetlands into dug pit of Depth

in New Orleans’rush to open an unlined landfill for storm debris in debris storm for landfill unlined an open to Orleans’rush New in

In some cases, officials have even contributed to the problem, as seen as problem, the to contributed even have officials cases, some In $76 million $76 health, education and crime: crime: and education health,

governments have largely ignored the storms’poisonous aftermath. aftermath. storms’poisonous the ignored largely have governments damage to society as a result of problems related to related problems of result a as society to damage

Despite the billions spent on reconstruction, federal, state and local and state federal, reconstruction, on spent billions the Despite Estimated annual cost of New Orleans’lead poisoning in poisoning Orleans’lead New of cost annual Estimated

volunteers. $290.4 million $290.4 ing grass: grass: ing

and almost all are small-scale efforts led by private landowners and landowners private by led efforts small-scale are all almost and Orleans properties by bringing in clean dirt and plant- and dirt clean in bringing by properties Orleans

way to remediate post-Katrina environmental problems, environmental post-Katrina remediate to way under efforts Estimated cost to clean up lead-contaminated New lead-contaminated up clean to cost Estimated

clean dirt and and dirt clean planting grass. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of handful a only are there Unfortunately, grass. planting

20 with high blood lead levels before Katrina: Katrina: before levels lead blood high with metal contamination can be remedied by covering tainted soil with soil tainted covering by remedied be can contamination metal

Minimum percentage of inner-city New Orleans children Orleans New inner-city of percentage Minimum

clean up the up clean sediment, which doesn’t need to be excavated. Heavy- excavated. be to need doesn’t which sediment,

Environmental and health advocates say it would be relatively easy to easy relatively be would it say advocates health and Environmental 0 attributable to Katrina: Katrina: to attributable

elevated lead levels are believed to be directly directly be to believed are levels lead elevated toxins that might not appear for years or even decades. even or years for appear not might that toxins

Number of those neighborhoods where the the where neighborhoods those of Number

allergens. There are also long-term health threats associated with the with associated threats health long-term also are There allergens.

cough,”a respiratory malady caused by exposure to molds and other and molds to exposure by caused malady respiratory cough,”a 10 lead levels were found in post-Katrina testing: testing: post-Katrina in found were levels lead

of patients seeking treatment for what’s come to be known as “Katrina as known be to come what’s for treatment seeking patients of Number of New Orleans neighborhoods where high where neighborhoods Orleans New of Number

and those who came to help rebuild. Doctors have reported an influx an reported have Doctors rebuild. help to came who those and

90 percent 90

communities. The pollution is taking a toll on the health of residents of health the on toll a taking is pollution The communities.

Texas that exceeded federal limits for arsenic: arsenic: for limits federal exceeded that Texas

formed a toxic, bacteria-laden crud whose dust still coats many Gulf many coats still dust whose crud bacteria-laden toxic, a formed

Louisiana, Mississippi and Mississippi Louisiana, Katrina and Rita in Alabama, Alabama, in Rita and Katrina

Mixing with the numerous flood-related sewage spills, the chemicals the spills, sewage flood-related numerous the with Mixing

Portion of flood sediment samples analyzed after analyzed samples sediment flood of Portion

household pesticides, solvents and other hazardous substances. hazardous other and solvents pesticides, household

1 million gallons million 1 Parish: Parish:

communities, and resulted in the spilling of countless gallons of gallons countless of spilling the in resulted and communities,

Amount of oil spilled at Murphy Oil Co. in St. Bernard St. in Co. Oil Murphy at spilled oil of Amount

releasing millions of gallons of petroleum pollutants into nearby nearby into pollutants petroleum of gallons of millions releasing

everything in their path. The storms also damaged oil and gas facilities, gas and oil damaged also storms The path. their in everything 50 to 70 percent 70 to 50 through cleanup efforts: efforts: cleanup through

up sediment from the Gulf and nearby waterways and dumped it over it dumped and waterways nearby and Gulf the from sediment up Estimated portion of oil spilled by Katrina recovered Katrina by spilled oil of portion Estimated

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita blew ashore last August, they scooped they August, last ashore blew Rita and Katrina Hurricanes When

11 million gallons million 11 Alaska: Alaska:

waters over the years, settling to the bottom as sediment. as bottom the to settling years, the over waters Amount spilled from 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster in disaster Valdez Exxon 1989 from spilled Amount

of the Gulf’s oil-refining industry have all made their way into the into way their made all have industry oil-refining Gulf’s the of

10.5 million gallons million 10.5 and Rita: Rita: and

Mexico. Agricultural pesticides, industrial dreck and the toxic byproducts toxic the and dreck industrial pesticides, Agricultural Mexico.

and other production facilities during Hurricanes Katrina Hurricanes during facilities production other and

America’s waste to its final dumping ground in the Gulf of Gulf the in ground dumping final its to waste America’s

Amount of oil spilled in Louisiana from damaged tanks damaged from Louisiana in spilled oil of Amount

Mississippi River has long served as the nation’s sewer, carrying sewer, nation’s the as served long has River Mississippi

raining a vast area from the Appalachians to the Rockies, the Rockies, the to Appalachians the from area vast a raining 75 from Katrina “crud”: “crud”: Katrina from

who failed hearing tests due to health problems problems health to due tests hearing failed who

Percent of children at a Metairie, La. preschool preschool La. Metairie, a at children of Percent

Environment Index Environment KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA CHALMETTE, LA, SEPT. 18, 2005 A massive oil spill that threatens this town in St. Bernard Parish resulted when a oil tank owned by Murphy Oil was forced from its foundation by Hurricane Katrina’s massive storm surge. Below: An oil spill caused by Hurricane Katrina covers the streets of Chalmette. Bob McMillan/ FEMA Photo

Storms Unleashed Oil-Spill Disaster by Sue Sturgis before the hurricane hit, a standard safety practice at oil refineries.(2) hen Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters swept Murphy has also come under fire for misleading victims through St. Bernard Parish southeast of New in its pursuit of settlements. Last year the judge in the WOrleans, they dislodged an enormous above- case ordered the company to stop providing misleading ground storage tank at the Murphy Oil Refinery in Meraux. information during settlement discussions. Among other The tank ruptured, releasing more than 1 million gal- things, he ordered Murphy to disclose that an environ- lons of crude oil that poured over a containment levee mental testing firm involved in the case is a paid con- into nearby neighborhoods. It was one of the worst res- sultant for the company and not a government agency.(3) idential oil spills in U.S. history. Financial analysts and attorneys have estimated the cost A year later, residents are still grappling with the aftermath. of the ongoing cleanup of the Murphy spill at $1 billion.(4) Murphy faces a class action lawsuit filed last September, And the Murphy disaster was just one of at least 595 spills which was certified by a federal judge as a class action that released oil, natural gas and other contaminants suit earlier this year.(1) That suit is currently in the dis- into Gulf Coast ecosystems in the wake of Hurricanes (5) covery process. Katrina and Rita. Sampling of the Murphy spill sediment by the Envi- The cost of cleaning up the Murphy spill is estimated as $1 billion. ronmental Protection Agency has detected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, diesel and arsenic at levels that And the Murphy disaster was just one of at least 595 spills that surpass Louisiana’s screening levels for long-term health released oil, gas and other contaminants into Gulf Coast ecosystems effects.(6) Contact with the chemicals can cause acute skin problems and has also been linked to long-term in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. health problems, including cancer. Meanwhile, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and To date, the Arkansas-based company reports reaching Disease Registry, a division of the Centers for Disease settlements with the occupants or owners of about 2,500 Control and Prevention, has advised affected residents residences in Meraux and Chalmette. Regulatory agen- against moving back into homes with visible oil con- cies say the affected area includes about 6,000 homes. tamination.(7) However, Murphy argues that it includes only 2,900 residences while plaintiffs say as many as 10,000 were affected. The company has denied any wrongdoing. But some experts have faulted it for not filling the near-empty tank 50

dumping of hazardous materials as well as continuous as well as materials hazardous of dumping

calling for a more vigilant sorting process to prevent the prevent to process sorting vigilant more a for calling

landfill’s toxicity. Landfill opponents also published reports published also opponents Landfill toxicity. landfill’s

assembled an independent panel of experts to assess the assess to experts of panel independent an assembled

a nd the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) Network Action Environmental Louisiana the nd

community group headquartered at Nguyen’s church— Nguyen’s at headquartered group community

Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East—a grassroots East—a Orleans New Strong a for Citizens

worry about.” worry

oper , batteries and some bags labeled hazardous waste.” hazardous labeled bags some and batteries , go ahead and shut it down, it’s one less thing for them to them for thing less one it’s down, it shut and ahead go

were quite alarming, among them a canister of copier devel- copier of canister a them among alarming, quite were f aster than anyone could have anticipated,” he says. “If they “If says. he anticipated,” have could anyone than aster

over the surface, we were still able to find some things that things some find to able still were we surface, the over sense to see that support for the movement is growing is movement the for support that see to sense

Nguyen says. “Despite the fact that they had already combed already had they that fact the “Despite says. Nguyen tual closure of Chef Menteur. “I hope [officials] have enough have [officials] hope “I Menteur. Chef of closure tual

“We went in one day at the beginning of the process,” the of beginning the at day one in went “We Meanwhile, Nguyen remains optimistic about the even- the about optimistic remains Nguyen Meanwhile,

contends that the measures in place aren’t enough. aren’t place in measures the that contends the city. the

been a key player in organizing opposition to the dump, the to opposition organizing in player key a been may still go through normal channels to get a permit from permit a get to channels normal through go still may

Nguyen of Mary Queen of Vietnam Church, which has which Church, Vietnam of Queen Mary of Nguyen However, the fight may not be over yet: Waste Management Waste yet: over be not may fight the However,

ing hazardous waste out of the landfill. But Rev. Vien Rev. But landfill. the of out waste hazardous ing

Rita are gone, but the court rejected its request. its rejected court the but gone, are Rita

(5)

and that current sorting practices are adequate in keep- in adequate are practices sorting current that and

the huge piles of garbage left by Hurricanes Katrina and Katrina Hurricanes by left garbage of piles huge the

being dumped at the Chef Menteur site is insignificant, is site Menteur Chef the at dumped being

federal court to bar Nagin from closing the facility until facility the closing from Nagin bar to court federal

LDEQ also maintains that the risk of hazardous materials hazardous of risk the that maintains also LDEQ

The Houston-based trash giant responded by asking a asking by responded giant trash Houston-based The

containing significant amounts of silt and sand. and silt of amounts significant containing for a conditional-use permit to continue operations. continue to permit conditional-use a for

(4)

old permit application for the site showed core samples core showed site the for application permit old ing the company had failed to apply to the City Council City the to apply to failed had company the ing

thus offer protection from leaching. However, a decade- a However, leaching. from protection offer thus Waste Management to shut down the site by Aug. 15, say- 15, Aug. by site the down shut to Management Waste

claims that the walls and bottom of the pit are solid clay and clay solid are pit the of bottom and walls the that claims The latest twist: Mayor Ray Nagin’s administration ordered administration Nagin’s Ray Mayor twist: latest The

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Environmental of Department Louisiana The

East, and Industrial Pipe in Plaquemines Parish. Plaquemines in Pipe Industrial and East,

(3)

an adjacent canal to irrigate their vegetable gardens. vegetable their irrigate to canal adjacent an in the suit, along with Old Gentilly, also in New Orleans New in also Gentilly, Old with along suit, the in

1,000 Vietnamese-American families use the water from water the use families Vietnamese-American 1,000 fills. Chef Menteur was one of the three facilities cited facilities three the of one was Menteur Chef fills.

surface water contamination. Many of Village de l’Est’s de Village of Many contamination. water surface to expand the type of wastes allowed to go into C&D lan C&D into go to allowed wastes of type the expand to d-

3 0-foot-deep pit, posing a potential for groundwater and groundwater for potential a posing pit, 0-foot-deep against the state, claiming regulators lacked the authority the lacked regulators claiming state, the against

allowed by state law have been making their way into the into way their making been have law state by allowed Then in August, LEAN and the Sierra Club filed suit filed Club Sierra the and LEAN August, in Then

Critics are also concerned that materials other than those than other materials that concerned also are Critics

ations for three days. three for ations

such as chemically treated wood. treated chemically as such Hall on May 10, leading Nagin to suspend landfill oper- landfill suspend to Nagin leading 10, May on Hall

after Hurricane Katrina to include hazardous materials hazardous include to Katrina Hurricane after responded with a raucous protest at New Orleans City Orleans New at protest raucous a with responded

out that Louisiana expanded the definition of C&D debris C&D of definition the expanded Louisiana that out other environmental, religious and civil rights groups, rights civil and religious environmental, other

fill’s neighbors and environmental advocates, who point who advocates, environmental and neighbors fill’s rary injunction, which a judge denied. LEAN, along with along LEAN, denied. judge a which injunction, rary

required to have a protective liner. That worries the land- the worries That liner. protective a have to required A day after the dump opened, LEAN filed for a tempo- a for filed LEAN opened, dump the after day A

olition (“C&D”) debris site, meaning the landfill is not is landfill the meaning site, debris (“C&D”) olition

and Gentilly, charge $2.50 and $3.50 respectively. $3.50 and $2.50 charge Gentilly, and

Chef Menteur is designated as a construction and dem- and construction a as designated is Menteur Chef

cubic yard while the other two area landfills, Highway 90 Highway landfills, area two other the while yard cubic

mentalists and nearby residents. nearby and mentalists the city. Waltzer also notes that the site charges $5 per $5 charges site the that notes also Waltzer city. the

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project met with vociferous opposition from environ- from opposition vociferous with met project giving 22 percent of the proceeds from Chef Menteur to Menteur Chef from proceeds the of percent 22 giving

American community that was hit hard by Katrina. The Katrina. by hard hit was that community American on the same day Waste Management signed a contract a signed Management Waste day same the on

area near Village de l’Est, a predominantly Vietnamese- predominantly a l’Est, de Village near area sity. He points out that Nagin issued the landfill permit landfill the issued Nagin that out points He sity.

last year’s storms to allow the landfill to open in a wetlands a in open to landfill the allow to storms year’s last that the operation is driven more by economics than neces- than economics by more driven is operation the that

Nagin used his special emergency powers granted after granted powers emergency special his used Nagin But LEAN attorney Joel Waltzer argues Waltzer Joel attorney LEAN But city. the of areas (2)

fill would hamper the removal of debris from devastated from debris of removal the hamper would fill T

versy over the project has raged ever since. ever raged has project the over versy

Carr Brown warned that closing the Chef Menteur land- Menteur Chef the closing that warned Brown Carr

business in New Orleans East in April, and contro- and April, in East Orleans New in business

In a July 21 letter to Nagin, LDEQ assistant secretary Chuck secretary assistant LDEQ Nagin, to letter 21 July a In

he Chef Menteur storm-debris landfill opened for opened landfill storm-debris Menteur Chef he

to nearby waterways. nearby to

pumping to prevent contaminated water from escaping from water contaminated prevent to pumping by Ana Pardo and Sue Sturgis Sue and Pardo Ana by

Waste Dump Waste In New Orleans, Uproar Continues Over Katrina Over Continues Uproar Orleans, New In COMMUNITY VOICES Tracking the Toxic Storm by Sue Sturgis lions of pounds of pollution into the air and river every year. Much of that pollution washes out to the Gulf of Mexico, where Wilma Subra has been studying the environmental health of it settles to the bottom as sediment. When Katrina and Rita the U.S. Gulf Coast for decades. An environmental chemist hit last year, their powerful storm surge picked up that sludge and CEO of the Subra Co. in New Iberia, La., Subra has and spread it over everything in their path—a ubiquitous served as a technical advisor to citizens’ groups and govern- layer that Subra has likened to cake batter. Soon after the ment agencies, and she currently chairs the Gulf Coast storms, Subra began testing the sediment for toxics. What she Hurricanes Workgroup of the Environmental Protection found alarms her. Agency’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Of the numerous samples she’s analyzed from Alabama, which will soon release final recommendations on environ- Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, 90 percent have exceeded mental justice issues related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. the EPA’s allowable limits for arsenic—a known carcinogen Subra has extensively investigated “Cancer Alley,” the 85-mile that’s been linked to skin cancer as well as cancer of the lungs, corridor along the Mississippi from Baton Rouge to New Orleans bladder, liver, kidney and prostate. Inhaling or ingesting where chemical plants and petroleum refineries ooze mil- arsenic can injure pregnant women or developing fetuses,

NINTH WARD, NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 16, 2005. The foul-smelling floodwater that inundated Gulf Coast communities after Katrina was contaminated with industrial and household waste as well as sewage. MARVIN NAUMAN/FEMA photo

are lots of boats. And there are lots of petroleum pro- petroleum of lots are there And boats. of lots are

There have been different discussions that the [Federal the that discussions different been have There

their lawn mowers. This is a coastal community, so there so community, coastal a is This mowers. lawn their

storm surge came in. It would be a huge cleanup job. cleanup huge a be would It in. came surge storm

hydrocarbons. Everyone has gasoline in their sheds, in sheds, their in gasoline has Everyone hydrocarbons.

the way to the Louisiana-Texas border—everywhere the border—everywhere Louisiana-Texas the to way the

cumulative impact. I’m finding a lot of petroleum of lot a finding I’m impact. cumulative

graphic area. As I just described, it’s from Mobile Bay all Bay Mobile from it’s described, just I As area. graphic

They’re not above acceptable levels, but they add to the to add they but levels, acceptable above not They’re

I think it has a lot to do with resources. It’s a huge geo- huge a It’s resources. with do to lot a has it think I

I’m also finding barium and chromium and lead. and chromium and barium finding also I’m

contact with it unless you protect yourself. protect you unless it with contact

applications. And it’s an element, so it doesn’t degrade. doesn’t it so element, an it’s And applications.

problem. On the other hand, other the On problem. they’re saying don’t come in come don’t saying they’re

ment. It’s from old industrial discharges, old pesticide old discharges, industrial old from It’s ment.

gloves and booties. So on one one on So booties. and gloves hand, they’re saying it’s not a not it’s saying they’re hand,

screening levels. It’s prevalent throughout the sedi- the throughout prevalent It’s levels. screening

with it, you need to wear protective clothing, clothing, protective wear to need you it, with respirators,

excess of what the state and federals have established as established have federals and state the what of excess

the sediment sludge, and if you have to come in contact in come to have you if and sludge, sediment the

The most prevalent chemical is arsenic. It’s present in present It’s arsenic. is chemical prevalent most The

but they also say that you should not come in contact with contact in come not should you that say also they but

should be most concerned about? concerned most be should Web page, they say there’s no short-term health risks, health short-term no there’s say they page, Web

What are the contaminants you’re finding that people that finding you’re contaminants the are What short-term health risks. However, if you go on the EPA’s the on go you if However, risks. health short-term

interpretation. The agencies are saying that there are no are there that saying are agencies The interpretation.

of the people don’t have access to the doctors right now. right doctors the to access have don’t people the of Nobody has a problem with any of my data. It’s all in the in all It’s data. my of any with problem a has Nobody

most of these people aren’t coming in to them. Well, most Well, them. to in coming aren’t people these of most

ous, but regulatory agencies insist there isn’t any danger. any isn’t there insist agencies regulatory but ous,

always sick, why I’m always coughing.” The doctors say doctors The coughing.” always I’m why sick, always

ron mental health advocates say the problem is seri- is problem the say advocates health mental

People that I talk to will say, “Oh, well, that’s why I’m why that’s well, “Oh, say, will to talk I that People

environmental contamination in the Gulf. Many envi- Many Gulf. the in contamination environmental

the bronchitis. And it’s turning into chronic bronchitis. chronic into turning it’s And bronchitis. the

The public has heard conflicting information about information conflicting heard has public The

responding. And then the respiratory illnesses—the asthma, illnesses—the respiratory the then And responding.

or the other, not both, so that’s why the sores aren’t sores the why that’s so both, not other, the or

Network Web Site. Web Network

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When you go to a doctor, he gives you antibiotics for one for antibiotics you gives he doctor, a to go you When

lected is on the Louisiana Environmental Action Environmental Louisiana the on is lected

finding both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. gram-negative and gram-positive both finding

surge in the upper right-hand side. All of the data I col- I data the of All side. right-hand upper the in surge

antibiotic treatment. That’s because in my analysis I’m analysis my in because That’s treatment. antibiotic

left-hand side of the eye, and you only had the tidal the had only you and eye, the of side left-hand

rashes, and skin infections that don’t respond to normal to respond don’t that infections skin and rashes,

in on the Louisiana-Texas border—Texas was on the on was border—Texas Louisiana-Texas the on in

cuing people and they’re continuing today. There are skin are There today. continuing they’re and people cuing

but not sediment testing. That’s because Rita’s eye came eye Rita’s because That’s testing. sediment not but

They started with the first responders going in and res- and in going responders first the with started They

Texas coast. I did a lot of damage assessment in Texas, in assessment damage of lot a did I coast. Texas

Have you seen the list of health impacts we put together? put we impacts health of list the seen you Have

(2) Rita hit, so I sampled from central Louisiana to the to Louisiana central from sampled I so hit, Rita

about removing it, we get that kind of response. of kind that get we it, removing about back through Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Then Louisiana. and Mississippi Alabama, through back

Every time we try to figure out who it is we need to talk to talk to need we is it who out figure to try we time Every and then over on the western shore of Mobile Bay and Bay Mobile of shore western the on over then and

for the agencies or the [Army] Corps [of Engineers]. [of Corps [Army] the or agencies the for to that, I had sampled all along the coast of Louisiana, of coast the along all sampled had I that, to

and that no, FEMA doesn’t take care of the toxins—that’s the of care take doesn’t FEMA no, that and ed some specific sampling work in New Orleans. Prior Orleans. New in work sampling specific some ed

Emergency Management Agency] would be responsible, be would Agency] Management Emergency iment. The [Natural Resources Defense Council] fund- Council] Defense Resources [Natural The iment.

doing damage and needs assessment and testing of sed- of testing and assessment needs and damage doing

Andrea Booher/FEMA Andrea

I went out within 48 hours of Katrina hitting and started and hitting Katrina of hours 48 within out went I

in search of salvageable items. salvageable of search in

When it started drying out, it became easily airborne. easily became it out, drying started it When

The New Orleans resident walks through toxic mud on his way home way his on mud toxic through walks resident Orleans New The

thick. It was deposited on the surface of everything. of surface the on deposited was It thick.

NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 1, 2005 1, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

six inches thick, and in some areas it was six to eight feet eight to six was it areas some in and thick, inches six

land. In some areas, it was an inch thick, in some areas some in thick, inch an was it areas, some In land.

sludge from the water bodies and just laid it over the over it laid just and bodies water the from sludge

Act. The storm scooped up this contaminated sediment contaminated this up scooped storm The Act.

o ut most of the 1900s, a lot of it prior to the Clean Water Clean the to prior it of lot a 1900s, the of most ut

from the water bodies that had been contaminated through- contaminated been had that bodies water the from

onshore with the tidal surge. These sediment sludges were sludges sediment These surge. tidal the with onshore

I tested the sediment sludge that came that sludge sediment the tested I SUBRA: WILMA

ing you’ve done since Katrina. since done you’ve ing

SUE STURGIS: Tell us about the environmental test- environmental the about us Tell STURGIS: SUE

about the current and future health of Gulf Coast residents. Coast Gulf of health future and current the about

interviewed Subra about her work, her findings and her concerns her and findings her work, her about Subra interviewed

With the anniversary of the storms approaching, Sue Sturgis Sue approaching, storms the of anniversary the With

arsenic may lower children’s IQ. children’s lower may arsenic

breast milk. There’s also evidence that long-term exposure to exposure long-term that evidence also There’s milk. breast and a mother can pass the chemical to her child through child her to chemical the pass can mother a and ing the same types of things. They were finding asthma, cardiovascular problems, skin rashes, respiratory illnesses. That’s what doctors are still seeing. Then there’s the mental illness. I don’t get into that, but the interesting thing is, a report recently came out of Pensacola. They had Ivan in September 2004, more than 22 months ago. And the mental health problems are just huge. People lost everything. They’re trying to come back, and it’s very difficult. It’s the stress. So that’s what this area has to look forward to. August is going to be horrible, because everybody’s talking about what we’re going to do for the anniversary. It’s just NEW ORLEANS, SEPTEMBER 2005 bringing it all back. It’s sort of stopping people from mov- Mud builds up in areas flooded by New Orleans. Much of the leftover ing forward for this time period while they reflect back. sediment contains dangerous elements scooped up from the floodwaters. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA A lot of the reporting on hurricane-related environmental contamination has focused on New Orleans. What are residents facing in rural coastal communities? In Alabama, 100 percent of the samples exceeded allowable arsenic levels. In Louisiana, we have a different standard, but the majority of samples exceeded even that standard. It’s the same sediment sludge with basically the same chemicals all the way across from Mobile Bay westward to the Louisiana-Texas border. Plus, most of the rural coast doesn’t have a levee system, so when the storm surge came in, it went inland many, many miles. It went up all the rivers and bayous, scooped up those sediments, and deposited them on the land. Now the grass is starting to grow back, and the weeds, at least the salt-tolerant ones. So people are going out and mowing their lawn. And when they mow the lawn, it flings the sediment back up into the air. You can be exposed to it as you’re mowing your lawn. BILOXI, MISS., SEPTember 2005 Mud, oil and other contaminants coat this pool. Are there any initiatives underway to remove the contaminated sediment? Mark Wolfe/FEMA A lot of people who have resources have hired contrac- duction and storage tanks. tors to remove it. It’s easy to remove because it’s on the surface and not something you have to dig up. You can And then I’m finding a huge amount of bacteria—coliform, basically scoop it off. Those people have removed it and because of the untreated sewer that’s been discharged, paid to have new soil brought in. and salmonella, staphylococcus aureus, lots of yeast, lots of mold. The agencies have told me, “Oh, when the sludge There are a few bio-remediation trial sites going on in dries, these organisms will die—they will no longer be the greater New Orleans area. Common Ground is doing viable.” Well, even in the driest, dustiest, windblown a number of those. But for the most part, the people who sediment sludge, they’re still very viable. We’ve been in don’t have resources just have to deal with it. And it’s in sort of a drought situation, but we still have enough rain their homes. When they started cleaning them out, they and dew to have some moisture content. became exposed to that. We worked through LEAN and other groups to provide the Tyvek suits and respirators Around July 7, [the Centers for Disease Control and for Common Ground, so the people that came in would Prevention] released a report about the health impacts have that available to them. We also worked with a lot of that they had observed in September in the evacuation church groups from all denominations, who also have (3) centers and in health care centers. They looked at resources to provide the protective gear. Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas, because a lot of people evacuated to Arkansas, and they were find-

Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA Jocelyn

Neighborhoods were coated with mud from Katrina's floodwaters. Katrina's from mud with coated were Neighborhoods

1NEW ORLEANS, SEPTEMBER 2005 SEPTEMBER ORLEANS, 1NEW

who were injured by the hurricane. the by injured were who

because they came down to the coast to help the people the help to coast the to down came they because

the sediment sludge. We don’t want people to become ill become to people want don’t We sludge. sediment the

they go in to gut the houses. But they aren’t as aware of aware as aren’t they But houses. the gut to in go they

mold, and a lot of people are wearing respirators when respirators wearing are people of lot a and mold,

the houses that were flooded grew huge quantities of quantities huge grew flooded were that houses the

areas that this material is located. Everyone is aware that aware is Everyone located. is material this that areas

taminated, and to take appropriate precautions when in when precautions appropriate take to and taminated,

They need to be aware that the sediment sludge is con- is sludge sediment the that aware be to need They

Gulf, what do people there need to know? to need there people do what Gulf,

Given the current environmental situation in the in situation environmental current the Given

the work because the state agency was overwhelmed. was agency state the because work the

agencies, whereas in Louisiana they came in to really do really to in came they Louisiana in whereas agencies,

prepared. The EPA came in there and assisted the state the assisted and there in came EPA The prepared.

all the time, and the state agencies were much more much were agencies state the and time, the all

agencies needed. Region 4 said they deal with hurricanes with deal they said 4 Region needed. agencies

cane-affected area?” cane-affected

in what they did or didn’t do, but in the help the state the help the in but do, didn’t or did they what in

a doctor’s not going to ask you, “Were you in the hurri- the in you “Were you, ask to going not doctor’s a

Region 6 response in Louisiana and Texas—not so much so Texas—not and Louisiana in response 6

Ten years from now, when you’re diagnosed with cancer, with diagnosed you’re when now, from years Ten

Region 4’s response in Mississippi and Alabama versus the versus Alabama and Mississippi in response 4’s Region

Which certainly can take awhile to manifest. to awhile take can certainly Which As chair of NEJAC, I noticed quite a difference in [EPA] in difference a quite noticed I NEJAC, of chair As

more responsive to the community’s needs and requests. and needs community’s the to responsive more

chronic bronchitis, and then of course cancer. course of then and bronchitis, chronic

not removing the sediment either, but they’ve been a lot a been they’ve but either, sediment the removing not

riages, increased rate of infertility, lung disease and disease lung infertility, of rate increased riages,

In Mississippi they’ve been a lot more responsive. They’re responsive. more lot a been they’ve Mississippi In

as increased rate of spontaneous abortions and miscar- and abortions spontaneous of rate increased as

The long-term impacts correlate to the chemicals, such chemicals, the to correlate impacts long-term The do the sampling. the do

like leachate coming out of the landfills. They’d go in and in go They’d landfills. the of out coming leachate like

thing else from 9/11, we should have learned that. learned have should we 9/11, from else thing

EPA was much more responsive if I’d see something, see I’d if responsive more much was EPA

to help. Nobody’s tracking them. If we didn’t learn any- learn didn’t we If them. tracking Nobody’s help. to

is what I saw today—it really needs to be addressed.” But addressed.” be to needs really today—it saw I what is

came in as responders, and other people are coming in coming are people other and responders, as in came

Every time I go out in the field, I call LDEQ and say, “This say, and LDEQ call I field, the in out go I time Every

people from the area, there are all these people who people these all are there area, the from people

Again, that’s a huge financial burden. In addition to the to addition In burden. financial huge a that’s Again, Quality and other state agencies been helpful? been agencies state other and Quality

with health impacts, whether short-term or long-term. or short-term whether impacts, health with Have the Louisiana Department of Environmental of Department Louisiana the Have

and then establishing a mechanism to correlate that correlate to mechanism a establishing then and

one’s doing tracking of the people that were exposed were that people the of tracking doing one’s the most involved in this area. this in involved most the

That’s the other piece that’s not being attended to—no attended being not that’s piece other the That’s and the church groups—they’re the ones that have been have that ones the groups—they’re church the and

Were it not for the [non-governmental organizations] [non-governmental the for not it Were

their exposure to toxic dust are manifesting. are dust toxic to exposure their

it’s just now that a lot of the health problems from problems health the of lot a that now just it’s ment are private or nonprofit, not governmental. not nonprofit, or private are ment

That makes me think of the rescuers following 9/11— following rescuers the of think me makes That It sounds like the efforts to address the toxic sedi- toxic the address to efforts the like sounds It INVESTIGATIONS Energy Companies Seize Post-Katrina Chaos to Push Gulf Gas Plan by Tim Shorrock rise from 3 percent of total supply in 2005 to 15 percent by 2025. In fall of 2005, however, there were only five ess than a year after Hurricane Katrina, a consor- LNG terminals in operation in the lower 48, including tium of energy companies is close to winning gov- one in the Gulf and another in Puerto Rico. In contrast, Lernment approval for two projects that have Japan, the world’s leading LNG importer, has 28 operat- sparked strong objections from Gulf Coast environ- ing terminals. The Bush administration wants to change mental groups. that ratio: Since 2001, 15 new LNG projects have been approved by the business-friendly Federal Energy Specifically, Chevron Corp. and Gulf LNG of Houston Regulation Commission (FERC), and at least 20 more are pushing to win state and federal permits for a pair of are in the planning stages. gas terminals in Mississippi that could make the region one of the nation’s premiere routes for imported lique- The largest concentration of LNG terminals will be fied natural gas (LNG). along the Gulf Coast (see the map at www.ferc.gov/ industries/lng/indus-act/terminals/exist-prop-lng.pdf). The projects could begin construction as early as The Chevron and Gulf LNG projects will be located in November and, after completion, will provide about 100 Pascagoula, Miss., home of the giant Northrop Grumman jobs to the region. naval shipyard and one of the nation’s largest oil refiner- That’s a pittance compared to the labor-intensive casi- ies, also operated by Chevron. no industry, which is slated to bring thousands of jobs to For projects so fraught with environmental risk, FERC and the region over the next few years. But the trade-off, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources have industry and government officials say, will be the trans- moved with remarkable speed to approve the new projects. formation of the Gulf into a regional energy gateway for Last May, FERC released a draft environmental impact a nation desperate for alternative sources of fuel. statement concluding that building and operating the two LNG terminals “would have limited adverse envi- They hope to transform the Gulf into a regional energy gateway ronmental impact” as long as the companies adopted proper safety precautions. for a nation desperate for alternative sources of fuel. A month later, FERC sponsored a meeting in Pascagoula to receive public comment on the two LNG projects. One of those testifying, environmental activist Paula Vassey, At a a time of tightening energy supplies and growing argued that the projects would negatively affect wet- concern over global warming, LNG is widely seen as less lands, fisheries and air emissions. “Jackson County, harmful to the environment because it releases less Mississippi, is being asked to eat the pollution so Chevron heat-trapping carbon dioxide than coal or petroleum. It can make more money,” she said. is produced by cooling natural gas extracted from fields in Qatar, Indonesia, West Africa and elsewhere to The state marine resources office held its own hearing extremely cold temperatures, transforming it into liq- on the dredging and wetlands issues affecting the Gulf uid and dramatically reducing its volume. The liquid gas LNG project in late June. John McCutchen, chief oper- is carried on special tankers to its final destination, ating officer for what the company calls the “Gulf LNG where it is unloaded, turned back into gas, sent through Clean Energy Project,” provided details of the planned pipelines and burned to produce electricity. terminal. It will include a 62-acre dredged berth area to accommodate tankers. The liquid gas will be off-loaded But the new LNG terminals, when completed, will vastly into 260,000-cubic-meter LNG storage tanks and go increase shipping traffic along the crowded Mississippi through a series of pumps and vaporizers to change the Sound, adding some 300 giant tankers a year to the area’s LNG back to gas. The gas will then be fed into three already busy maritime traffic. They will also eat up pre- interstate pipelines for delivery to Florida and other cious marsh space along the coast and disturb millions inland markets. of tons of sediment, much of it toxic, which must be dredged to create channels for the giant tankers. According to Like the FERC event, the marine resources hearing was the Department of Energy, U.S. demand for LNG will sparsely attended. The government’s zeal to push these

a company owned by Jamal Daniel, a Syrian-American a Daniel, Jamal by owned company a

CREDIT: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Regulatory Energy Federal CREDIT:

All three men used to work for Crest Investment Corp., Investment Crest for work to used men three All

around the Gulf Coast. Gulf the around

and Joseph Peacock. Joseph and

LNG terminals, like this one under construction, could soon be erected be soon could construction, under one this like terminals, LNG

fact, the project is headed by McCutchen, Dee Osborne Dee McCutchen, by headed is project the fact,

them by name, saying “they like to remain low-key.” In low-key.” remain to like “they saying name, by them

“small group of investors.” But he would not identify not would he But investors.” of group “small

mary owners of Gulf LNG, Wagner described them as a as them described Wagner LNG, Gulf of owners mary

known, and hope to stay that way. Asked about the pri- the about Asked way. that stay to hope and known,

The Houston investors behind the terminal are not well not are terminal the behind investors Houston The

Petroleum, TOTAL and Exxon Mobil. Exxon and TOTAL Petroleum,

a consortium of companies that include Chevron, British Chevron, include that companies of consortium a

terminal. Sonangol’s LNG fields are being developed by developed being are fields LNG Sonangol’s terminal.

of the natural gas the company will import through the through import will company the gas natural the of

state-owned energy company that will supply 100 percent 100 supply will that company energy state-owned

Gulf LNG is partly owned by Sonangol, the Angolan the Sonangol, by owned partly is LNG Gulf

he said. he

icant environmental issues” that need to be addressed, be to need that issues” environmental icant

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch. There are “no signif- “no are There Watch. Reconstruction Coast Gulf

operate the facility,” Gulf LNG spokesman Scott Wagner told Wagner Scott spokesman LNG Gulf facility,” the operate

statement by FERC, followed by permits to con to permits by followed FERC, by statement struct and struct

“Soon we hope to receive a final environmental impact environmental final a receive to hope we “Soon

15 acres near the site of its planned facility. facility. planned its of site the near acres 15

of the Bayou Casotte Ship Channel and fill in more than more in fill and Channel Ship Casotte Bayou the of

energy to the region.” the to energy L NG the green light to start dredging more than 60 acres 60 than more dredging start to light green the NG

Mississippi as a leader in the supply of clean and reliable and clean of supply the in leader a as Mississippi On July 9, the state’s marine resources office gave Gulf gave office resources marine state’s the 9, July On

growing demand for energy in the U.S. and would position would and U.S. the in energy for demand growing

to conduct further soil testing at the proposed LNG site. LNG proposed the at testing soil further conduct to

and Gulf LNG terminals, Barbour said, will “address a “address will said, Barbour terminals, LNG Gulf and

state commissioners to delay any decision on dredging on decision any delay to commissioners state

endorsed the LNG projects in Pascagoula. The Chevron The Pascagoula. in projects LNG the endorsed

the projects, including activist Vessey, who asked the asked who Vessey, activist including projects, the

tributed by Gulf LNG last year, that the governor had governor the that year, last LNG Gulf by tributed

to accept.” Six of the eight witnesses at the hearing opposed hearing the at witnesses eight the of Six accept.” to

So it was hardly surprising to read, in a press release press a in read, to surprising hardly was it So dis-

“This is simply not a risk that people elsewhere are willing are elsewhere people that risk a not simply is “This

election committee in Mississippi. in committee election that is based next to one of these LNG plants,” she said. she plants,” LNG these of one to next based is that

identified as the single largest donor to Barbour’s 2005 Barbour’s to donor largest single the as identified communities in the country that have a large population large a have that country the in communities

with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. Daniel was recently was Daniel Barbour. Haley Gov. Mississippi with to take two of these LNG ports on when there’s no other no there’s when on ports LNG these of two take to

Strategies, a Washington lobbying firm once associated once firm lobbying Washington a Strategies, vessels. “I think it would be wrong to expect Pascagoula expect to wrong be would it think “I vessels.

the Bush family and is an adviser to New Bridge New to adviser an is and family Bush the fro m marine accidents or terrorist actions targeting LNG targeting actions terrorist or accidents marine m

businessman based in Houston. Daniel has close ties to ties close has Daniel Houston. in based businessman the potential danger to the public of catastrophic fires catastrophic of public the to danger potential the

I n testimony before the marine board, Gillette discussed Gillette board, marine the before testimony n

Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club. Sierra the of Chapter Mississippi

survival to attend hearings. attend to survival

going on,” complained Becky Gillette, the co-chair of the of co-chair the Gillette, Becky complained on,” going

projects, who say local citizens are too absorbed with their own their with absorbed too are citizens local say who projects, the way they used to, and keep an eye on everything that’s everything on eye an keep and to, used they way the

ists activ citizen be to time have don’t “They hearings. attend

region is still recovering has frustrated groups opposed to the LNG the to opposed groups frustrated has recovering still is region

local citizens are too absorbed with their own survival to survival own their with absorbed too are citizens local

The government’s zeal to push these projects forward while the while forward projects these push to zeal government’s The frustrated groups opposed to the LNG projects, who say who projects, LNG the to opposed groups frustrated projects forward while the region is still recovering has recovering still is region the while forward projects VITAL SIGNS: Health

Win Henderson / FEMA / Henderson Win

Evacuation helicopterat the New Orleans Airport. Orleans New the helicopterat Evacuation

Sources on p. 93 p. on Sources

NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 3, 2005 3, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

300 suicide rate since Katrina: Katrina: since rate suicide

Approximate percent increase in New Orleans’ New in increase percent Approximate

20 cover the cost of rebuilding his home: home: his rebuilding of cost the cover

police to kill him after he found out insurance wouldn’t insurance out found he after him kill to police

Picayune before he was arrested trying to force local force to trying arrested was he before Picayune

photographer, worked for the New Orleans Times- Orleans New the for worked photographer,

Number of years John McCusker, a Pulitzer-winning a McCusker, John years of Number

300,000 cases in the state of Louisiana this year: year: this Louisiana of state the in cases

Estimated number of post-traumatic stress disorder stress post-traumatic of number Estimated

80 Number available as of August 2006: 2006: August of as available Number

450 Orleans area prior to the hurricanes: hurricanes: the to prior area Orleans

Number of psychiatric in-patient beds in the New the in beds in-patient psychiatric of Number

180 receives each week: week: each receives

than friendly to the city’s poor and uninsured. and poor city’s the to friendly than New Orleans Police Department Mobile Crisis Unit Crisis Mobile Department Police Orleans New

regarding Medicaid services. The end result could very likely be less be likely very could result end The services. Medicaid regarding Number of calls involving mentally ill people that the that people ill mentally involving calls of Number

to create an expensive new system and suspend federal regulations federal suspend and system new expensive an create to

0 As of May, number that had been rebuilt: rebuilt: been had that number May, of As

need-based care infrastructure. However, there are plans are there However, infrastructure. care need-based unique area’s

works in the city is changing. changing. is city the in works There are no plans to rebuild much of the of much rebuild to plans no are There 12-18 take to help Coastal rebuild three of their clinics: clinics: their of three rebuild Coastal help to take

Restoration of services is happening slowly, and the way health care health way the and slowly, happening is services of Restoration In September, days that federal officials said it would it said officials federal that days September, In

stress syndrome, are rampant. are syndrome, stress 4 uninsured in Mississippi: Mississippi: in uninsured

while mental health mental while problems, such as depression and post-traumatic and depression as such problems, by Coastal Family Health Care, a nonprofit serving the serving nonprofit a Care, Health Family Coastal by

one-fifth of New Orleans’inpatient psychiatric beds have been restored been have beds psychiatric Orleans’inpatient New of one-fifth Out of nine before Katrina, number of rural clinics lost clinics rural of number Katrina, before nine of Out

ted. Less than Less ted. affec significantly been also have services health Mental

1,200 Number currently receiving care: care: receiving currently Number

they represent a smaller portion of the population’s needs. population’s the of portion smaller a represent they

3,500

less of a restoration priority for the existing care providers because providers care existing the for priority restoration a of less

clinics in the Charity Hospital system before the storms: the before system Hospital Charity the in clinics

has diminished. These services are services These diminished. has programs HIV/AIDS and treatment

Number of HIV/AIDS patients served by outpatient outpatient by served patients HIV/AIDS of Number

The availability of specialized services such as as such services specialized of availability The pediatric care, cancer care, pediatric

5 complex meant to replace Charity Hospital: Hospital: Charity replace to meant complex

their physician has pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere. moved and stakes up pulled has physician their

wait for the opening of a $1.2 billion complex medical complex billion $1.2 a of opening the for wait

refills run into roadblocks at the pharmacy counter, discovering that discovering counter, pharmacy the at roadblocks into run refills

Number of years New Orleans residents will have to have will residents Orleans New years of Number

Many doctors have abandoned the region. People needing prescription needing People region. the abandoned have doctors Many

270 health care for the disadvantaged and uninsured: uninsured: and disadvantaged the for care health

their employers are not supplying. not are employers their

Number of years the Charity Hospital system provided system Hospital Charity the years of Number

of contracting from the flooded structures they’re gutting—vaccines they’re structures flooded the from contracting of

mented Latinos seeking vaccines for infectious diseases they’re at risk at they’re diseases infectious for vaccines seeking Latinos mented 75 Louisiana: Louisiana:

exacerbated by the influx of laborers, many of whom are undocu- are whom of many laborers, of influx the by exacerbated submitting claims to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Shield Blue and Cross Blue to claims submitting

off any longer, facing a packed waiting room. The problem has been been has problem The room. waiting packed a facing longer, any off Percent of New Orleans-area doctors no longer longer no doctors Orleans-area New of Percent

longer to seek medical attention and then, when unable to put it it put to unable when then, and attention medical seek to longer

2 to refill her mother’s Parkinson’s medication: medication: Parkinson’s mother’s her refill to

Emergency-room visits are on the increase, with people waiting people with increase, the on are visits Emergency-room

gist had moved to another state, after a failed attempt failed a after state, another to moved had gist

among the city’s smaller facilities. smaller city’s the among

Trembus to receive a letter saying her mother’s neurolo- mother’s her saying letter a receive to Trembus H

remain closed, and most of those that those of most and closed, remain have reopened were reopened have Number of months it took for New Orleans resident Janette resident Orleans New for took it months of Number

half the hospitals the half Orleans, New In crippled. severely Coast Gulf

11 Number operating as of August 2006: 2006: August of as operating Number

across the across systems care health left Rita and Katrina urricanes

22 Katrina and Rita: Rita: and Katrina

Number of hospitals in Orleans Parish before Hurricanes before Parish Orleans in hospitals of Number

Health Index Health KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Dissolving Barriers: New Orleans’ Latino Health Outreach Project by Catherine Jones and Jennifer Whitney In addition to providing health care, we are committed to improving our patients’ access to health care across he sun is still below the horizon when we arrive. the city, supporting struggles for justice for immigrants Three cars, many boxes of supplies, five to 10 peo- and working people, and building relationships with Tple wearing scrubs, most of us women. Hazily, as organizations that have a history of working in New the coffee is still kicking in, we begin to set up treatment Orleans’ Latino community, as well as with post-storm stations on the hoods of cars and the beds of pickups. initiatives dedicated to supporting residents’ right of return. The parking lot we’re in and the one across the street are Like most organizations that began in New Orleans after sparking with activity as around 100 people, mostly Katrina, we are facing significant questions as we try to men, mostly Latino day laborers, look for work in the determine the future of our work and how it fits into the still-devastated city of New Orleans. service-vs.-organizing paradigm. Do we see our clinics The men gather, ask each other what vaccines they should ultimately as an organizing tool or as a valid source of get, share information about employers who don’t pay, primary health care? Can we legitimately be both? tell us about their families back in Texas or Veracruz or In addition to these challenges, over the last few months Bahia. A regular comes by to show us how much better workers near our day laborer clinic have been targeted by his leg is doing, and to ask for some more vitamins. increasing police and [immigration control] harassment Someone else drops by to invite us to his daughter’s and arrest. Partially because of that, among other rea- quinceañera, her 15th birthday party. Several people come sons, workers are fanning out to other neighborhoods. for their final dose of hepatitis B vaccine; we’ve seen them This dispersal means that a single mobile clinic can’t serve off and on for six months. the majority of day laborers in New Orleans, and that day These Latino Health Outreach Project clinics are always laborer organizing itself will become more challenging. busy, as is every functional health care provider in this Meanwhile, we continue to face challenges finding reli- city, from the first aid stations to the emergency rooms. able health care providers for our primary care clinic in The terrifying reality in New Orleans these days is that the church, which still lacks lab services and other ele- there is virtually no public health infrastructure, and so ments that could greatly increase continuity of care for our scrappy little clinic in the parking lot is, for some of our patients. Neither of these clinics is ultimately the best our patients, the option they feel safest with. Never mind option for patients who need more in-depth services, the fact that we can’t dispense medication, rarely have a such as acute care, women’s gynecological and prenatal doctor onsite, can’t do lab work, or even full physical care, specialty care, or long-term monitoring. exams. We’re here every Wednesday, we speak our patients’ languages, we don’t ask about immigration status (or We’re realizing that these realities are forcing us to make even last names), and we do our best to respect the dig- decisions about where to direct our limited resources. nity of each of them. At first, we thought we’d have to do one of two things: invest more time and resources into our church clinic, making In the second week after Katrina hit, the Common Ground it a viable source of bilingual health care, or shore up the Free Clinic opened in Algiers. At the time, it was one of mobile clinics and focus on using them as support for only two places offering health care in the region. We worker-led organizing. Now we’re realizing that our ulti- quickly realized that among the many gaps in the city’s mate path probably won’t fit firmly into either category. public health care infrastructure was a source of culturally competent, bilingual health care for pre-Katrina Right now a feasible option for us is to continue to build Latino residents, as well as the vast numbers of recently up our mobile clinics while maintaining a presence in arrived workers. Kenner. We are beginning to build up a base of translators and patient advocates who can accompany our patients We began setting up clinics on sidewalks and parking to emergency rooms, prenatal care appointments, and lots in areas where mostly Latino workers were staying. specialists.Focusing more on the mobile outreach clinics Within a few weeks, more providers were added, includ- also means that we can begin to more concretely use ing MDs, nurse practitioners, acupuncturists and these clinics as an organizing tool. We have seen the inter- herbalists. We now do one clinic a week early morning at est among our patients when we have done safety and a day-labor pick up site in downtown New Orleans, one in environmental health trainings while we distribute pro- a church in suburban Kenner, where we do limited pri- tective gear for workers involved in mold remediation, mary care and family medicine, and we occasionally hold clinics at other sites. 60

National Disaster Medical System—a partnership of four of partnership System—a Medical Disaster National

Perhaps even more worrisome, the GAO found that the that found GAO the worrisome, more even Perhaps

to communicate with local emergency managers. emergency local with communicate to

left behind.” left

cation. For example, one Florida nursing home was unable was home nursing Florida one example, For cation.

some of the most frail and vulnerable among us are not are us among vulnerable and frail most the of some

damage to the local infrastructure impaired communi- impaired infrastructure local the to damage

plug the gaps in our evacuation system to ensure that ensure to system evacuation our in gaps the plug

vehicles created supply shortages. In addition, hurricane addition, In shortages. supply created vehicles

Security and other federal agencies that are involved to involved are that agencies federal other and Security

po rtation companies, competition for the same pool of pool same the for competition companies, rtation

. “I urge the Department of Homeland of Department the urge “I . statement a in said

(5)

munication. Although facilities had contracts with trans- with contracts had facilities Although munication.

, Medicaid and Medicare oversees that committee the of

ing needed transportation, and maintaining outside com- outside maintaining and transportation, needed ing

of the response,” U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), chair (R-Iowa), Grassley Charles Sen. U.S. response,” the of

challenges, including deciding whether to evacuate, obtain- evacuate, to whether deciding including challenges,

gaps in responsibility get in the way of the effectiveness the of way the in get responsibility in gaps

The GAO found that facility administrators faced several faced administrators facility that found GAO The

and confusion let can’t we response, Katrina the with “As

in federal emergency plans. emergency federal in

and hospitals and to NDMS mobilization centers. mobilization NDMS to

homes and hospitals during hurricanes as well as gaps as well as hurricanes during hospitals and homes

transporting residents and patients from nursing homes nursing from patients and residents transporting

the study examined the challenges faced by nursing by faced challenges the examined study the

government will assist state and local governments with governments local and state assist will

Assistance for Health Facilities Should be Addressed,” be Should Facilities Health for Assistance

(4) evacuations, and how the federal the how and evacuations,

Preparedness: Limitations in Federal Evacuation Federal in Limitations Preparedness:

nursing nursing idents during idents res home

the Government Accountability Office. Titled “Disaster Titled Office. Accountability Government the

Photo by: Liz Roll Liz by: Photo how they will meet the needs of needs the meet will they how

not been fixed, according to a report released in July by July in released report a to according fixed, been not

Katrina waits to receive medical attention. attention. medical receive to waits Katrina NDMS, and others clearly others and NDMS, state

gency plans that contributed to these deaths still have still deaths these to contributed that plans gency

An evacuee from New Orleans after hurricane hurricane after Orleans New from evacuee An GAO recommended that DHS, that recommended GAO

Unfortunately, a year after the disaster, flaws in emer- in flaws disaster, the after year a Unfortunately,

NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 3, 2005 3, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

mobilization center. mobilization

buses that lacked air-conditioning and water. and air-conditioning lacked that buses

(3) moving patients to the NDMS the to patients moving

Center died as a result of an evacuation involving school involving evacuation an of result a as died Center

their own arrangements for arrangements own their

idents of eastern New Orleans’ Ferncrest Manor Living Manor Ferncrest Orleans’ New eastern of idents

ing homes and hospitals to make to hospitals and homes ing

the Holy Family in eastern New Orleans, and three res- three and Orleans, New eastern in Family Holy the

as an airport. That leaves nurs- leaves That airport. an as

Twenty-two people also died at Lafon Nursing Home of Home Nursing Lafon at died also people Twenty-two

n ated mobilization center, such center, mobilization ated

evacuate persons from a desig- a from persons evacuate homicide and are awaiting trial. awaiting are and homicide

(2)

NDMS is that it’s designed to designed it’s that is NDMS Manganos were eventually charged with negligent with charged eventually were Manganos

Another shortcoming of the of shortcoming Another they had contracted with to evacuate patients. The patients. evacuate to with contracted had they

then reportedly failed to call on an ambulance company ambulance an on call to failed reportedly then

home residents. home

parish officials had offered before the storm. The couple The storm. the before offered had officials parish

address the evacuation of nursing of evacuation the address

and Mable Mangano allegedly turned away two buses two away turned allegedly Mangano Mable and

during disasters—also fails to fails disasters—also during

34 residents and caregivers died after owners Salvador owners after died caregivers and residents 34

states and local governments local and states

At St. Rita’s Nursing Facility in St. Bernard Parish, La., Parish, Bernard St. in Facility Nursing Rita’s St. At

the federal government helps government federal the

the basic framework for how for framework basic the that care for the most vulnerable elderly: nursing homes. nursing elderly: vulnerable most the for care that

DHS’ National Response Plan— Response National DHS’ ous shortcomings in the evacuation plans of facilities of plans evacuation the in shortcomings

home residents. In addition, In residents. home Katrina also revealed seri- revealed also Katrina deaths. storm-related 1,400

(1)

of hospital care, such as nursing as such care, hospital of 60 and older accounting for 64 percent of the more than more the of percent 64 for accounting older and 60

evacuation of people not in need in not people of evacuation took a disproportionate toll on the elderly, with people age people with elderly, the on toll disproportionate a took

Security—fails to address the address to Security—fails When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast last year, it year, last Coast Gulf the hit Katrina Hurricane When

Department of Homeland of Department

federal agencies led by the by led agencies federal by Sue Sturgis Sue by

Nursing Home Residents Home Nursing

Feds’ Disaster Plans Still Neglect Neglect Still Plans Disaster Feds’

magazine, Summer 2006. Summer magazine, Turn Left in

wage-claim support, and more. and support, wage-claim This is a shortened version of an article that originally appeare originally that article an of version shortened a is This d

ed to expand that to include consistent legal trainings, legal consistent include to that expand to

o connect health issues with labor organizing. We’re excit- We’re organizing. labor with issues health connect o ic justice in the Gulf Coast and beyond. and Coast Gulf the in justice ic t

vibrant, multifaceted movement for racial and econom- and racial for movement multifaceted vibrant, capacity-building tool, a necessary service and a bridge a and service necessary a tool, capacity-building

Ultimately, we see our work as one component of a large, a of component one as work our see we Ultimately, demolition and house gutting. We see this as a concrete a as this see We gutting. house and demolition Disabilities, Disasters and Discrimination by Sue Sturgis abilities were not included in disaster planning or relief and recovery efforts. Almost everyone affected by Hurricane Katrina suffered According to the paper, some Katrina survivors with mental trauma. However, the storm’s impact was espe- psychiatric disabilities reported that the Federal cially devastating on people who were already suffering Emergency Management Agency excluded them from its from psychiatric disabilities—and the widespread dis- trailers because of concerns that their psychiatric discrimination suffered by those survivors made their sit- abilities made them dangerous—despite assurances uation even worse. from mental health professionals that they were not. FEMA That was the finding of a paper released in July 2006 by gave rental assistance to individual families but rejected the National Council on Disability, the federal agency requests to reimburse church groups that provided hous- charged with advising Congress and the President on ing to former residents of group homes for people with improving the lives of people with disabilities. Titled psychiatric disabilities. In addition, some American Red “The Needs of People With Psychiatric Disabilities Cross shelters excluded the psychiatrically disabled. During and After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” the The report issued a number of recommendations to pre- paper urged federal, state and local governments to enact vent such problems from happening again. For one, federal, sweeping changes to prevent a repeat of the problems state and local emergency plans should require that emer- experienced after last year’s storms. gency services and shelters be accessible to people with “Some of these challenges were unavoidable,” observed disabilities, including people with psychiatric disabilities. NCD chairperson Lex Frieden. “As one government offi- In addition, evacuation plans should track the transfer cial said, ‘No one ever planned for what happens when of residents of group homes and psychiatric facilities, your social service infrastructure is completely wiped out.’ maintain contact between people with psychiatric dis- Nonetheless, many of the problems could have been abilities and their caretakers and prevent the inappro- avoided with proper planning.” priate institutionalization the psychiatrically disabled. Among the NCD’s findings: people with psychiatric dis- For a full copy of the report, visit www.ncd.gov/newsroom/ abilities were discriminated against during evacuation, publications/ 2006/peopleneeds.htm. rescue and relief operations in violation of federal law; poorly managed evacuations resulted in the loss, mistreatment and inappropriate institutionalization of the psychiatrically disabled; and people with psychiatric dis- Storm Sparks Revamp of Louisiana Medicaid by Sue Sturgis quarters of patients served by MCLNO were African American and 85 percent had annual incomes of less When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast last year, it than $20,000.(1) took a heavy toll on Louisiana’s unique safety-net sys- Hoping to repair that broken system, Health and Human tem for delivering health care to the poor and unin- Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen sured. Now, at the urging of the Bush administration, Blanco on July 17 launched an initiative to reform New that system is undergoing a major overhaul—and the Orleans-area health care. They created the Louisiana Health outcome could serve as a blueprint for the nation. Care Redesign Collaborative, a 40-member group that In most states, local governments bear responsibility includes state officials, health care and insurance indus- for providing care to the uninsured. In Louisiana, how- try representatives, patient advocates and other health ever, that task falls to state government. Louisiana State care experts. University operates 10 state-funded hospitals and more The collaborative promises nothing less than a revolution than 350 clinics that primarily serve the uninsured. The in the state’s health care system. As Gov. Blanco announced hub of the system—the Medical Center of Louisiana at when launching the group, “This day marks the start of a New Orleans, which includes Charity and University process that stands to fundamentally alter the way we hospitals—was devastated by the storm. That left a gap- care for our people.” (2) ing hole in the city’s health safety net, as nearly three-

Win Henderson / FEMA / Henderson Win

NEW ORLEANS, OCT. 6, 2005 6, OCT. ORLEANS, NEW

Photo: Michael Rieger/FEMA Michael Photo:

New Orleans Airport Airport Orleans New

NEW ORLEANS, SEPT. 1, 2005 1, SEPT. ORLEANS, NEW

beneficiaries.

(6)

and limit the number of beneficiaries eligible for services. for eligible beneficiaries of number the limit and

ined—including failure to provide necessary services to services necessary provide to failure ined—including

some federal regulations, such as where care is delivered, is care where as such regulations, federal some

quality of care in 11 of the 15 state programs it exam- it programs state 15 the of 11 in care of quality

The waiver would allow Louisiana to selectively ignore selectively to Louisiana allow would waiver The

Office found that waivers had resulted in problems with problems in resulted had waivers that found Office

example, what’s now the Government Accountability Government the now what’s example, Leavitt said. Leavitt

(3)

not always been encouraging, however. In 2003, for 2003, In however. encouraging, been always not a storm-wrecked system into a shining model of care,” of model shining a into system storm-wrecked a

The collaborative provides “the opportunity to transform to opportunity “the provides collaborative The The results from waiver programs in other states have states other in programs waiver from results The

current over-reliance on hospital emergency room care. room emergency hospital on over-reliance current

The LRA has endorsed that report. that endorsed has LRA The network. hospital public

(5)

latory and community-based centers, thus reducing the reducing thus centers, community-based and latory

matically reduced role for LSU in managing the state’s the managing in LSU for role reduced matically

accessible, patient-centered care can be delivered by ambu- by delivered be can care patient-centered accessible,

the Louisiana Recovery Authority has called for a dra- a for called has Authority Recovery Louisiana the

Leavitt sees the waivers as a way in which high-quality, which in way a as waivers the sees Leavitt

care system prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers for PricewaterhouseCoopers by prepared system care

A post-hurricane study of Louisiana’s health Louisiana’s of study post-hurricane A poor. city’s state. entire the to system new a expanding eventually of goal

(4)

with the Charity system, which is mandated to serve the serve to mandated is which system, Charity the with Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, with a with parishes, Plaquemines and Bernard St. Jefferson,

called the “politically explosive question” of what to do to what of question” explosive “politically the called cation for Medicaid and Medicare rules in Orleans, in rules Medicare and Medicaid for cation

This would affect what the New Orleans Times-Picayune Orleans New the what affect would This appli- waiver a present to plans collaborative the 20, Oct. By LAW AND ORDER: Justice System

Sources on p. 92 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

49 for public defense: defense: public for

Number of states that earmark money money earmark that states of Number

$0 for public defenders: defenders: public for

Money in Louisiana’s budget earmarked earmarked budget Louisiana’s in Money

$29,000 public defender: defender: public

Current average annual salary of a New Orleans Orleans New a of salary annual average Current

and fundamental changes are not made. not are changes fundamental and

the one-year anniversary of Katrina—if immediate Katrina—if of anniversary one-year the Aug. 29, 2006— 29, Aug. $54,000 DOJ’s recommended salary: salary: recommended DOJ’s

unconstitutional. He is also also is He unconstitutional. threatening to start releasing inmates on inmates releasing start to threatening

issuing subpoenas to Blanco, charging that the Louisiana system is system Louisiana the that charging Blanco, to subpoenas issuing 70 by the U.S. Department of Justice: Justice: of Department U.S. the by

of cases has grown to nearly 6,000. A New Orleans judge is now now is judge Orleans New A 6,000. nearly to grown has cases of Number of New Orleans public defenders recommended defenders public Orleans New of Number

deteriorated. With its public defender system in shambles, the backlog the shambles, in system defender public its With deteriorated.

365 fix its public defender system: system: defender public its fix Since the storm, Louisiana’s broken criminal justice system has further has system justice criminal broken Louisiana’s storm, the Since

whose trials have been delayed if the city does not not does city the if delayed been have trials whose

the sun with no water or food for several days. several for food or water no with sun the

Arthur Hunter plans to start releasing defendants releasing start to plans Hunter Arthur

by state prison guards that involved beatings, mace and being left in left being and mace beatings, involved that guards prison state by

Days after Hurricane Katrina that New Orleans Judge Orleans New that Katrina Hurricane after Days

their cells during the flood and subjected to a heavily armed “rescue” armed heavily a to subjected and flood the during cells their

by the Monday after the storm, but instead they were abandoned in abandoned were they instead but storm, the after Monday the by

over 1 year 1 over before seeing an attorney: attorney: an seeing before

ever facing charges. Many inmates would have been released been have would inmates Many charges. facing ever without

Average time people sat in a New Orleans jail jail Orleans New a in sat people time Average

65 percent of those those of percent 65 arrested in New Orleans are eventually released eventually are Orleans New in arrested

to a pre-Katrina report from the Metropolitan Crime Commission, Crime Metropolitan the from report pre-Katrina a to 6,000 never seen an attorney: about about attorney: an seen never

from low-income communities and communities of color. According According color. of communities and communities low-income from have never been set or have been delayed, or who have who or delayed, been have or set been never have

was the nation’s eighth-largest jail, with a population predominantly population a with jail, eighth-largest nation’s the was Number of New Orleans prisoners whose trial dates trial whose prisoners Orleans New of Number

highest rate of incarceration in the country, and Orleans Parish Prison Parish Orleans and country, the in incarceration of rate highest

Louisiana has the has Louisiana patterns. pre-Katrina fit excesses post-Katrina These 31 after the storm: storm: the after

Number of New Orleans public defenders laid off off laid defenders public Orleans New of Number

to phones or lawyers. or phones to

cages in a makeshift prison at a Greyhound bus station, with no access no with station, bus Greyhound a at prison makeshift a in cages

39 before Katrina: Katrina: before

erties were almost nonexistent for new arrestees, who were put in put were who arrestees, new for nonexistent almost were erties

Number of New Orleans public defenders defenders public Orleans New of Number

looters was the first city function to restart. Due process and civil lib- civil and process Due restart. to function city first the was looters

Before the floodwaters began receding, the incarceration of suspected of incarceration the receding, began floodwaters the Before

over 5 feet 5 over preservers: preservers:

through to get to the bridge, most without life life without most bridge, the to get to through who step out of line. of out step who

Depth of water the handcuffed children had to wade to had children handcuffed the water of Depth wage jobs, crumbling infrastructure and police and prisons for those for prisons and police and infrastructure crumbling jobs, wage

restoring good jobs, health care and care health jobs, good restoring housing, rather than minimum- than rather housing,

3 to 5 to 3 from the flooded prison: prison: flooded the from

The other vision is of justice and human rights. rights. human and justice of is vision other The This vision involves vision This

water before being evacuated in handcuffs and shackles and handcuffs in evacuated being before water

than willing to do so if necessary, and I expect they will.” they expect I and necessary, if so do to willing than Number of days the children went without food and food without went children the days of Number

loaded…These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more are they and kill, and shoot to how know troops loaded…These

National Guard, saying, “…they have “…they saying, Guard, National M-16s and they are locked and locked are they and M-16s 150 Prison during Katrina: about about Katrina: during Prison

One is of “security,”exemplified by Gov. Kathleen Kathleen Gov. by “security,”exemplified of is One Blanco bringing in the in bringing Blanco Number of children held or moved to the Orleans Parish Orleans the to moved or held children of Number

future of the city. the of future

I 7,000 defense counsel: counsel: defense

killers. Since then, there have been two clashing visions for the for visions clashing two been have there then, Since killers.

Approximate number of those who needed indigent needed who those of number Approximate

the world often depicted the people of New Orleans as thieves and thieves as Orleans New of people the depicted often world the

n the days after Katrina, the images of survival broadcast around broadcast survival of images the Katrina, after days the n

8,500 after Katrina: Katrina: after

Number of prisoners evacuated from the Louisiana Gulf Louisiana the from evacuated prisoners of Number

Justice Index Justice KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Abandoned in the Storm In the chaos that followed Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ K.C., a 16 year-old boy, told us, “The night of the storm, juvenile justice system abandoned 150 children who were [we] were placed in some kind of a dorm on the first locked in the Orleans Parish Prison, the city’s adult deten- floor. There were about 40 of us in the dorm room. The tion facility, according to a report by the Juvenile Justice lights went out [and] water started coming in. …[We] Project of Louisiana. Created with the support of the had to get on top of [our] beds to get out of the water.” Southern Poverty Law Center, JJPL is an advocacy organization based in New Orleans that works to reform juvenile justice in C.M., a 16 year-old boy, stated, “A few hours after the Louisiana. storm hit, the water started rising. That night the water started coming out of the toilet and the drains. It “Treated Like Trash: Juvenile Detention in New Orleans Before, smelled like straight swamp water. I was crying and During and After Hurricane Katrina” documents the horrif- thinking about my people because right before the ic conditions endured by the incarcerated youth, who were power went out we saw what was happening on the news trapped in sewage- and chemical-contaminated floodwater and saw the Ninth Ward flooding. Kids were really upset and left without food and water for as long as five days. The because most of them were from the Lower Ninth.” following first-person accounts by the youth were taken from the report, which is available online at www.jjpl.org. Children held on the second floor … reported seeing the water rise below them. E.G., a 16 year-old boy, said, C.K., a 16 year-old boy, reported “I was locked in my “The downstairs … started flooding around 5 [p.m.] … dorm with two other boys until the water was half way up You could see the water out the window. When the flood- the wall. … [We] tried to save our clothes and shoes by ing started, the food stopped coming.” keeping them on the top bunk where we sat.” T.J., a 17 year-old boy, stated, “The guards let us out [of D.B., a 15 year-old boy, stated, “[There were] 50 kids our cells] once to walk around, but then there was a fight. locked up together in Dorm 4. A lot of them were brought While I was walking around, I went to the window and from lockdown. There weren’t enough beds for every- looked out. I could see floating trucks. The water rose one. The water started rising—it reached the middle of for a couple of hours until it hit the stairs. Then we were my thigh—and kids started jumping on the racks [beds]. trapped. … [E]veryone started panicking.” Kids started to fight once the water started rising. I got jumped and hit in the eye. R.J. got hit hard in the face T.G., a 16 year-old boy, shared, “I didn’t leave my cell and he started bleeding. No one got any medical care.” for two straight days. The toilet backed up and I covered it with half a mattress, it smelled so bad. Our whole section stank of human waste.”

Several boys reported having suffered physical symp- toms from hunger. H.J., a 16-year-old stated, “Guards kept saying food was coming. Kids were throwing up. …I was sick and dizzy a lot of the time.” T.G., a 16-year- old, shared, “Kids were going crazy, shaking their cells for food and water. …” R.S., a 16-year-old, stated, “We went five days without eating. … Kids were passing out in their cells.”

E.G., a 16-year-old boy, told us “The water looked like it had a lot of oil in it. It had rainbows in it and lots of trash.” A.F., a 16-year-old boy, stated “We were so thirsty, we drank the contaminated water.”

Prisoners were evacuated to a bridge several days after the Orleans Parish Prison flooded. Jackson Sun-Herald 66

the people of New Orleans. New of people the

pursue our goals strategically and build a public safety system worthy of worthy system safety public a build and strategically goals our pursue

and individuals who have come together to seize this opportunity, this seize to together come have who individuals and we will we

broken system. Working with the impressive collection of organ of collection impressive the with Working system. broken izations

this moment is a unique opportunity for a bold transformation of a badly a of transformation bold a for opportunity unique a is moment this

New Orleans, regardless of race or economics. Safe Streets also knows also Streets Safe economics. or race of regardless Orleans, New that

safe streets and strong communities free from violence for everyone everyone for violence from free communities strong and streets safe in

without an over-reliance on punishment, jails and brutality. There can be can There brutality. and jails punishment, on over-reliance an without

Safe Streets strongly believes that there is a way to make the streets safer streets the make to way a is there that believes strongly Streets Safe

Communities has combined a strategy of political pressure, political of strategy a combined has Communities to incarceration. to

In the months since its founding, Safe Streets/Strong Safe founding, its since months the In Ensure that the court system prioritizes and supports effective alternatives effective supports and prioritizes system court the that Ensure

Ensure that courts are fair, efficient, and effective; and efficient, fair, are courts that Ensure

on its dysfunction.” its on

client-centered defender system; defender client-centered

Program acted as a cog in this system rather than a check a than rather system this in cog a as acted Program

is adequately and equitably funded, and operates as a model model a as operates and funded, equitably and adequately is

and wrongful arrests. The Orleans Indigent Defender Indigent Orleans The arrests. wrongful and

Ensure that the indigent defender system is politically independent, independent, politically is system defender indigent the that Ensure

nal court excused—and often encouraged—poor policing encouraged—poor often excused—and court

Goal 3: Transform the New Orleans’ Criminal Court System Court Criminal Orleans’ New the Transform 3: Goal

people they represented. … [T]he customs of the crimi- the of customs [T]he … represented. they people

tionaries for the court rather than advocates for the poor the for advocates than rather court the for tionaries

used as a mechanism for political power and patronage. and power political for mechanism a as used

Interviewers were told that “attorneys acted as func- as acted “attorneys that told were Interviewers

transparent and accountable to the community it serves and is not is and serves it community the to accountable and transparent

their attorneys as “passive,” “not interested” and “absent.” and interested” “not “passive,” as attorneys their

Ensure that the operation, control and budgeting of the jail system is system jail the of budgeting and control operation, the that Ensure

According to the testimony, incarcerated people described people incarcerated testimony, the to According

Build, expand and support alternatives to incarceration; to alternatives support and expand Build,

these people’s lives.” people’s these court appearance; court

that there has been so much disregard for the value of value the for disregard much so been has there that Ensure that detention is only used to protect public safety or ensure or safety public protect to used only is detention that Ensure

system has to offer,” Price said. “But even I am shocked am I even “But said. Price offer,” to has system and living conditions that are safe and humane for everyone; for humane and safe are that conditions living and

ital cases and I’ve seen the worst that the criminal justice criminal the that worst the seen I’ve and cases ital Close Orleans Parish Prison and replace it with a physical structure structure physical a with it replace and Prison Parish Orleans Close

“I’ve been working in the system for the while. I do cap- do I while. the for system the in working been “I’ve Goal 2: Transform the Orleans Parish Jail System Jail Parish Orleans the Transform 2: Goal

any crime. any

prevention, and practices effective responses to crime. to responses effective practices and prevention,

up for 1,289 days. None of them had been convicted of convicted been had them of None days. 1,289 for up

Create a department that improves community safety, supports crime supports safety, community improves that department a Create

held without trial was 385. One person had been locked been had person One 385. was trial without held

community it serves; it community

They found the average number of days people had been had people days of number average the found They

Create a department accountable and transparent to the the to transparent and accountable department a Create

prisoners who had been locked up since before Katrina. before since up locked been had who prisoners

End corruption, misconduct and abuse; and misconduct corruption, End

a report based on more than a hundred interviews with interviews hundred a than more on based report a

Goal 1: Transform the New Orleans Police Department Police Orleans New the Transform 1: Goal

In March 2006, Safe Streets/Strong Communities issued Communities Streets/Strong Safe 2006, March In

never seen anything like this.” like anything seen never criminal justice system: justice criminal

had the Klan marching down our main street, but I’ve but street, main our down marching Klan the had Communities Coalition has articulated the following goals for the city’s city’s the for goals following the articulated has Coalition Communities

“I grew up in small-town Mississippi,” she said. “We said. she Mississippi,” small-town in up grew “I Born in the hurricane’s aftermath, New Orleans’ Safe Streets/Strong Safe Orleans’ New aftermath, hurricane’s the in Born

Her stories are chilling. are stories Her

How to Build a Truly Safe Community Safe Truly a Build to How

survivors who were imprisoned at the time of the storm. the of time the at imprisoned were who survivors

ustice system—has met with several thousand hurricane thousand several with met system—has ustice j

organizations seeking to reform New Orleans’ criminal Orleans’ New reform to seeking organizations

Streets/Strong Communities—a grassroots coalition of coalition grassroots Communities—a Streets/Strong

justice reform advocates. reform justice

Ursula Price, an organizer and investigator with Safe with investigator and organizer an Price, Ursula

gent home of cronyism to a body staffed with criminal with staffed body a to cronyism of home gent

New Orleans city jail, were abandoned. were jail, city Orleans New city’s indigent defense board from a corrupt and negli- and corrupt a from board defense indigent city’s

rise, the 7,000 prisoners in Orleans Parish Prison, the Prison, Parish Orleans in prisoners 7,000 the rise, has already succeeded in radically transforming the transforming radically in succeeded already has

When the floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina began to began Katrina Hurricane from floodwaters the When and their family members. In its first months, the group the months, first its In members. family their and

ing directly with the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated formerly incarcerated, the with directly

gal support, and grassroots organizing that involves work- involves that organizing grassroots and support, gal le by Jordan Flaherty Jordan by

Reforms N.O. Justice N.O. Reforms Safe Streets/Strong Communities Communities Streets/Strong Safe SOUL OF THE GULF: Culture

Sources on p. 94 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

6 Musicians’Village as of July 2006: 2006: July of as Musicians’Village

Number of musicians approved for housing in the in housing for approved musicians of Number

50 and May 2006 due to credit problems: problems: credit to due 2006 May and

percent immediately turned down between February between down turned immediately percent

Of the 61 applications from New Orleans-area musicians, Orleans-area New from applications 61 the Of

75 for Humanity’s Musicians’Village: Musicians’Village: Humanity’s for

Number of homes currently available at Habitat Habitat at available currently homes of Number

75 remain closed from storm damage: damage: storm from closed remain

Percent of New Orleans cultural institutions that that institutions cultural Orleans New of Percent

10 who have returned to the area: area: the to returned have who

Estimated percent of New Orleans musicians musicians Orleans New of percent Estimated

250 post-Katrina: post-Katrina:

Estimated number of musicians in New Orleans Orleans New in musicians of number Estimated

2,500 pre-Katrina: pre-Katrina: GNOTCC, Ron Calamira Ron GNOTCC,

Estimated number of working musicians in New Orleans New in musicians working of number Estimated creative persons and communities. and persons creative

cultural workers, networks that are vital to the health and success of success and health the to vital are that networks workers, cultural

tured key social and communal networks that sustained and supported and sustained that networks communal and social key tured $80 million $80 sector from the storm: storm: the from sector

United States as a result of Katrina and Rita. The displacement frac- displacement The Rita. and Katrina of result a as States United Estimated uninsured losses to New Orleans’cultural Orleans’cultural New to losses uninsured Estimated

Many of the region’s cultural workers were displaced throughout the throughout displaced were workers cultural region’s the of Many

filmmakers, architects, and curators of museums and historic sites. sites. historic and museums of curators and architects, filmmakers, $300 million $300 pre-Katrina: pre-Katrina:

livings as writers, musicians, visual artists, proprietors of artistic venues, artistic of proprietors artists, visual musicians, writers, as livings Annual earnings of New Orleans’cultural sector sector Orleans’cultural New of earnings Annual

billion a year in tourism revenue. Thousands of residents earned their earned residents of Thousands revenue. tourism in year a billion

health. In New Orleans alone, this sector helped pull in about $5 $5 about in pull helped sector this alone, Orleans New In health.

$44.7 million $44.7 Mississippi as a result of Katrina: Katrina: of result a as Mississippi

heritage and cultural sector is critical to the region’s overall economic overall region’s the to critical is sector cultural and heritage

Per-day tourism sector losses to Louisiana and Louisiana to losses sector tourism Per-day

Because of its centrality to the service and tourism industries, the the industries, tourism and service the to centrality its of Because

creative pioneers who called this region home. region this called who pioneers creative

4,000 workers who were displaced by Katrina: Katrina: by displaced were who workers

Domino, Domino, of the of some just are Marsalis Branford and Williams Tennessee

Estimated minimum number of New Orleans cultural Orleans New of number minimum Estimated

Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Robert Johnson, Jean Toomer, Fats Toomer, Jean Johnson, Robert Morton, Roll Jelly Armstrong, Louis

of its ethnically and linguistically diverse population. Mahalia Jackson, Mahalia population. diverse linguistically and ethnically its of

11,000 their jobs due to Katrina: Katrina: to due jobs their heritage. The rich history of the Gulf is reflected in the arts and culture and arts the in reflected is Gulf the of history rich The

Number of New Orleans cultural workers who lost lost who workers cultural Orleans New of Number internationally recognized for its music, literature, cuisine and dynamic and cuisine literature, music, its for recognized internationally

The region boasts one of the richest cultural legacies anywhere, legacies cultural richest the of one boasts region The

Katrina is the full restoration of its arts arts its of restoration full the is Katrina and cultural sector. sector. cultural and 15,000 pre-Katrina: pre-Katrina:

critical process for any rebuilding of the U.S. Gulf Coast post- Coast Gulf U.S. the of rebuilding any for process critical Number of cultural workers employed in New Orleans New in employed workers cultural of Number

Arts and Culture Index Culture and Arts KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Restoring Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Culture by Joe Atkins According to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Biloxi’s West Beach Historic District lost 19 of its A month or so before Hurricane Katrina hit, I drove down 66 buildings. Another 125 of the nearly 700 buildings in the beautiful Mississippi coastline between Mobile and the Beach Boulevard Historic District in Bay St. Louis were New Orleans, and I wondered at the grand old homes destroyed. Pass Christian’s Scenic Drive Historic District that had survived more than a century of storms, fires lost 50 of its 130 buildings. These numbers don’t include and the wrecking ball that claimed giant hotels like the the hundreds of other seriously damaged structures. Pine Hills, Buena Vista, Edgewater and Mexican Gulf. Huffman and others worry that some of the great diver- Those homes are now part of the blackened, water-logged sity and the artistic core that were always at the heart of rubble that still scars the landscape along Highway 90. the Gulf Coast may be lost forever as political and business Even Beauvoir on Beach Boulevard, the last home of leaders work together to rebuild the region. Confederate President Jefferson Davis, suffered such severe Mary Anderson Pickard, daughter of the famous Gulf Coast damage that $10 million would be needed to fix it. Its artist Walter Anderson, remembers what it was like to see insurance company thus far has roughly paid only $181,000 for the first time what remained of her Ocean Springs toward repairs. home after Hurricane Katrina. Beauvoir’s owners, the Mississippi Division of the “It is such a strange thing to live in a place—all my life United Sons of Confederate Veterans, have joined thou- essentially—and to find it beaten and torn and destroyed sands of others in filing a lawsuit against their insurers. as if it had been bombed. It’s as though you have been However, Beauvoir was just one of hundreds of historical beaten and torn yourself.” structures destroyed or severely damaged by Katrina, a lin- The artist and writer, whose late father became world gering blow to one of the South’s most culturally rich areas. famous for his paintings and pottery, said the hurricane’s “It took out most of the buildings we associate with the effects on art, artists and culture along the Mississippi Mississippi Gulf Coast,” said author and freelance writer Gulf Coast were profound. “I lost 40 years of journals, draw- Alan Huffman. “It’s a defining moment on the coast right ings, photographs of my children, which just breaks my now. Everything that’s going to be on the coast is taking heart,” she said. “Since the storm, I dig around in the mud, place now.” find jewelry, pottery that my father decorated.” Huffman said the region lost more than 350 buildings Mississippi Arts Commission Executive Director Malcolm listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “In the White said that art is often the stepchild in recovery efforts. rush to rebuild the coast, there’s no guarantee that some “Our greatest concern is that art will be considered some- won’t just come in and impose their vision.” thing extra,” White said. “We believe it is essential, a major component of the DNA of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” Many don’t realize the richness of the culture along the Gulf Coast, Pickard said. “The Gulf is a diverse place— Vietnamese, Slovenian, Italian. Bay St. Louis was an exten- sion of New Orleans. I somehow feel you’ve got to consider the difference of the people who live on the coast.” Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s 42-member blue-ribbon Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal considered plans and visions for a rebuilt coast that included a Gulf Coast-style “Monte Carlo” replete with planned communities, high-rise condos, seafood parks and a new coastal rail line. “I fear soulless condos blocking off access to the water, the seaside far more luxurious than most of us could afford,” said veteran journalist and former Boston Globe corre- FORT JACKSON, LA, NOV. 1, 2005 spondent Curtis Wilkie, who now teaches journalism at A worker removes a pre-Civil-War document the University of Mississippi. “I want the coast to return from its display case. to at least a semblance of what it was. I hope we don’t have Marvin Nauman/FEMA a Disneyworld there.”

homes are going on the site of the now-demolished Joseph now-demolished the of site the on going are homes cians from other idioms: Latin bandleader Fredy Omar, Fredy bandleader Latin idioms: other from cians

at the end of February, just after Mardi Gras. The first 75 first The Gras. Mardi after just February, of end the at queen Cherise Harrison-Nelson. The others are musi- are others The Harrison-Nelson. Cherise queen

Habitat started getting the Upper Ninth Ward site ready site Ward Ninth Upper the getting started Habitat singer-harmonica player J.D. Hill, and Mardi Gras Indian Gras Mardi and Hill, J.D. player singer-harmonica

ditional New Orleans musicians: bassist Peter Badie Jr., Badie Peter bassist musicians: Orleans New ditional

not messing with it,” he says. he it,” with messing not

Out of the six officially accepted musicians, half are tra- are half musicians, accepted officially six the of Out

“I think a lot of musicians have bad credit, so they’re just they’re so credit, bad have musicians of lot a think “I

Musicians’ Village, says leader and tuba player Phil Frazier. Phil player tuba and leader says Village, Musicians’ to 90 percent. 90 to

after Hurricane Katrina. Not one has applied for the for applied has one Not Katrina. Hurricane after families are denied at a much higher rate, more like 80 like more rate, higher much a at denied are families

Seven members of the Rebirth Brass Band lost their homes their lost Band Brass Rebirth the of members Seven says Pate’s colleague Sarrah Evans, but typically Habitat typically but Evans, Sarrah colleague Pate’s says

of missing paperwork. The refusal rate may seem high, seem may rate refusal The paperwork. missing of

credit,” he says. he credit,”

Habitat’s next two phases or are stalled, most often because often most stalled, are or phases two next Habitat’s

were turned down. “We were told to straighten out our out straighten to told were “We down. turned were

incomplete. The others are either moving slowly through slowly moving either are others The incomplete.

when he and most of band mates applied, all of them of all applied, mates band of most and he when

tions. About 50 percent were denied outright or were or outright denied were percent 50 About tions.

date for Habitat for Humanity’s Musicians’ Village. But Village. Musicians’ Humanity’s for Habitat for date

Between February and May, Habitat received 61 applica- 61 received Habitat May, and February Between

floated an entire block. He seemed the perfect candi- perfect the seemed He block. entire an floated

from the levee. After Katrina, his mom’s house mom’s his Katrina, After levee. the from these houses. these

grew up in the Lower Ninth Ward, a couple blocks couple a Ward, Ninth Lower the in up grew for musicians in anywhere from a third to half of half to third a from anywhere in musicians for ing

ot 8 Brass Band snare drummer Dinerral Shavers Dinerral drummer snare Band Brass 8 ot head of New Orleans Area Habitat, says that they’re hop- they’re that says Habitat, Area Orleans New of head

from Orleans Parish Public Schools in January. Jim Pate, Jim January. in Schools Public Parish Orleans from

Kohn Middle School, a 5.5-acre parcel of land purchased land of parcel 5.5-acre a School, Middle Kohn by Katy Reckdahl Katy by

They Got It Bad It Got They

New Orleans Indymedia Orleans New

Treme Brass Band at Vaughn’s at Band Brass Treme NEW ORLEANS, JUNE 2006 JUNE ORLEANS, NEW my dad, my brother, and my son all came out of the house When Habitat for Humanity gave a presentation to musicians on at 3630 N. Johnson, two blocks away from the Musicians’ Village,” she says. As an adolescent, she attended Kohn how to apply for a house, “You could feel the room get collectively School. During that time, she spent long hours sitting more gloomy as the presentation went on. It was obvious that on the school’s bike rack by the corner of Johnson and Alvar. After she signed her paperwork with Habitat, she they felt they had no way of qualifying.” asked for that corner. Her house will be built there, where the bike rack once stood. world-rock drummer Boyanna Trayanova (from the band Harrison-Nelson, currently the counsel queen for her Saaraba), and singer Margaret Perez. late father’s gang, the Guardians of the Flame, believes that musicians and Indians and social and pleasure club Most musicians first heard about the Village in December, members need to hear about the Village in their com- after Connick and Branford Marsalis stood with Mayor munities in language they understand. So she organized Ray Nagin and announced the project. The partnership a housing fair at the Backstreet Cultural Museum on St. was a logical one, since Connick has long been a loyal Claude Avenue. “We had tables set up for people to talk supporter of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. one-on-one. And in the back, we had beer, chicken, and For the past six years, he’s been the organization’s single finger sandwiches,” she says. Habitat got 25 applications, largest contributor. Evans says, although there’s no word yet on how many of “You could’ve called the Treme neighborhood a musicians’ those were accepted. village before it got too expensive,” says Tanio Hingle, Musicians’ Village houses are designed with two, three, the leader of the New Birth Brass Band who sent in his and four bedrooms and—in response to the severe post- application a few months ago but hasn’t heard anything. Katrina flooding—they are built high off the ground, 5- He remembers how musicians would practice in each feet, 7-inches up. The average mortgage payment is other’s backyards when he was a youngster. He believes about $500 a month. That’s attractive to Dinerral Shavers, that, if Habitat accepts more musicians, it could easily the Hot 8 drummer, who right now is paying “sky-high- create a new spot, where musicians and their families ass rent”—$950 a month for a two-bedroom place. That would live side by side, socialize, and jam. mortgage payment seems reasonable for most working Cherise Harrison-Nelson grew up in the Upper Ninth musicians, says Hingle. “The $500 ain’t no issue because Ward hearing musicians play and Mardi Gras Indians most people are paying in that much in rent right now,” practice. “That was the Guardians of the Flame’s stomping he says. ground down there,” she says. “On Mardi Gras mornings, He may be 81, but Peter “Chuck” Badie, Jr. heads down to the Musicians’ Village a few days a week to lay block and frame houses in the hot sun. “It ain’t nothing nice to be laying concrete at my age, and I got to hit the bandstand tonight, sugar,” he says.“Clearly we need a lot more musicians if we’re going to fill 70 homes and we have six,” says Habitat for Humanity’s Sarrah Evans. Lately, she’s been telling musicians to call her if they get a denial letter; she promises to explain step-by-step how to re-apply. It’s daunting, says Bill Taylor from the Tipitina’s Foundation. He watched, a few months ago, as Evans gave a PowerPoint presentation at Tipitina’s for the project. “You could feel the room get collectively more gloomy as the presentation went on,” says Taylor. And then the came the handout—the list of the dozen or so required documents, including copies of all paycheck stubs of 1099s for all jobs within the past year, tax returns and W-2s for the past two years, and proof of divorce or marriage. “They went through that list and a handful of musicians walked out,” says Taylor. “It was obvious that they felt they had no way of qualifying.” NEW ORLEANS, 2006 Jim Pate talks with Branford Marsalis at Musicians’Villlage Musicians with bad debts wonder if they can get some assistance paying off their bills so that they can become New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity eligible for a house. What, they ask, about the $1.2 million raised for the project from benefit concerts and 72

ing 504-944-4300 or by logging onto offbeat.com onto logging by or 504-944-4300 ing

world. Subscriptions and information are available by call- by available are information and Subscriptions world.

is read by subscribers all over the over all subscribers by read is OffBeat years. 20 almost

New Orleans and Louisiana music community for community music Louisiana and Orleans New the

2006 issue of OffBeat Magazine. OffBeat has focused on focused has OffBeat Magazine. OffBeat of issue 2006

This story by Katy Reckdahl originally appeared in the July the in appeared originally Reckdahl Katy by story This

www.tipsevents.com/foundation/office.htm

Alexandria, LA 71301 LA Alexandria,

all of them.” of all www.musicmaker.org

Alexandria: 325 DeSoto St., St., DeSoto 325 Alexandria:

Stay in their face.’ I pray for him,” says Badie. “I pray for pray “I Badie. says him,” for pray I face.’ their in Stay (919) 643-2456 (919)

Phone: (318) 934-0000 (318) Phone:

Durham, NC 27722-2222 NC Durham,

I told him, ‘Go up there all the time and hang with them. with hang and time the all there up ‘Go him, told I Shreveport, LA 71101 LA Shreveport,

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to put in a good word for him with Habitat for Humanity. for Habitat with him for word good a in put to Shreveport: 700 Texas St., St., Texas 700 Shreveport:

Eno Valley Station Valley Eno

Village, he says. “A musician saw me in the club, asked me asked club, the in me saw musician “A says. he Village, Phone: (504) 895-TIPS (504) Phone:

Supports musicians of the U.S. South U.S. the of musicians Supports

But they’re having trouble getting into the Musicians’ the into getting trouble having they’re But New Orleans, LA 70115 LA Orleans, New

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[email protected]

him. “I told them, ‘This is what I just lost; I can’t talk about talk can’t I lost; just I what is ‘This them, told “I him. 400 Main St. Main 400

www.acadianaartscouncil.org

work news crew approached. They wanted to interview to wanted They approached. crew news work for musicians for

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stood there, looking at his house for the first time, a net- a time, first the for house his at looking there, stood provides replacement instruments instruments replacement provides

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This time, he knew he’d never walk inside again. “When I “When again. inside walk never he’d knew he time, This an initiative of Acadiana Arts Council Arts Acadiana of initiative an

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ARTISTS LOCALLY) ARTISTS

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says. In 1965, Hurricane Betsy was tough; his house took house his tough; was Betsy Hurricane 1965, In says.

322 West 48th Street, 3rd Floor 3rd Street, 48th West 322

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a man owns a house, he puts his heart and soul into it, he it, into soul and heart his puts he house, a owns man a assists jazz and blues musicians in crisis in musicians blues and jazz assists

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gone—everything’s gone in that house,” says Badie. says house,” that in gone gone—everything’s

[email protected]

[email protected] “To me, they’re pictures I know I’ll never see again. They’re again. see never I’ll know I pictures they’re me, “To

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Sam Cooke, Roy “Good Rockin” Brown, Louis Jordan, Dave Jordan, Louis Brown, Rockin” “Good Roy Cooke, Sam

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four years. Other shots in other cities with Dizzy Gillespie Dizzy with cities other in shots Other years. four ,

and cultural heritage of New Orleans Orleans New of heritage cultural and

fundraising initiatives fundraising

with Lionel Hampton, whose orchestra he played in for in played he orchestra whose Hampton, Lionel with

an initiative to preserve the artistic artistic the preserve to initiative an

provides assistance to musicians through musicians to assistance provides

traveling the world. The one taken in Brussels, Belgium, Brussels, in taken one The world. the traveling

BACKBEAT FUND BACKBEAT

RELIEF FUND RELIEF

w ith Percy Humphrey. And photos of himself and his bass, his and himself of photos And Humphrey. Percy ith

NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS HURRICANE MUSICIANS ORLEANS NEW

by-10 of his father, Peter Badie, Sr., who played alto sax alto played who Sr., Badie, Peter father, his of by-10

[email protected]

there were the photographs covering the walls. The 8- The walls. the covering photographs the were there www.artscouncilofneworleans.org

www.wwoz.org/clinic

sofa chair that he’d only sat on two or three times. Then times. three or two on sat only he’d that chair sofa Phone: (504) 523-1465 (504) Phone:

504-568-3712

s ays, with a sofa where he often sat to read and a matching a and read to sat often he where sofa a with ays, New Orleans, LA 70112 LA Orleans, New

New Orleans, LA 70112 LA Orleans, New

By 1977, he’d paid off the mortgage. And it was plush, he plush, was it And mortgage. the off paid he’d 1977, By 25 Baronne St., Suite 1712 Suite St., Baronne 25

2020 Gravier St., Room 729 Room St., Gravier 2020

in the Lower Ninth Ward, at Charbonnet and Johnson. and Charbonnet at Ward, Ninth Lower the in cultural workers cultural

provides affordable health care to musicians to care health affordable provides

In 1953, Badie moved his family into a seven-room house seven-room a into family his moved Badie 1953, In nonprofit supporting New Orleans Orleans New supporting nonprofit

NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN’S CLINIC MUSICIAN’S ORLEANS NEW

ARTS COUNCIL OF NEW ORLEANS NEW OF COUNCIL ARTS

then the union-scale wage for black musicians. black for wage union-scale the then

[email protected]

and played music in the city’s finest clubs for $15 a night, a $15 for clubs finest city’s the in music played and

[email protected]

www.musiciansfoundation.org

Music School on the GI Bill, then waited lunchtime tables lunchtime waited then Bill, GI the on School Music

www.neworleansmusicians.org

Phone (212) 239-9137 (212) Phone

d Gruenwal the attended he home, returning After Delaware.

(504) 947-1700 (504)

New York, NY 10001 NY York, New

spent in the Pacific during World War II, on the U.S.S. the on II, War World during Pacific the in spent

New Orleans, LA 70119 LA Orleans, New

75 Sixth Ave., Suite 2303 Suite Ave., Sixth 75

Chuck Badie’s tattooed arm is proof of the three years he years three the of proof is arm tattooed Badie’s Chuck

2401 Esplanade Ave. Esplanade 2401 living, medical and allied expenses allied and medical living,

union representing New Orleans musicians Orleans New representing union professional musicians for meeting current meeting for musicians professional the price of the houses low, says Habitat head Jim Pate. Jim head Habitat says low, houses the of price the

NEW ORLEANS LOCAL 174-496 LOCAL ORLEANS NEW provides emergency financial assistance to assistance financial emergency provides That money is already earmarked for housing, to keep to housing, for earmarked already is money That

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS OF FEDERATION AMERICAN MUSICIANS FOUNDATION MUSICIANS

Band?

the $1.5 million matching grant from the Dave Matthews Dave the from grant matching million $1.5 the

Organizations Assisting Musicians Displaced by Katrina by Displaced Musicians Assisting Organizations

and Our New Orleans: A Benefit for the Gulf Coast? Or Coast? Gulf the for Benefit A Orleans: New Our and recordings such as Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now, Together Come Relief: Hurricane as such recordings THE NEXT STORM: Hurricane Readiness

Sources on p. 94 p. on Sources

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

1 month 1 communities: communities:

Red Cross arrived in some hard-hit rural Gulf Gulf rural hard-hit some in arrived Cross Red

Length of time after last year’s storms before the the before storms year’s last after time of Length

60 feet 60 system the corps has proposed for the La. coast: coast: La. the for proposed has corps the system

Height of some portions of a controversial new levee new controversial a of portions some of Height

33 miles 33 inland in some places by 2040: 2040: by places some in inland

remains very much at risk. at much very remains Distance Louisiana’s coastline is expected to move to expected is coastline Louisiana’s Distance

these serious issues, the Gulf Coast—indeed, the entire nation— entire the Coast—indeed, Gulf the issues, serious these

Until the federal government summons the political will to tackle to will political the summons government federal the Until

1 Louisiana’s national rank for annual wetlands loss: loss: wetlands annual for rank national Louisiana’s

prevent similar difficulties the next time disaster strikes. disaster time next the difficulties similar prevent

faulted the organizations for failing to make the necessary changes to changes necessary the make to failing for organizations the faulted 35 square miles square 35

of post-Katrina relief work. Even more worrisome, the report also report the worrisome, more Even work. relief post-Katrina of Amount of coastal wetlands Louisiana loses each year: each loses Louisiana wetlands coastal of Amount

released a report that gave the agencies low grades for their coordination their for grades low agencies the gave that report a released

fully fixed. In June, the watchdog Government Accountability Office Accountability Government watchdog the June, In fixed. fully

1 foot 1 reduces storm surge: surge: storm reduces

times insensitive to victims’needs—and the problems have not been not have problems the victims’needs—and to insensitive times

Amount by which every mile of coastal wetlands coastal of mile every which by Amount

the Red Cross came under fire for a response that was slow and at and slow was that response a for fire under came Cross Red the

last year’s storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Agency Management Emergency Federal the storms, year’s last

0 address pump operators: operators: pump address

from problems experienced in Katrina’s chaotic aftermath. Following aftermath. chaotic Katrina’s in experienced problems from

Sections of New Orleans’official evacuation plans that plans evacuation Orleans’official New of Sections

responsible for assisting disaster victims have learned their lessons their learned have victims disaster assisting for responsible

Meanwhile, questions remain over whether the organizations organizations the whether over remain questions Meanwhile,

2007 system at full health: full at system

storms’impact, remain piecemeal and underfunded. and piecemeal remain storms’impact,

Year by which corps’repair schedule will put city’s pump city’s put will schedule corps’repair which by Year

disappearing coastal wetlands, which are so critical to moderating to critical so are which wetlands, coastal disappearing

long-standing warnings of experts. And efforts to restore Louisiana’s restore to efforts And experts. of warnings long-standing

5 that have failed since Katrina due to flood damage: damage: flood to due Katrina since failed have that storm surge into the city—are just getting underway despite the despite underway getting just city—are the into surge storm

Minimum number of New Orleans’22 pumping stations pumping Orleans’22 New of number Minimum shortcut from New Orleans to the Gulf that dramatically increases dramatically that Gulf the to Orleans New from shortcut

plans to close the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet—a corps-built shipping corps-built Outlet—a River-Gulf Mississippi the close to plans

damage have not received the attention they demand. For example, For demand. they attention the received not have damage 5 feet 5 New Orleans if a tropical storm hits today: today: hits storm tropical a if Orleans New

At the same time, efforts to make the region less susceptible to storm to susceptible less region the make to efforts time, same the At Minimum depth of flooding expected in some areas of areas some in expected flooding of depth Minimum

ever-shifting coastal lands. coastal ever-shifting

$800 million $800 Orleans’levees to pre-Katrina specs: specs: pre-Katrina to Orleans’levees massive structures that are costly to build and difficult to engineer on engineer to difficult and build to costly are that structures massive

Cost of Army Corps of Engineers’work to repair New repair to Engineers’work of Corps Army of Cost storms stronger than Katrina remain controversial, as they rely on rely they as controversial, remain Katrina than stronger storms

as five feet of water. And the agency’s plans to protect the region from region the protect to plans agency’s the And water. of feet five as

tropical storm could still flood some city neighborhoods with as much as with neighborhoods city some flood still could storm tropical 80 Percent of New Orleans flooded by Katrina: Katrina: by flooded Orleans New of Percent

hurricane struck, the agency recently released maps showing that a that showing maps released recently agency the struck, hurricane

Orleans’protective system back to where it was before the Category 3 Category the before was it where to back system Orleans’protective

3, 3 3, levees were reputedly built to withstand: withstand: to built reputedly were levees

Army Corps of Engineers has spent at least $800 million to bring New bring to million $800 least at spent has Engineers of Corps Army

Katrina’s category at landfall, and category New Orleans New category and landfall, at category Katrina’s

dramatically during Katrina remains vulnerable to failure. Though the Though failure. to vulnerable remains Katrina during dramatically

In Louisiana, the federally built levee system that broke down so so down broke that system levee built federally the Louisiana, In

26 percent 26

U.S. government. U.S.

Probability one of those storms will hit the Gulf Coast: Gulf the hit will storms those of one Probability A

severe storm, despite billions of dollars spent already by the by already spent dollars of billions despite storm, severe

Coast, the region is still not fully prepared to face another face to prepared fully not still is region the Coast,

3 or 4 or 3 in 2006: 2006: in

year after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf the devastated Rita and Katrina Hurricanes after year

Number of major hurricanes expected to hit the U.S. U.S. the hit to expected hurricanes major of Number

Hurricane Readiness Index Readiness Hurricane KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA INVESTIGATIONS The Big Uneasy: New Orleans Remains Unprepared for Another Storm by Sue Sturgis But that effort has suffered delays and setbacks. For example, in the Lower Ninth Ward—a largely African- urricane season officially opened on June 1, and American community that was devastated by Katrina’s storm forecasters monitoring the situation floodwaters—the corps built 4,000 feet of new levee and recently delivered some good news for U.S. Gulf H strengthened the floodwalls. However, the rebuilt eastern Coast residents. wall of the Industrial Canal, where a breach inundated Experts at Colorado State University have downgraded the area, is now higher than the old wall on the canal’s west their initial forecast for this year from seven hurricanes, side. As a result, a major storm would cause the western with five of them being intense storms at Category 3 or side to overflow first, sending floodwaters into the city.(2) higher, to five hurricanes, three of them intense— Earlier this month, with Tropical Storm Chris creeping though that’s still above the long-term average of six toward the Gulf, construction crews used dirt to shore up hurricanes, two of them intense. The CSU researchers weak links in the sheet-pile wall near Lake Pontchartrain.(3) also downgraded the probability of a major storm striking The work was supposed to have been completed earlier, the Gulf Coast from 47 percent to 26 percent, slightly but was delayed due to rain. below average for the last century.(1) The corps had initially planned to strengthen those areas But even a milder-than-expected hurricane season could by replacing sheet piles with steel panels and other spell serious trouble for the still-recovering Gulf—and engineering improvements. However, that work was not especially for the vulnerable New Orleans area, where carried out because the corps failed to finish the required the 350-mile system of protective levees and floodwalls process of first documenting how it would spend the surrounding the below-sea-level city is still not ready to money allocated by Congress for post-Katrina rebuild- face another big storm. ing. A $20 billion recovery bill approved by Congress The system was designed to protect the region from a this summer includes $3.4 billion for levee, floodwall, Category 3 hurricane, which is what Katrina was when it pump station and canal-closure improvements.(4) made landfall. The protective system was obviously inad- The corps has also run into other problems in its effort equate then, and it’s still plagued with problems today. to shore up the region’s storm defenses. In August, it Following Katrina, the Army Corps of Engineers—the announced plans to improve designs for a floodwall east federal agency with primary responsibility for building of Harvey Canal by building it to 15.5 feet, about four feet and maintaining the region’s storm-defense infra- over previous designs—and putting the top of the flood- structure—launched a $800 million Task Force Guardian wall four feet above a set of gates being installed across project to repair the city’s faulty levees and floodwalls. the canal.(5) Corps engineers are considering various ways of rectifying the discrepancy. NEW ORLEANS, FEBRUARY 2006 And last month, the corps released maps requested by Dismantling of the barge grounded at the levee break in the Lower Ninth Ward. U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) showing that rain from Robert Kaufmann/FEMA tropical storms could flood some New Orleans neighborhoods with as much as 5 feet of water when new floodgates are closed at the entrances to three drainage canals. The floodgates were designed to keep storm surges from Lake Pontchartrain from backing up into canals—but they would also keep rainfall from draining back into the lake.(6) “It confirms exactly what I feared,” said Vitter. “Large areas of the metro area, that may have had minor street flooding before, will now have two to three feet on top of that—significant home flooding—because of the corps’ failure to build adequate pumping capacity for this hurricane season.”(7) 76

communities they protect—remain very much at risk. at much very protect—remain they communities and gas operations—have eroded marshes and provided and marshes eroded operations—have gas and

Consequently, Louisiana’s wetlands—and the inland the wetlands—and Louisiana’s Consequently, the wetlands—many of them connected to offshore oil offshore to connected them of wetlands—many the

its banks and depositing fresh sediment. Canals dug in dug Canals sediment. fresh depositing and banks its

were previously off limits. off previously were

(16)

by preventing the Mississippi River from overflowing from River Mississippi the preventing by

has called for an even greater expansion into waters that waters into expansion greater even an for called has

ing of flood-control levees has worsened wetlands losses wetlands worsened has levees flood-control of ing

central Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling, and the House the and drilling, gas and oil to Mexico of Gulf central

largely as a result of human activity. Ironically, the build- the Ironically, activity. human of result a as largely

voted to open 8.3 million acres of federal waters in the in waters federal of acres million 8.3 open to voted

Louisiana’s wetlands are being converted to open water open to converted being are wetlands Louisiana’s

further imperil the Gulf’s wetlands. The Senate this month this Senate The wetlands. Gulf’s the imperil further

Congress is also planning to expand operations that will that operations expand to planning also is Congress to reduce storm surge by about a foot. a about by surge storm reduce to

(13)

wave action. Every mile of coastal wetlands is estimated is wetlands coastal of mile Every action. wave

critics have long called for. called long have critics

(15)

surge, absorb wave energy and lessen the effects of daily of effects the lessen and energy wave absorb surge,

projects for their worthiness, something the agency’s the something worthiness, their for projects

to hurricane damage, since wetlands help reduce storm reduce help wetlands since damage, hurricane to

ure creates an independent council that will review corps’ review will that council independent an creates ure

rate in the nation. This makes the state more vulnerable more state the makes This nation. the in rate

which still need to be appropriated. In addition, the mea the addition, In appropriated. be to need still which s-

to lose about 35 square miles per year—the fastest loss fastest year—the per miles square 35 about lose to

bill that included $1.1 billion in coastal recovery funds, recovery coastal in billion $1.1 included that bill

loss of 1.2 million acres of coastal wetlands and continues and wetlands coastal of acres million 1.2 of loss

Also last month, the Senate passed a $12 billion water billion $12 a passed Senate the month, last Also

Louisiana. Over the past century, the state has suffered a net a suffered has state the century, past the Over Louisiana.

projects is expected to begin early next year. next early begin to expected is projects Coastal restoration is an enormous problem facing problem enormous an is restoration Coastal

(14)

resulting damage to the oyster industry. Work on the on Work industry. oyster the to damage resulting

restoration projects that would reduce storm surge. storm reduce would that projects restoration

(12)

agreement that lets the government off the hook for any for hook the off government the lets that agreement

protection of population centers as well as coastal as well as centers population of protection

got back on track after Louisiana officials reached an reached officials Louisiana after track on back got

money and time that could be better spent on more focused more on spent better be could that time and money

than $100 million in stalled wetlands restoration projects restoration wetlands stalled in million $100 than

University Hurricane Center said the wall is a waste of waste a is wall the said Center Hurricane University

for coastal restoration efforts, however. Last month, more month, Last however. efforts, restoration coastal for

National Wildlife Federation and the Louisiana State Louisiana the and Federation Wildlife National

There have been some positive developments recently developments positive some been have There

in places. But experts with Environmental Defense, the Defense, Environmental with experts But places. in

funds to implement it still have not been appropriated. been not have still it implement to funds across the state’s coast that would stand as high as 60 feet 60 as high as stand would that coast state’s the across

modest 10-year, $1.9 billion scaled-down plan, but the but plan, scaled-down billion $1.9 10-year, modest calls for building what is essentially a continuous levee continuous a essentially is what building for calls

take $14 billion and 30 years. The LCA offered a more a offered LCA The years. 30 and billion $14 take Last month, the corps released an interim report that report interim an released corps the month, Last

restore the state’s wetlands and barrier islands would islands barrier and wetlands state’s the restore

proving controversial. proving

it was estimated that a comprehensive plan to repair and repair to plan comprehensive a that estimated was it

south Louisiana against a potential Category 5 storm are storm 5 Category potential a against Louisiana south

the Louisiana Coastal Area project. Even before Katrina, before Even project. Area Coastal Louisiana the

Meanwhile, the corps’ plans to protect New Orleans and Orleans New protect to plans corps’ the Meanwhile,

other stakeholders to craft a restoration plan known as known plan restoration a craft to stakeholders other

In 2004, the corps worked with the state of Louisiana and Louisiana of state the with worked corps the 2004, In Future Protections Uncertain Protections Future

will move inland as much as 33 miles in some places. some in miles 33 as much as inland move will

hurricane.

(11)

acres will disappear by 2040. The Louisiana shoreline Louisiana The 2040. by disappear will acres

they would refuse to work during the approach of a major a of approach the during work to refuse would they

If the current rate of loss continues, an additional 800,000 additional an continues, loss of rate current the If

Katrina. Some have said that, in the absence of such a plan, a such of absence the in that, said have Some Katrina.

needed to stabilize the land. the stabilize to needed employees, who were left to fend for themselves during themselves for fend to left were who employees,

a conduit for saltwater, which in turn kills vegetation kills turn in which saltwater, for conduit a tions for sheltering or rescuing the city’s pump station pump city’s the rescuing or sheltering for tions

r esidents in case of a storm does not include instruc- include not does storm a of case in esidents

Marvin Nauman/FEMA photo Nauman/FEMA Marvin fact that Mayor Ray Nagin’s new blueprint for evacuating for blueprint new Nagin’s Ray Mayor that fact

Compounding problems at the pumping stations is the is stations pumping the at problems Compounding Construction underway at the 17th Street Canal. Street 17th the at underway Construction

NEW ORLEANS, APRIL 2006 APRIL ORLEANS, NEW

ing capacity. ing

(10)

the Corps has twice missed targets for increasing pump- increasing for targets missed twice has Corps the

have been similar problems at the 17th Street Canal, where Canal, Street 17th the at problems similar been have

close the canal’s floodgates to block storm surge. There surge. storm block to floodgates canal’s the close

ity at the damaged London Avenue Canal in case it has to has it case in Canal Avenue London damaged the at ity

Last month, the corps reduced its goal for pumping capac- pumping for goal its reduced corps the month, Last

tively light rainstorms. light tively

(8, 9) (8,

at least five pumps have failed so far this year in rela- in year this far so failed have pumps five least at

any other agency to test and repair the system. As a result, a As system. the repair and test to agency other any

aged, and there was no concerted effort by the corps or corps the by effort concerted no was there and aged,

flooding, many of the pumps’ electric motors were dam- were motors electric pumps’ the of many flooding,

a system of 22 massive pumps. But in the post-Katrina the in But pumps. massive 22 of system a

storms, New Orleans Water and Sewerage Board operates Board Sewerage and Water Orleans New storms,

keep low-lying areas of the city from flooding during flooding from city the of areas low-lying keep

by New Orleans’ troubled system of drainage pumps. To pumps. drainage of system troubled Orleans’ New by As Vitter points out, the flooding threat is exacerbated is threat flooding the out, points Vitter As The Strange Life and Death of ‘Mr. Go’ by Sue Sturgis In May, the Senate passed an emergency supplemental appropriations bill to provide $12 billion to Louisiana— ouisiana environmental advocates recently won including $3.5 million to close MR-GO and mitigate wet- some important battles in the long war to shut down lands losses caused by the structure. The legislation went Lthe Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet—but now they’re to a House-Senate conference committee, where the pro- fighting a new plan to put a landfill on its banks. visions de-authorizing MRGO were preserved at the urging of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). MR-GO—dubbed “Mr. Go” by locals—is a 76-mile shortcut from the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans’ inner Then in July, the Senate passed the Water Resources harbor. Completed by the Army Corps of Engineers in Development Act authorizing $2.6 billion in navigation, 1965 at a cost of $92 million, the structure was designed hurricane protection and coastal restoration projects to allow ships to avoid the twists and turns of the for Louisiana—including an additional $360 million Mississippi and to accommodate deep-draft vessels that toward closing MR-GO. An amendment to the legisla- couldn’t fit through the Industrial Canal’s locks. tion would also create an independent panel to review all corps flood control projects costing more than $40 The 36-foot-deep waterway, now so silted that it’s virtu- million. The amendment’s author, U.S. Sen. Russell ally unusable, proved environmentally ruinous. MR-GO Feingold (D-Wis.), cited the corps’ failure to close MR- has destroyed more than 20,000 acres of wetlands and GO as evidence of the need for such review.(2) altered the ecology of thousands more acres. But with these victories comes a new fight for environ- Even before Hurricane Katrina, environmentalists and mentalists: The corps’ plan for MR-GO’s closure includes others called for closing the structure, which essentially the construction of a landfill on 200 acres of wetlands serves as a “hurricane superhighway” into the city. Com- where MR-GO intersects with the Intracoastal Waterway. puter models suggest that MR-GO boosted Katrina’s Newport Environmental Services is seeking a permit from storm surge by two feet.(1) Levees along the structure broke the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in about 20 places, leading to the flooding of St. Bernard and the corps for a construction and demolition waste Parish and New Orleans East. MR-GO is also suspected facility to accommodate the enormous amount of trash of contributing to breaches along the Industrial Canal. created by the storm(3).

NEW ORLEANS, JAN. 11, 2006 “I think everybody joked about using ‘white goods’ to High school students demonstrate in Jackson Square for levee repairs to protect their city. close the MR-GO,” Sierra Club Delta Chapter Chair Leslie March told New Orleans CityBusiness(4), “but this pro- Photo by Greg Henshall / FEMA posal comes dangerously close to making that a reality.”

immigration violations.” immigration

haven’t even accepted that you have made one?” made have you that accepted even haven’t

qualify. But as a result, five of them were arrested for arrested were them of five result, a as But qualify.

you’re going to learn from your mistake when you when mistake your from learn to going you’re

would qualify,” Cintra reported. “So people flocked to flocked people “So reported. Cintra qualify,” would

time someone took responsibility. How can you tell me tell you can How responsibility. took someone time

a permanent resident alien, that the entire household entire the that alien, resident permanent a

our fault—that was law enforcement,’” Cintra said. “It’s said. Cintra enforcement,’” law was fault—that our

if you had a child who qualified by being a U.S. citizen or citizen U.S. a being by qualified who child a had you if

“The Red Cross response was like, ‘Oh, well, that wasn’t that well, ‘Oh, like, was response Cross Red “The

grant and didn’t qualify on your own for assistance, but assistance, for own your on qualify didn’t and grant

have immediate concerns that need to be addressed? be to need that concerns immediate have immi- an were you if that saying fliers of thousands out

Emergency Management Agency as well. “FEMA handed “FEMA well. as Agency Management Emergency aren’t being ordered to produce lost documents when they when documents lost produce to ordered being aren’t

don’t evict people improperly, or that storm survivors storm that or improperly, people evict don’t Federal the with dealing in difficulties faced Immigrants

in future hurricanes. How will they make sure volunteers sure make they will How hurricanes. future in

Cintra said. Cintra

ensure its shelter managers are more culturally sensitive culturally more are managers shelter its ensure

be out-of-state workers and therefore ineligible to stay, to ineligible therefore and workers out-of-state be

Red Cross and asked what the organization has done to done has organization the what asked and Cross Red

Cross shelters based on the assumption that they must they that assumption the on based shelters Cross

For example, Cintra attended a training session for the for session training a attended Cintra example, For

needed assistance. Latinos were also kicked out of Red of out kicked also were Latinos assistance. needed

Consequently, some immigrants were unable to get to unable were immigrants some Consequently, acknowledge exists. acknowledge

bridge a cultural gap that agencies are reluctant to reluctant are agencies that gap cultural a bridge

Cross was targeting the Latino population.” Latino the targeting was Cross

residents. And she’s worried that it’s going to be hard to hard be to going it’s that worried she’s And residents.

those documents, including U.S. citizens, but the Red the but citizens, U.S. including documents, those

Vietnamese, another language spoken by many coastal many by spoken language another Vietnamese,

disaster in the history of the United States often lost often States United the of history the in disaster

Management Agency putting out enough information in information enough out putting Agency Management

Cintra recalled. “People who went through the worst the through went who “People recalled. Cintra

Cintra also hasn’t seen FEMA or the Mississippi Emergency Mississippi the or FEMA seen hasn’t also Cintra

Social Security cards of every member in the family,” the in member every of cards Security Social

tance for the birth certificates, drivers’ licenses and licenses drivers’ certificates, birth the for tance to do in case of another hurricane, and it was all in English.” in all was it and hurricane, another of case in do to

“They would ask Latinos seeking emergency cash assis- cash emergency seeking Latinos ask would “They Mississippi] put out a booklet telling people what they need they what people telling booklet a out put Mississippi]

“And WLOX [an ABC TV news affiliate serving coastal serving affiliate news TV ABC [an WLOX “And

in June. in

“They hung up on me when I spoke Spanish,” Cintra said. Cintra Spanish,” spoke I when me on up hung “They

and Chris Kromm interviewed Vicky from her office in Biloxi in office her from Vicky interviewed Kromm Chris and

the number listed. number the against immigrants in the Red Cross centers. Elena Everett Elena centers. Cross Red the in immigrants against

hangers with evacuation details in Spanish, so she called she so Spanish, in details evacuation with hangers Katrina, MIRA! witnessed serious instances of discrimination of instances serious witnessed MIRA! Katrina,

information. For example, FEMA gave Cintra door Cintra gave FEMA example, For information. abuse of immigrants in the state. In the wake of Hurricane of wake the In state. the in immigrants of abuse

disadvantage when it came to getting disaster readiness disaster getting to came it when disadvantage Immigrants Rights Alliance, an organization that fights the fights that organization an Alliance, Rights Immigrants

Immigrants who did not speak English were also at a at also were English speak not did who Immigrants Vicky Cintra is the organizing coordinator of the Mississippi the of coordinator organizing the is Cintra Vicky

Leaving Immigrants Behind Immigrants Leaving

Mary Queen of Vietnam Church website Church Vietnam of Queen Mary

San Antonio, and Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Chaffee, Fort and Antonio, San Vietnamese-American survivors were relocated to Austin, to relocated were survivors Vietnamese-American In the days after Katrina, when rescue helicopters appeared New Orleans said they were being paid $350 a day, leav- over the skies of New Orleans, the employees of Blackwater ing Blackwater with $600 per man, per day to cover USA were among them. Based in Moyock, N.C., Blackwater lodging, ammo, other overhead—and profits. is best known as the mercenary army that guarded Paul According to Blackwater’s government contracts, from Bremer when he headed the Coalition Provisional Authority Sept. 8 to Sept. 30, 2005 the company was paid $409,000 in Iraq. Taking the initiative to fly to New Orleans after the for providing 14 guards and four vehicles to “protect the storm, Blackwater soon garnered contracts for guarding hotels, temporary morgue in Baton Rouge, LA.” That contract businesses and residences. kicked off a hurricane boon for Blackwater. From The Department of Homeland Security also hired Blackwater September to the end of December 2005, the government to guard Federal Emergency Management Agency distribu- paid Blackwater at least $33.3 million—well surpassing the tion points, raising concerns about the militarization of aid: amount of Blackwater’s contract to guard Ambassador the prospect that, rather than being rescued by trained and Paul Bremer when he was head of the U.S. occupation of accountable civil servants, survivors of disasters will be met Iraq. And the company has likely raked in much more in instead with armed employees trained for conflict. the hurricane zone. Exactly how much is unclear, as attempts to get information on Blackwater’s current contracts in New Orleans have been unsuccessful. It’s in the Black(water) “We saw the costs, in terms of accountability and dol- by Jeremy Scahill lars, for this practice in Iraq, and now we are seeing it in New Orleans,” says Illinois Democrat Jan Schakowsky, ens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims who has been one of Blackwater’s few critics in Congress. remain without homes. Financial resources, des- “They have again given a sweetheart contract—without Tperate residents are told, are scarce. But at least an open bidding process—to a company with close ties to New Orleans has a Wal-Mart parking lot serving as a the administration.” FEMA Disaster Recovery Center with perhaps the tight- Schakowsky and a handful of other Congress members est security of any in the world. That’s thanks to the entered the report into the Congressional Record during more than $30 million Washington has shelled out to hearings on Katrina and cited it in letters to DHS Inspector the Blackwater USA security firm since Katrina hit. General Richard Skinner, who then began an inquiry. In Under contract with the Department of Homeland letters to Congressional offices in February, Skinner Security’s (DHS) Federal Protective Service, Blackwater’s defended the Blackwater deal, asserting that it was “appro- men are ostensibly protecting federal reconstruction priate” for the government to contract with the company. projects for FEMA. Documents show that the govern- Skinner admitted that “the ongoing cost of the contract ment paid Blackwater $950 a day for each of its guards in ... is clearly very high” and then quietly dropped a bomb- the area. Several of the company’s guards stationed in shell: “It is expected that FEMA will require guard services on a relatively long-term basis (two to five years).” Two to five years? Already most of the 330 federally contracted private guards in the hurricane zone are working for Blackwater, according to the Washington Post. Another firm, DynCorp, is also trying to grab more of the action, offering its security services for less than $700 per day per guard. Schakowsky charges that that the internal DHS review of the company fails to address the major issues stemming from deploying private forces on U.S. streets. In testimony this past September Schakowsky said, “Ask any American if they want thugs from a private, for-profit company with no official law-enforcement training roaming the streets of their neighborhoods. The answer will be a resounding NO.” Hiring Blackwater, says Schakowsky, “may be legal, but it is not a good deal for taxpayers and Gulf region residents NEW ORLEANS, SEPTember 2005 in particular.” A Blackwater Security guard (right) talks with soldiers from the Army National Guard about security at Disaster Medical Assistance Team center. This is an excerpt of a longer article that originally appeared MARVIN NAUMAN/FEMA photo in The Nation online on May 22, 2006. 80

and the Red Cross about where the charity should direct should charity the where about Cross Red the and next big disaster. big next

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In its report, GAO found disagreement between FEMA between disagreement found GAO report, its In preventing similar problems from occurring after the after occurring from problems similar preventing

service delivery, diversity and accountability in hopes of hopes in accountability and diversity delivery, service

aster went deeper than personnel issues. issues. personnel than deeper went aster

the organization’s previously announced steps to improve to steps announced previously organization’s the

But the problems in the Red Cross’s response to the dis- the to response Cross’s Red the in problems the But

to improve its hurricane response work. It expanded on expanded It work. response hurricane its improve to

and was replaced by Interim President Jack McGuire. Jack President Interim by replaced was and

And in June, the Red Cross released a report on how it plans it how on report a released Cross Red the June, in And

the organization, Marsha Evans resigned as president as resigned Evans Marsha organization, the

Two months after Katrina, amidst mounting criticism of criticism mounting amidst Katrina, after months Two roles when disaster strikes. disaster when roles

(6)

signed a memo of understanding to better define their define better to understanding of memo a signed

ization backed away from the alternative spending plan. spending alternative the from away backed ization

(5)

to work out their coordination problems. In May, they May, In problems. coordination their out work to

uproar, CEO Bernadine Healy resigned, and the organ- the and resigned, Healy Bernadine CEO uproar,

The charity and government agency have begun meeting begun have agency government and charity The

victims’ families on other purposes. In the subsequent the In purposes. other on families victims’

criticized for a plan to spend money collected for the for collected money spend to plan a for criticized ships and retention of institutional knowledge. institutional of retention and ships

of the 9/11 terror attacks, the organization was widely was organization the attacks, terror 9/11 the of staffing strategies that would improve working relation- working improve would that strategies staffing

fire for poor performance following a disaster. In the wake the In disaster. a following performance poor for fire procedures, and it called on the Red Cross to implement to Cross Red the on called it and procedures,

This wasn’t the first time the Red Cross has come under come has Cross Red the time first the wasn’t This to reach agreement on 2006 hurricane season operating season hurricane 2006 on agreement reach to

GAO recommended that FEMA and the Red Cross work Cross Red the and FEMA that recommended GAO

fraud and criminal behavior. criminal and fraud

stealing relief supplies and engaging in other acts of acts other in engaging and supplies relief stealing on coordinating services,” the report said. report the services,” coordinating on

treatment of African Americans and Latinos, and for and Latinos, and Americans African of treatment operations and procedures rather than focusing solely focusing than rather procedures and operations

Some Red Cross volunteers were also criticized for poor for criticized also were volunteers Cross Red Some spent time during the response effort trying to establish to trying effort response the during time spent

clarity about roles and responsibilities, the agencies the responsibilities, and roles about clarity

after Rita hit. Rita after

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its requests for FEMA assistance. “Because of the lack of lack the of “Because assistance. FEMA for requests its

didn’t begin providing supplies until nearly a month a nearly until supplies providing begin didn’t

southwest of New Orleans reported that the organization the that reported Orleans New of southwest Win Henderson / FEMA / Henderson Win

small, predominantly Native American communities American Native predominantly small,

Red Cross only to get busy signals. And people from the from people And signals. busy get to only Cross Red

communities reported spending hours trying to call the call to trying hours spending reported communities

Residents of New Orleans as well as rural Gulf Coast Gulf rural as well as Orleans New of Residents

slow in coming to victims, or in some cases never arrived. never cases some in or victims, to coming in slow

However, there were widespread complaints that help was help that complaints widespread were there However,

new volunteers and collected $2 billion in donations. in billion $2 collected and volunteers new

(3)

and oldest disaster-relief organization—took on 200,000 on organization—took disaster-relief oldest and

Following the storm, the Red Cross—the nation’s largest nation’s Cross—the Red the storm, the Following

was the first time the plan was put into action. into put was plan the time first the was

age the federal response to domestic disasters. Katrina disasters. domestic to response federal the age

requires FEMA and the Red Cross to cooperatively man- cooperatively to Cross Red the and FEMA requires

Kaufmann/FEMA

The National Response Plan created after the 9/11 attacks 9/11 the after created Plan Response National The

supposed to provide food and shelter,” Grassley said. Grassley shelter,” and food provide to supposed

(2)

FEMA and the Red Cross will be haggling over who’s over haggling be will Cross Red the and FEMA

hurricane hits, leaving people hungry and homeless, and hungry people leaving hits, hurricane

“The report leaves the impression that when the next the when that impression the leaves report “The

chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Finance Senate the of chair

It was commissioned by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Grassley Charles Sen. by commissioned was It

Accountability Office, the watchdog arm of Congress. of arm watchdog the Office, Accountability

(1)

That was the finding of a June report from the Government the from report June a of finding the was That

Emergency Management Agency was at least partly to blame. to partly least at was Agency Management Emergency

between the American Red Cross and the Federal the and Cross Red American the between

was slow in coming—and poor coordination poor coming—and in slow was

struggled last year to find food and housing, help housing, and food find to year last struggled

hile the survivors of Hurricane Katrina and Rita and Katrina Hurricane of survivors the hile

by Sue Sturgis Sue by Red Cross Addresses Post-Storm Missteps Post-Storm Addresses Cross Red THE WORLD IS WATCHING: Human Rights

education and health care.” health and education

(4)

eration in the reconstruction plans with regard to access to housing, to access to regard with plans reconstruction the in eration

people and in particular African Americans are fully taken into consid- into taken fully are Americans African particular in and people Sources on p. 95 p. on Sources

[the U.S.] should increase its efforts to ensure that the rights of poor of rights the that ensure to efforts its increase should U.S.] [the Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch/Institute for Southern Studies, August 2006. August Studies, Southern for Watch/Institute Reconstruction Coast Gulf

The committee went on to say, “In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane of aftermath the “In say, to on went committee The

by Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane by

people and blacks, both of whom it found to be “disadvantaged” be to found it whom of both blacks, and people

*Botswana, Sudan, United States, Zimbabwe States, United Sudan, *Botswana,

Committee condemned the United States for its treatment of poor of treatment its for States United the condemned Committee

rights groups, in late July the 18-member U.N. Human Rights Human U.N. 18-member the July late in groups, rights

1 based, that the United States has ratified : : ratified has States United the that based, Following the testimony of several U.S. and international human international and U.S. several of testimony the Following

Human Rights, on which the Guiding Principles are Principles Guiding the which on Rights, Human

means for internally displaced persons to return voluntarily.” return to persons displaced internally for means

Number of the four International Conventions on Conventions International four the of Number (3)

ment, including tasking authorities to “establish the conditions and conditions the “establish to authorities tasking including ment,

health care.”And lastly, the principles seek protection after displace- after protection seek principles the lastly, care.”And health

40 translated into: into: translated

ensuring equal access to food, shelter, water, housing, clothing and clothing housing, water, shelter, food, to access equal ensuring

Number of languages these principles have been been have principles these languages of Number

second is protection during displacement, including, “at a minimum, a “at including, displacement, during protection is second

they can to “protect victims from immediate … and known risks.”The known and … immediate from victims “protect to can they

16 to one international law scholar: scholar: law international one to

is protection against displacement—officials taking all the measures the all taking displacement—officials against protection is

human rights violations from Hurricane Katrina, according Katrina, Hurricane from violations rights human

University, points out, the Guiding Principles focus on three areas. One areas. three on focus Principles Guiding the out, points University,

Minimum number of these principles could apply to apply could principles these of number Minimum

As Frederic L. Kirgis, professor of law emeritus at Washington and Lee and Washington at emeritus law of professor Kirgis, L. Frederic As

causes—including “natural or human-made disasters.” human-made or “natural causes—including

30 human rights of internally displaced persons: persons: displaced internally of rights human

(2)

or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence”for a variety of variety a residence”for habitual of places or homes their leave to or

Number of United Nations Guiding Principles on the on Principles Guiding Nations United of Number

“persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee to obliged or forced been have who persons of groups or “persons

by disasters and conflict. The U.N.’s Guiding Principles are targeted at targeted are Principles Guiding U.N.’s The conflict. and disasters by

1 Number of such countries outside of Africa: Africa: of outside countries such of Number

over 50 million people worldwide who have been internally uprooted internally been have who worldwide people million 50 over

Principles on Internal Displacement, developed in 1998 to address the address to 1998 in developed Displacement, Internal on Principles

4* of a more general nature”: nature”: general more a of

scholars say could apply to Hurricane Katrina, including the Guiding the including Katrina, Hurricane to apply could say scholars

to intervene “on situations raising concerns concerns raising situations “on intervene to

There are other non-ratified human rights agreements that human rights human that agreements rights human non-ratified other are There

rights of internally displaced persons in 2005, 2005, in persons displaced internally of rights

obligations. Representative of the Secretary-General on the human the on Secretary-General the of Representative

that the United States believes it is above international human rights human international above is it believes States United the that Number of countries contacted by the U.N. the by contacted countries of Number

Katrina. Human rights groups charge this contributes to the image the to contributes this charge groups rights Human Katrina.

application of the treaty within this country—including for Hurricane for country—including this within treaty the of

about 1 million 1 about tsunami: tsunami:

various “reservations, understandings and declarations”limiting the declarations”limiting and understandings “reservations, various

Number of IDPs due to December 2004 Indian Ocean Indian 2004 December to due IDPs of Number

Before ratifying the ICCPR in 1992, however, the U.S. Congress attached Congress U.S. the however, 1992, in ICCPR the ratifying Before

600,000 2006 Indonesian earthquake: earthquake: Indonesian 2006 it failed to protect the lives of its residents.” its of lives the protect to failed it

(1)

Number of people displaced or left homeless by the May the by homeless left or displaced people of Number from Hurricane Katrina and its associated flooding in New Orleans, but Orleans, New in flooding associated its and Katrina Hurricane from

Ajamu Baraka. “The facts are simple: The U.S. knew of the threat to life to threat the of knew U.S. The simple: are facts “The Baraka. Ajamu

stitute human rights violations,”said Network executive director executive Network violations,”said rights human stitute 182,000 Number of IDPs in Bosnia-Herzegovina: Bosnia-Herzegovina: in IDPs of Number

discriminatory nature of evacuation plans for New Orleans Parish con- Parish Orleans New for plans evacuation of nature discriminatory

“The unnecessary loss of life resulting from Hurricane Katrina and the and Katrina Hurricane from resulting life of loss unnecessary “The 153,000

Number of IDPs in Afghanistan since war began in 2001: in began war since Afghanistan in IDPs of Number non-discrimination.

ing obligations to protect life and property, and uphold principles of principles uphold and property, and life protect to obligations ing

66,000 to several hundred thousand hundred several to 66,000 delegation to Geneva to document U.S. violations of the ICCPR, includ- ICCPR, the of violations U.S. document to Geneva to delegation

Number displaced from Mississippi: Mississippi: from displaced Number In July 2006, a delegation from the U.S. Human Rights Network led a led Network Rights Human U.S. the from delegation a 2006, July In

Discrimination– together, viewed as the international “Bill of Rights.” of “Bill international the as viewed together, Discrimination–

645,000 to 1.1 million 1.1 to 645,000

and the International Convention on the Elimination of Race of Elimination the on Convention International the and

Number of persons displaced by Katrina from Louisiana: from Katrina by displaced persons of Number

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified in 1992, in ratified (ICCPR), Rights Political and Civil on Covenant

States has ratified and is bound to enforce: the International the enforce: to bound is and ratified has States

25 million 25 worldwide: worldwide:

here are two international human rights treaties the United the treaties rights human international two are here

Number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) (IDPs) persons displaced internally of Number

Human Rights Index Rights Human KATRINA ONE-YEAR INDEX ONE-YEAR KATRINA Katrina and Human Rights by Adrien Katherine Wing Nations General Assembly stated that it recognized the principles as an “important international framework Even though I felt sorry for the people of New Orleans for the protection of internally displaced people.” after Hurricane Katrina, there was one place that I hoped Under Principle 1, internally displaced people are enti- was flooded by the hurricane. It was my great-great- tled to the full rights that all other persons in the coun- grandfather’s house. Why would I want my ancestor’s try enjoy. The principle does not limit itself to citizens house to be flooded? but applies to all persons. This is important because My ancestor was Confederate Gen. Pierre Gustave Toutant there were thousands of permanent residents, lawful Beauregard, who fired on Fort Sumter, starting the Civil temporary residents and undocumented people in the War. He lived in New Orleans at 1113 Chartres St. after areas affected by Katrina. Undocumented immigrants the war, from 1865 to 1867. He was a glorious war hero to were eligible for short-term disaster relief. Yet the Southerners, even though their side and their cause had Department of Homeland Security made it clear that lost. Because of Beauregard’s heroic status, the home such people would have no immunity from deportation. that he rented was restored to its antebellum glory in the Many were detained, and deportation proceedings were 20th century and is now a tourist attraction known as the started against them. Beauregard-Keyes House. Under Principle 3, it is the primary obligation of the I had always hated the fact that through my veins coursed national authorities to implement the rights afforded to the blood of a general who fought to preserve a way of life internally displaced persons. While local authorities that had enslaved my other ancestors. So in September would certainly be involved, the ultimate responsibility 2005, I hoped that his house was buried deep beneath in the United States would be on the federal level. It is the floodwaters—tourist attraction no more. But it was clear that in the case of Katrina, a disproportionate located in the French Quarter—the high ground. This house number of black people and poor people could not, and was spared, while the modern-day descendants of so many still cannot, exercise those rights because of gov- many slaves who lived on the low ground lost everything. ernment failures at the local, state and federal levels. According to Principle 4, certain groups are especially entitled to protection, including children, pregnant As a society, we must vigilantly monitor the long-term human- mothers, persons with disabilities and the elderly. Once rights status and treatment of the Katrina victims wherever they again, it is evident that our government failed these specially protected groups. How many newborns died in may be located. the aftermath of the hurricane? How many pregnant women miscarried? We heard of the tragic story of a nursing home where the bodies of 34 elderly people There is one part of Beauregard’s legacy that I have accepted. were found, and cases where the elderly would not leave His family originally came from France, and my family, their homes and died as a result. the black descendants, have always learned French. My study of French turned into a career as an international Under Principle 6, displacement should also not last lawyer and, now, a law professor. So when I saw dark- longer than required. Yet, there are numerous examples skinned people wading through floodwaters after Hurricane of people waiting many months for Federal Emergency Katrina, I looked at the tragedy with the eyes of an inter- Management Agency trailers, which could provide tem- national lawyer.Some commentators called Katrina vic- porary housing as they rebuild or repair their homes. tims “refugees.” After all, they did resemble the poor, Principle 7 makes clear that the authorities are sup- homeless, and hungry unfortunates in such places as the posed to provide proper accommodations with adequate Sudan. Nonetheless, because the evacuees did not flee safety, nutrition, health and hygiene. The failure of the outside their national boundaries, they are technically called government to provide transportation to relocate people “internally displaced persons” under international law. before the hurricane struck was one failure related to The United Nations developed the Guiding Principles this principle. Even days later when transportation was on Internal Displacement in 1998. Those principles do brought in, the people on the buses did not have proper not rise to the level of a binding treaty that nations are food or water, nor were they told where they were going. obligated to follow. It should be noted, however, that According to Principle 7, family members should not be many of the rights mentioned in the principles are bind- separated. Yet, many family members remained sepa- ing on the United States because the same concepts appear rated for months. in the binding treaties. Furthermore, in 2005 the United Internally displaced persons also have a right to dignity 84

excluded from the redevelopment plans for the area. the for plans redevelopment the from excluded Moreover, there is great fear that the city of New Orleans New of city the that fear great is there Moreover,

Easy are worried that they and their needs are being are needs their and they that worried are Easy order to rent the apartments out for higher prices. higher for out apartments the rent to order

return. Many people now forced to live outside the Big the outside live to forced now people Many return. the street without attempting to find the tenants, in tenants, the find to attempting without street the

participate in the planning and management of their of management and planning the in participate have unceremoniously dumped people’s belongings on belongings people’s dumped unceremoniously have

voluntarily. The displaced themselves are supposed to supposed are themselves displaced The voluntarily. of property or possessions. It appears that landlords may landlords that appears It possessions. or property of

either return to their areas or residence or be resettled be or residence or areas their to return either P d deprive arbitrarily be should one no that states 21 rinciple

the conditions necessary to allow displaced persons to persons displaced allow to necessary conditions the

new communities. new

Principle 28 requires the government to help establish help to government the requires 28 Principle

records could all be needed for people transitioning to transitioning people for needed be all could records

after displacement: return, resettlement and reintegration. and resettlement return, displacement: after

birth and death certificates, and child support and divorce and support child and certificates, death and birth

The final area that the principles cover is protection is cover principles the that area final The

such as marriage licenses, voter cards, driver’s licenses, driver’s cards, voter licenses, marriage as such

depression for stupidity and ignore them? ignore and stupidity for depression cation must be provided in most instances. Documents instances. most in provided be must cation

behind their peers? How many teachers will mistake will teachers many How peers? their behind work visa, for example. To rent an apartment, identifi- apartment, an rent To example. for visa, work

neglected in classes there because they are just too far too just are they because there classes in neglected birth certificate or passport, or a foreign passport and passport foreign a or passport, or certificate birth

dents. How many of these New Orleans children will be will children Orleans New these of many How dents. jobs, one must show proof of work authorization: a U.S. a authorization: work of proof show must one jobs,

schools, as local students resent the New Orleans stu- Orleans New the resent students local as schools, documents they need to start new lives? To start most start To lives? new start to need they documents

On the other hand, problems have occurred in the Houston the in occurred have problems hand, other the On people. How many people have not been able to get the get to able been not have people many How people.

have abandoned the failed New Orleans school system. school Orleans New failed the abandoned have ment to provide necessary documentation to displaced to documentation necessary provide to ment

many evacuees may get a better education now that they that now education better a get may evacuees many Principle 20 concerns the responsibility of the govern- the of responsibility the concerns 20 Principle

Principle 23 concerns the right to education. Ironically, education. to right the concerns 23 Principle

ductive care and counseling for victims of sexual abuse. sexual of victims for counseling and care ductive

ity of evacuees to vote in person or by absentee ballot. absentee by or person in vote to evacuees of ity mentions the special needs of women, including repro- including women, of needs special the mentions

poned until the spring. Many are worried about the abil- the about worried are Many spring. the until poned pressing, yet least likely to be treated. Principle 19 also 19 Principle treated. be to likely least yet pressing,

public affairs. Fall elections in New Orleans were post- were Orleans New in elections Fall affairs. public members. Their psychological needs could be the most the be could needs psychological Their members.

in the right to vote or to participate in community and community in participate to or vote to right the in because they may have lost everything—including family everything—including lost have may they because

Principle 22 states that there should be no discrimination no be should there that states 22 Principle people must be experiencing mild to severe depression severe to mild experiencing be must people

conducive to appropriate medical care. Additionally, many Additionally, care. medical appropriate to conducive

may bulldoze properties without giving proper notice. proper giving without properties bulldoze may

place or living in crowded temporary housing cannot be cannot housing temporary crowded in living or place

tion for their chronic conditions. Moving from place to place from Moving conditions. chronic their for tion

New Orleans Indymedia Orleans New Many people did not have the proper access to medica- to access proper the have not did people Many

Medical care is of special concern under Principle 19. Principle under concern special of is care Medical WASHINGTON, SEPTEBER 2005 SEPTEBER WASHINGTON,

housing, clothing and health care. health and clothing housing,

authorities should provide access to food, shelter, water, shelter, food, to access provide should authorities

fies this vague term by stating that, at a minimum, the minimum, a at that, stating by term vague this fies

to an adequate standard of living. The principle quanti- principle The living. of standard adequate an to

Under Principle 18, displaced persons are also entitled also are persons displaced 18, Principle Under

helping to match survivors with remains of loved ones. loved of remains with survivors match to helping

taken the lead in locating missing persons and, sadly, and, persons missing locating in lead the taken

sons. The media, rather than the government, have often have government, the than rather media, The sons.

remains and more than several thousand missing per- missing thousand several than more and remains

after the disaster, there are still many unclaimed many still are there disaster, the after

tify remains and return them to the next of kin. Months kin. of next the to them return and remains tify

missing relatives, and the state should collect and iden- and collect should state the and relatives, missing

principle, the displaced have a right to know the fate of fate the know to right a have displaced the principle,

Principle 16 is one of the most touching. Under that Under touching. most the of one is 16 Principle

the Superdome. the

both inside and outside of the convention center and center convention the of outside and inside both

Yet there were apparently various incidents of this kind, this of incidents various apparently were there Yet

against gender-specific violence, such as rape and assault. and rape as such violence, gender-specific against

Under Principle 11, people also should be protected be should also people 11, Principle Under

or other proper medical treatment? medical proper other or

such horrors are having. Are they getting psychotherapy getting they Are having. are horrors such

imagine the nightmares that the children who witnessed who children the that nightmares the imagine

front of distraught and hungry black people. It is hard to hard is It people. black hungry and distraught of front

remember the images of dead bodies lying for days in days for lying bodies dead of images the remember and physical and mental integrity under Principle 11. I 11. Principle under integrity mental and physical and How effectively have all levels of government helped all The authorities are also supposed to help the displaced the evacuees keep in touch? recover their property and possessions. If this is not possible, the authorities must “provide or assist those per- According to Principle 29, the displaced are not to be sons in obtaining appropriate compensation or another discriminated against in the provision of services, form of just reparation,” according to Principle 29. whether they return home or live elsewhere. Unfortu- Many homeowners lost everything but did not have nately, it appears that after an initial groundswell of proper insurance coverage for flooding. Will the federal sympathy in many places, the evacuees may have worn government make the insurance companies pay up any- out their welcome. Race, class and cultural differences way, or cover the losses from federal funds? If a bank coupled with preexisting stereotypes have led to dis- foreclosed on a devastated property after the initial crimination at many levels. three-month hiatus on collecting mortgage payments, is the federal government stepping in to prevent that or to cover the payments? Many people were renters and lacked insurance that would cover this disaster. Will the government step in to replace their valuables or prevent them from being evicted or rent-gouged? The Guiding Principles provide a comprehensive framework for all levels of government in the United States still grappling with providing services in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As a society, we must vigilantly monitor the long-term human-rights status and treatment of the Katrina victims wherever they may be located. National, state and local governments must be made to live up to their various domestic and international legal obligations over the years to come. Survivors Village U.N. Principles of Internal Displacement from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner including the right to basic humanitarian assistance for Human Rights (such as food, medicine, shelter), the right to be protected from physical violence, the right to education, freedom Who are internally displaced persons? of movement and residence, political rights such as the right to participate in public affairs and the right to par- According to the Guiding Principles on Internal ticipate in economic activities (Principles 10-23). Dis- Displacement, internally displaced persons (also known placed persons also have the right to assistance from as “IDPs”) are “persons or groups of persons who have competent authorities in voluntary, dignified and safe been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or return, resettlement or local integration, including help in places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of recovering lost property and possessions. When resti- or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situa- tution is not possible, the Guiding Principles call for tions of generalized violence, violations of human rights compensation or just reparation (Principles 28-30). or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized border.” Whose responsibility is it to protect and assist internally displaced persons? What rights do internally displaced persons have? As a crucial element of sovereignty, it is the govern- The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, cre- ments of the states where internally displaced persons ated in 1998, restate and compile existing international are found that have the primary responsibility for their human rights and humanitarian law germane to the assistance and protection. The international community’s internally displaced and also attempt to clarify gray areas role is complementary. and gaps in the various instruments with regard to situations of particular interest to the internally displaced. At the international level, no single agency or organization has been designated as the global lead on protection The Guiding Principles note that arbitrary displacement and assistance of internally displaced persons. Rather, all in the first instance is prohibited (Principles 5-7). Once are called upon to cooperate with each other to help address persons have been displaced, they retain a broad range these needs pursuant to the “collaborative approach.” of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,

U.S. Human Rights Campaign Rights Human U.S. including the elderly and babies, died waiting for a gov- a for waiting died babies, and elderly the including

On the streets of the United States of America, people, America, of States United the of streets the On rightsviolations under Katrina. under rightsviolations

Rev. Lois Dejean of the Gert Town Revival Initiative testifies on human on testifies Initiative Revival Town Gert the of Dejean Lois Rev.

ernment agencies did. did. agencies ernment

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, JULY 2006 JULY SWITZERLAND, GENEVA,

were able to get to the Gulf Coast region long before gov- before long region Coast Gulf the to get to able were

our government. However, news reporters and volunteers and reporters news However, government. our

owner, but more importantly our lives meant nothing to nothing meant lives our importantly more but owner,

had sought shelter. Our lives meant nothing to the hotel the to nothing meant lives Our shelter. sought had

and I were kicked out of a New Orleans hotel where we where hotel Orleans New a of out kicked were I and

When the flood waters poured into the city, my family my city, the into poured waters flood the When

city without food, water or medical help. medical or water food, without city

including me and my family, to be trapped in a flooding a in trapped be to family, my and me including

to live away from their homes. This caused so many people, many so caused This homes. their from away live to

dominantly white people who have cars and the wealth the and cars have who people white dominantly

only prepared an evacuation plan that just helped pre- helped just that plan evacuation an prepared only

the money to pay for a hotel room. But our government our But room. hotel a for pay to money the

be able to evacuate because they don’t have vehicles or vehicles have don’t they because evacuate to able be

majority of African Americans and the poor would not would poor the and Americans African of majority

Before Katrina occurred, our government knew that the that knew government our occurred, Katrina Before

to die. These deaths could have been prevented. been have could deaths These die. to

American city of New Orleans to flood and 1,588 people 1,588 and flood to Orleans New of city American

tem that caused 80 percent of the predominantly African- predominantly the of percent 80 caused that tem

Our government built a substandard flood control sys- control flood substandard a built government Our

ernmental actions that are denying our basic human rights. human basic our denying are that actions ernmental

In the Gulf Coast, we are facing a variety of racist gov- racist of variety a facing are we Coast, Gulf the In

higher than the national average. national the than higher

would be counted. be would dire, people are hopeless—the suicide rate is three times three is rate suicide hopeless—the are people dire,

drawn-out process that had no guarantee that your vote your that guarantee no had that process drawn-out Katrina passed yesterday. Because this situation is so is situation this Because yesterday. passed Katrina

in person, or you voted by mail or fax through a long and long a through fax or mail by voted you or person, in and across the Gulf Coast region that look like Hurricane like look that region Coast Gulf the across and

Orleans, you had to find a way to get to Louisiana to vote to Louisiana to get to way a find to had you Orleans, Right now, we have scores of communities in New Orleans New in communities of scores have we now, Right

you wanted to vote in the spring 2006 elections in New in elections 2006 spring the in vote to wanted you

broken educational system. system. educational broken

about all 50 states, as far as Alaska and Hawaii. But, if But, Hawaii. and Alaska as far as states, 50 all about

ment opportunities, and are subjected to a hostile and hostile a to subjected are and opportunities, ment

The government scattered Gulf Coast residents to just to residents Coast Gulf scattered government The

their right to vote, lack health care, are denied employ- denied are care, health lack vote, to right their

wanted to vote in their home-country elections. elections. home-country their in vote to wanted residents are abused by the police, face restrictions on restrictions face police, the by abused are residents

Armenians who were living in the United States and States United the in living were who Armenians home. In the aftermath of Katrina, displaced Gulf Coast Gulf displaced Katrina, of aftermath the In home.

satellite voting places for Iraqis, South Africans and Africans South Iraqis, for places voting satellite Katrina survivors who—to this day—have no place to call to place no day—have this who—to survivors Katrina

the last several years it didn’t have any trouble setting up setting trouble any have didn’t it years several last the are among the hundreds of thousands of Hurricane of thousands of hundreds the among are

places in the cities where we were displaced, but during but displaced, were we where cities the in places My children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and grandchildren children, My

The U.S. government refused to set up satellite voting satellite up set to refused government U.S. The

protect human rights in the United States. United the in rights human protect

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Political and Civil on Covenant International

tions and individuals who, like me, are struggling to struggling are me, like who, individuals and tions

protect our voting rights under federal law and the and law federal under rights voting our protect

in Geneva with a large and diverse coalition of organiza- of coalition diverse and large a with Geneva in

voting rights of African Americans—even though it must it though Americans—even African of rights voting

My name is Lois Dejean and I’m here at the United Nations United the at here I’m and Dejean Lois is name My

Our government also went out of its way to restrict the restrict to way its of out went also government Our

tor of the Gert Town Revival Initiative. Revival Town Gert the of tor compensate us for our devastating losses. devastating our for us compensate

Hurricane Katrina. Reverend Dejean serves as interim direc- interim as serves Dejean Reverend Katrina. Hurricane gation to establish a victims’ assistance fund to adequately to fund assistance victims’ a establish to gation

States was negligent and discriminatory in its response to response its in discriminatory and negligent was States United States government refuses to recognize any obli- any recognize to refuses government States United

Rights in Geneva, charging that the government of the United the of government the that charging Geneva, in Rights hurricane evacuation plan. And for all this suffering, the suffering, this all for And plan. evacuation hurricane

ered testimony to the United Nations Committee on Human on Committee Nations United the to testimony ered and our government has failed to develop an effective an develop to failed has government our and

ernment rescue. We are in the hurricane season right now, right season hurricane the in are We rescue. ernment deliv- Dejean Lois Rev. Orleans-based New 2006, 17, July On

on Human Rights Human on Testimony to the United Nations Committee Committee Nations United the to Testimony Government officials have also broken housing agreements to displaced African Americans that threaten them with The U.S. government refused to set up satellite voting places in homelessness at the end of this month. On July 31, the cities where we were displaced, but didn’t have any trouble 2006, the government will cut off all housing support to tens of thousands of people, including my children, setting up satellite voting places for Iraqis, South Africans and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I am appalled Armenians who were living in the United States and wanted to that this United States of America can be so heartless. vote in their home-country elections. All that I have said to you is only the tip of the iceberg of injustices we are suffering on the Gulf Coast at the hands of our government. You can’t experience all that I have and believe for one moment that the United States The U.S. government is using all sorts of tactics to deny government is protecting the civil and political rights of African Americans and the poor the human right to Gulf Coast residents. housing. Sixty percent of the people in New Orleans are renters who can’t come back because the landlords have At this United Nation’s Committee on Human Rights ses- tripled the price for rental homes and apartments. I was sion, I’ve learned that the international community has evicted from the house I was living in for 28 years. Three more concern for the human rights of Americans—all of my children and six of my grandchildren lost their races, all backgrounds, all socio-economic levels—than homes and everything in them. While our government our own United States government does. has supported controls on rent increases in places like New York City, it has refused to do so in our Gulf Coast communities. People who lived in government-subsidized housing literally have been locked out of their homes—there is steel fencing with barbed wire circling public housing which suffered little or no hurricane damage. U.S. government officials have publicly stated that the city of New Orleans will have fewer African Americans and they have gone so far as to plan new housing developments that will force out a significant majority of African- American public housing residents.

Milvirtha Hendricks, 85, waits in the rain with other flood victims outside the convention center in New Orleans, in this Sept. 1, 2005 file photo CREDIT: AP Photo/Eric Gay.

Plan B Plan

U.S. Human Rights Network Rights Human U.S.

People’s Organizing Committee Organizing People’s

Student Hurricane Network Hurricane Student

People’s Hurricane Relief Fund & Oversight Coalition Coalition Oversight & Fund Relief Hurricane People’s

Southwest Workers Union Workers Southwest

People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond and Survival for Institute People’s

Policy Link Policy

People’s Environmental Center Environmental People’s

People’s Organizing Committee Organizing People’s

NO/AIDS Task Force Task NO/AIDS

People’s Hurricane Relief Fund & Oversight Coalition Coalition Oversight & Fund Relief Hurricane People’s

New Orleans Worker Resource Center Resource Worker Orleans New

National Hip Hop Caucus Hop Hip National

New Orleans Outreach Orleans New

Katrina Information Network Information Katrina

New Orleans Network Orleans New

INCITE!

Collaborative Collaborative

Color of Change of Color

New Orleans Neighborhood Development Neighborhood Orleans New

Center for Social Inclusion Social for Center

New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation Assistance Legal Orleans New

Brookings Institute Brookings

New Orleans Kid Camera Project Camera Kid Orleans New

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now Now Reform for Organizations Community of Association

New Orleans Food and Farm Network Farm and Food Orleans New

National Organizations and Diaspora Groups Diaspora and Organizations National

Neighborhood Story Project Story Neighborhood

Neighborhood Planning Network Planning Neighborhood

S.O.S. After Katrina After S.O.S.

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans Orleans New of Services Housing Neighborhood

Project South Project

Neighborhood Gallery Neighborhood

Moving Forward Gulf Coast Coast Gulf Forward Moving

Loyola Law School Clinic/Justice for New Orleans New for Clinic/Justice School Law Loyola

Institute for Southern Studies Southern for Institute

Latino Health Outreach Project Outreach Health Latino

Gulf Restoration Network Restoration Gulf

KIDsmART

Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch Reconstruction Coast Gulf

Katrina’s House of Care of House Katrina’s

Green Project Green

INCITE!

Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Environmental for Center South Deep

Mondo Bizarro Mondo

Gulf Coast and Southern Organizations Southern and Coast Gulf

House of Dance and Feathers and Dance of House

New Orleans New

Turkey Creek Community Initiatives Community Creek Turkey

Hispanic Apostolate of the Catholic Archdiocese of Archdiocese Catholic the of Apostolate Hispanic

Southern Echo Southern

Guardians of the Flame Cultural Arts Collective Arts Cultural Flame the of Guardians

Coalition

Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center Action Housing Fair Orleans New Greater

Moore Community House/MS Low-Income Childcare Low-Income House/MS Community Moore

Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO Orleans New Greater

Mississippi Workers Center Workers Mississippi

Good Work Network Work Good

Mississippi Sierra Club Sierra Mississippi

Critical Resistance New Orleans New Resistance Critical

M.I.R.A

Communities in Schools in Communities

Federation of Southern Cooperatives Southern of Federation

Common Ground Health Clinic Health Ground Common

Amos Network Network Amos

Common Ground Relief Collective Relief Ground Common

Mississippi Organizations Mississippi

Citizens for a Strong New Orleans East Orleans New Strong a for Citizens

Central City Partnership Partnership City Central

United Houma Nation Houma United

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now Reform for Organizations Community of Association

Louisiana Federation of Teachers of Federation Louisiana

Ashe Cultural Arts Center Arts Cultural Ashe

Louisiana Environmental Action Network Action Environmental Louisiana

Artspot Productions Artspot

Jeremiah Group Jeremiah

Alliance for Affordable Energy Affordable for Alliance

Four Directions Four

Agenda for Children for Agenda

Children

African American Leadership Project Project Leadership American African

Family and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Louisiana’s of Friends and Family

Advocates for Environmental Human Rights Rights Human Environmental for Advocates

Common Cause Louisiana Cause Common

A Fighting Chance Fighting A

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Coastal Restore to Coalition

Greater New Orleans Area Orleans New Greater

American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana Louisiana of Union Liberties Civil American

All Congregations Together Congregations All

structionwatch.org. structionwatch.org. Louisiana Organizations Louisiana

Reconstruction Watch Katrina Directory at www.recon- at Directory Katrina Watch Reconstruction

The following are some of the organization featured in the in featured organization the of some are following The Gallery

Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center / Barrister’s / Center Arts Multi-disciplinary Zeitgeist

guidance to those interested in working on these issues. issues. these on working in interested those to guidance

Youth Empowerment Project Empowerment Youth

but is a cross-section of groups, designed to provide some provide to designed groups, of cross-section a is but

YA/YA Inc. (Youth Aspirations/Young Artists) Aspirations/Young (Youth Inc. YA/YA

community organizations. It is by no means comprehensive, means no by is It organizations. community

The Vietnamese Initiative for Economic Training Economic for Initiative Vietnamese The

New Orleans Network compiled the list of New Orleans-led New of list the compiled Network Orleans New

United Front for Affordable Housing Housing Affordable for Front United

Twomey Center for Peace through Justice Justice through Peace for Center Twomey the Gulf Coast. Coast. Gulf the

Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force Task Club Pleasure and Aid Social compiled a directory of organizations working for change in change for working organizations of directory a compiled

Safe Streets/Strong Communities Streets/Strong Safe orleansnetwork.org), Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch has Watch Reconstruction Coast Gulf orleansnetwork.org),

Porch Cultural Organization and Center and Organization Cultural Porch In collaboration with the New Orleans Network (www.new- Network Orleans New the with collaboration In Katrina Directory Katrina Citations KATRINA PEOPLE: Demographics and Diaspora 3. “Major highway projects keep Mississippians moving,” Mississippi Business Journal, July 2006. Index 4. “Hurricane Katrina Situation Report #11,” U.S. 1. “Hurricane Katrina: Social-Demographic Characteristics Department of Energy, Aug. 30, 2005. of Impacted Areas,” Congressional Research Service, 5. “Special Edition of the Katrina Index: A One-Year Review Nov. 4, 2005; “Katrina by the Numbers: Need for Health of Key Indicators of Recovery in Post-Storm New Care Assistance in Louisiana,” Center for American Orleans,” The Brookings Institution, August 2006. Progress, www.americanprogress.org. 6. Ibid. 2. “Hurricane Katrina: Social-Demographic Characteristics 7. “Sewer systems decimated,” New Orleans Times- of Impacted Areas”; “Many displaced by Katrina turn to Picayune, April 28, 2006. relatives for shelter,” Washington Post, Sept. 8, 2005. 8. New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board press release, 3. Map of IA Applicant Current Mailing Address by State, June 19, 2006. Federal Emergency Management Agency Recovery Division, July 21, 2006. 9. “N.O. dribbles away $1.3M every week through leaks,” New Orleans CityBusiness, July 27, 2006. 4. “Hurricane Katrina: Social-Demographic Characteristics of Impacted Areas.” 10. “Bush aide: No Entergy bailout,” New Orleans Times- Picayune, Dec. 13, 2005. 5. “Southern Louisiana Diaspora: Population Evacuation Patterns Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” 11. Ibid. Louisiana Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop, April 4, 12. “Entergy seeks 25% rate boost,” New Orleans Times- 2006, Picayune, July 6, 2006. lagic.lsu.edu/downloads/2006/Southern_Louisiana_Hurr 13. “Entergy Corp. Information,” Forbes.com, Aug. 12, 2006. icane_Diaspora_20060404.pdf. 14. AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch, www.alfcio.org/corporate- 6. Ibid. watch/paywatch. 7. Ibid. 8. “New population statistics gloomy,” New Orleans Times- Entergy: The Power of Profits Picayune, Aug. 8, 2006. 1. “Bush aide: No Entergy bailout,” New Orleans Times- 9. “Katrina and Rita Impacts on Gulf Coast Populations: Picayune, Dec. 13, 2005. First Census Findings,” Brookings Institution, June 2. “Entergy seeks 25% rate boost,” New Orleans Times- 2006, www.brook.edu. Picayune, July 6, 2006. 10. Ibid. 3. City of New Orleans Situation Report, July 17, 2006. 11. Ibid. 4. “Entergy Corp. profits amid bailout request,” New 12. Ibid. Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. 9, 2006. 13. Ibid. 5. AFL-CIO Executive PayWatch, www.aflcio.org/corporate- watch/paywatch. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid. Massive Water Leaks Imperil New Orleans 16. Ibid. 1. New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board press release, June 19, 2006. Common Ground Aids Houma Region 2. “City is drowning in leaks,” New Orleans Times- 1. “Washington sidesteps tribes devastated by Katrina and Picayune, July 20, 2006. Rita,” American Indian Report, November 2005. 3. “Big Easy’s big threat: low water pressure,” Business 2. “Houma Nation aerial survey reveals total devastation,” Insurance, July 31, 2006. Indian Country Today, Sept. 15, 2005. 4. “N.O. dribbles away $1.3M every week through leaks,” 3. Louisiana Office of Indian Affairs. New Orleans CityBusiness, July 27, 2006. BRICK BY BRICK: Infrastructure and Development BellSouth Withdraws N.O. Aid Over Wireless Dispute 1. “Angry BellSouth withdrew donation, New Orleans says,” Introduction Washington Post, Dec. 3, 2005. 1. “Hurricane Katrina Situation Report #11,” U.S. 2. “New Orleans’ free wi-fi is scarce,” Wired News, May 31, Department of Energy, Aug. 30, 2005. 2006. 2. “Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Katrina: 23-30 3. “Earthlink Wins Approval to Build Out New Orleans August 2005,” National Hurricane Center, Dec. 20, 2005. Network,” press release, Earthlink Web site, www.earthlink.net, May 26, 2006. 3. “Mississippi coast areas wiped out,” CBS News, Sept. 1, 2006. 4. “Katrina Index, One Year Review of Key Indicators,” POWER BROKERS: Contracts and Corporations Brookings Institution, August 2006. Index Index 1. “Dollars, Not Sense: Government Contracting Under the 1. “Observations on the Preparation, Response, and Bush Administration,” U.S. House of Representatives Recovery Missions Related to Hurricane Katrina,” Committee on Government Reform, June 2006. Government Accountability Office, July 31, 2006. 2. “$400 million FEMA contracts now total $3.4 billion,” 2. Ibid. Washington Post, Aug. 9, 2006. 3. Ibid. 90

9. Ibid. 9.

8. Ibid. 8.

Washington Post, Sept. 22, 2005. 22, Sept. Post, Washington Reconstruction Watch, April 11, 2006. 11, April Watch, Reconstruction

2. “In break with tradition, casinos may get tax breaks, too,” breaks, tax get may casinos tradition, with break “In 2. 7. “Poison Politics in New Orleans,” Gulf Coast Gulf Orleans,” New in Politics “Poison 7.

Street Journal, Aug. 3, 2005. 3, Aug. Journal, Street 2006.

1. “Casinos emerge as winners in wake of Katrina,” Wall Katrina,” of wake in winners as emerge “Casinos 1. 6. Author interview with Wilma Subra of Subra Co., August Co., Subra of Subra Wilma with interview Author 6.

Development Development 5. Ibid. 5.

Casino Interests Hit the Jackpot in Post-Katrina in Jackpot the Hit Interests Casino

4. “Storms let loose millions of gallons of oil.” oil.” of gallons of millions loose let “Storms 4.

www.evostc.state.ak.us 2003. 2003.

3. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Trustee Spill Oil Valdez Exxon 3. to New York City,” General Accounting Office, October Office, Accounting General City,” York New to

3. “September 11: Overview of Federal Disaster Assistance Disaster Federal of Overview 11: “September 3. Advocate, Aug. 8, 2006. 8, Aug. Advocate,

2. “Storms let loose millions of gallons of oil,” Baton Rouge Baton oil,” of gallons of millions loose let “Storms 2. Commission on Reconstruction Equity, April 2006. April Equity, Reconstruction on Commission

and Interfaith Worker Justice for the Gulf Coast Gulf the for Justice Worker Interfaith and dren,” New Orleans CityBusiness, June 5, 2006. 5, June CityBusiness, Orleans New dren,”

Bonds Work for Those Most in Need,” Good Jobs First Jobs Good Need,” in Most Those for Work Bonds 1. “Katrina ‘crud’ blamed for hearing loss in Metairie chil- Metairie in loss hearing for blamed ‘crud’ “Katrina 1.

2. “A Golden Opportunity: Making Gulf Opportunity Zone Opportunity Gulf Making Opportunity: Golden “A 2.

Index

of 2005,” Congressional Budget Office, Dec. 22, 2005. 22, Dec. Office, Budget Congressional 2005,” of

1. “Cost Estimate for H.R. 4440, Gulf Opportunity Zone Act Zone Opportunity Gulf 4440, H.R. for Estimate “Cost 1. A FRAGILE GULF: Environment GULF: FRAGILE A

GO Zone Giveaways Zone GO

www.ignitelearning.com.

Washington Post, Aug. 10, 2006. 10, Aug. Post, Washington

2. Ignite Learning Corp.’ s Web site, Web s Corp.’ Learning Ignite 2.

5. “Big Katrina contractors win more FEMA work,” FEMA more win contractors Katrina “Big 5.

Chronicle, March 23, 2006. 23, March Chronicle,

Committee on Government Reform, May 4, 2006. 4, May Reform, Government on Committee

1. “Former first lady’s donation aids son,” Houston son,” aids donation lady’s first “Former 1.

Rep. Henry Waxman, U.S. House of Representatives of House U.S. Waxman, Henry Rep.

Donation in the Family the in Donation 4. “New information about Katrina contracts,” Memo from Memo contracts,” Katrina about information “New 4.

Helping Her Own: First Mother Keeps Education Keeps Mother First Own: Her Helping

Washington Post, Aug. 10, 2006. 10, Aug. Post, Washington

3. “Big Katrina contractors win more FEMA work,” FEMA more win contractors Katrina “Big 3.

Education, www.doe.state.la.us. Education,

Reform, Feb. 28, 2006. 2006. 28, Feb. Reform, 13. Teacher Salary Schedule, Louisiana Department of Department Louisiana Schedule, Salary Teacher 13.

House of Representatives Committee on Government on Committee Representatives of House

12. Ibid. 12.

2. Letter from Rep. Henry Waxman to Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Bush, Jeb Gov. to Waxman Henry Rep. from Letter 2.

11. Ibid. 11.

New York Times, Sept. 11, 2005. 11, Sept. Times, York New

School Officers weekly newsletter, June 21, 2006. 2006. 21, June newsletter, weekly Officers School 1. “Breakdowns marked path from hurricane to anarchy,” to hurricane from path marked “Breakdowns 1.

school grant to Louisana,” The Council of Chief State Chief of Council The Louisana,” to grant school

Profiles of Disaster Profiteers Disaster of Profiles

10. “Secretary Spellings announces $23.9 million charter million $23.9 announces Spellings “Secretary 10.

9. Ibid. Ibid. 9. www.taxpayer.net/budget/katrinaspending/index.htm.

1. List of Katrina contracts, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Common for Taxpayers contracts, Katrina of List 1. 8. Ibid. 8.

Profiting from Disaster from Profiting .Ibid. 7.

1, 2006. 1,

00483-LG-RHW, filed on Oct. 24, 2005. 24, Oct. on filed 00483-LG-RHW,

6. “The Dream Team,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. Times-Picayune, Orleans New Team,” Dream “The 6.

Lawsuit #4: Byrd Brothers v. Ashbritt, Case 1:05-cv- Case Ashbritt, v. Brothers Byrd #4: Lawsuit

Southern Studies, February 2006. February Studies, Southern Case 1:06-cv-00458-LG-RHW, filed May 8, 2006; 8, May filed 1:06-cv-00458-LG-RHW, Case

Six Months After Hurricane Katrina,” Institute for Institute Katrina,” Hurricane After Months Six Recycling Systems v. Ashbritt Environmental Services, Environmental Ashbritt v. Systems Recycling

5. “Mardi Gras Index: The State of New Orleans by Numbers by Orleans New of State The Index: Gras “Mardi 5. TSL-JMR, filed June 29, 2006; Lawsuit #3: Applewhite #3: Lawsuit 2006; 29, June filed TSL-JMR,

States of America v. Ashbritt Inc, Case 4:06-cv-00089- Case Inc, Ashbritt v. America of States 4. \Ibid. 4.

00156-LTS-JMR, filed June 19, 2006; Lawsuit #2: United #2: Lawsuit 2006; 19, June filed 00156-LTS-JMR,

Care and Rural Health, www.dhh.louisiana.gov. Health, Rural and Care

15. Lawsuit #1: L&A Contracting v. Ashbritt, Case 2:06-cv- Case Ashbritt, v. Contracting L&A #1: Lawsuit 15.

Department of Health and Hospitals, Bureau of Primary of Bureau Hospitals, and Health of Department

www.fpdsng.com. 3. Post-Disaster Population Estimates, Louisiana Estimates, Population Post-Disaster 3.

14. Federal Procurement Database System, Aug. 7, 2006, 7, Aug. System, Database Procurement Federal 14.

2. Ibid. 2.

America v. Lighthouse Disaster Relief Disaster Lighthouse v. America , Filed July 5. July Filed ,

of Education, www.mde.k12.ms.us/Katrina. Education, of

to Quash Pre-Judgment Garnishment,” Garnishment,” Pre-Judgment Quash to United States of States United

1. Katrina Recovery Information, Mississippi Department Mississippi Information, Recovery Katrina 1.

“United States’ Additional Briefing on Defendants’ Motion Defendants’ on Briefing Additional States’ “United 13. 13.

Index

KatrinaContracts.pdf

Aug. 14, 2006. dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/CPO- 2006. 14, Aug.

Picayune, Aug. 12, 2006. 2006. 12, Aug. Picayune,

12. Department of Homeland Security Contract list, pg 12, pg list, Contract Security Homeland of Department 12.

6. “Public schools compete for kids,” New Orleans Times- Orleans New kids,” for compete schools “Public 6.

11. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Feb. 21, 2006. 21, Feb. Times-Picayune, Orleans New 11.

Officers, June 21, 2006, www.ccsso.org. 2006, 21, June Officers,

Committee on Government Reform, May 4, 2006. 4, May Reform, Government on Committee school grant to Louisana,” Council of Chief State School State Chief of Council Louisana,” to grant school

Katrina contracts, U.S. House of Representatives of House U.S. contracts, Katrina 5. “Secretary Spellings announces $23.9 million charter million $23.9 announces Spellings “Secretary 5.

10. Rep. Henry Waxman’s memo re: new information about information new re: memo Waxman’s Henry Rep. 10.

7, 2006. 7,

www.fpdsng.com. 4. “New Orleans schools to reopen,” CBS News Online, Aug. Online, News CBS reopen,” to schools Orleans “New 4.

9. Federal Procurement Database System, Aug. 7, 2006, 7, Aug. System, Database Procurement Federal 9.

enough,” Associated Press, June 29, 2006. 29, June Press, Associated enough,”

8. Ibid. 8. 3. “FEMA funding school repairs, but officials wonder if it’s if wonder officials but repairs, school funding “FEMA 3.

for Common Sense, www.taxpayer.net. Sense, Common for du.org.

7. “The Costs of Katrina: Rebuilding the Gulf,” Taxpayers Gulf,” the Rebuilding Katrina: of Costs “The 7. 2. Rural School and Community Trust Web site, www.rurale- site, Web Trust Community and School Rural 2.

6. Ibid. 6. Matters, October 2005. October Matters,

1. “Hurricane Katrina pummels rural schools,” Rural Policy Rural schools,” rural pummels Katrina “Hurricane 1. 5. Ibid. 5.

Introduction Southern Studies, 2006. Studies, Southern

Six Months After Hurricane Katrina,” Institute for Institute Katrina,” Hurricane After Months Six

SCHOOL SQUEEZE: Education SQUEEZE: SCHOOL 4. “Mardi Gras Index: The State of New Orleans by Numbers by Orleans New of State The Index: Gras “Mardi 4. 10. Ibid. 9. “A Report on Pre- and Post-Katrina Indigent Defense in 11. Ibid. New Orleans.” 12. “The Battle of Chef Menteur,” Gulf Coast Reconstruction 10. “Judge vows to free untried inmates.” Watch, July 13, 2006. 11. “City’s public defender system troubled before Katrina.” 13. Ibid. 12. Ibid. 14. “Toxic trash,” CNN, Oct. 5, 2005. 13. Ibid 14. Ibid. Storms Unleashed Oil-Spill Disaster 15. Ibid. 1. “Class action status approved in St. Bernard oil-spill case,” Associated Press, Feb. 1, 2006. 2. “Katrina turns oil-contaminated town into the epitome of SEARCH FOR SHELTER: Housing despair,” Associated Press, Nov. 21, 2005 Introduction 3. “Judge tells Murphy Oil to be more upfront with oil spill victims,” Associated Press, Nov. 15, 2005. 1. “N.O. man arrested after chase,” New Orleans Times- Picayune, Aug. 9, 2006. 4. “Murphy Oil hoping Louisiana residents settle before they sue,” Associated Press, Oct. 27, 2005. 2. “Judge rules for insurers in Katrina,” New York Times, Aug. 16, 2006. 5. “Spills from storms staining the coast,” The Houston Chronicle, Nov. 13, 2005. 3. “Nearly a year after the storm, homeowners will begin collecting Road Home grants of up to $150,000,” New 6. “EPA releases sediment sample results from Murphy Oil Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. 4, 2006. Spill,” EPA press release, Nov. 9, 2005. 4. Administrative Complaint to Department of Housing and 7. “Murphy Oil Spill Health Consultation,” ATSDR, Nov. 8, Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson, filed 2005. June 20, 2006.

In New Orleans, Uproar Continues Over Katrina Index Waste Dump 1. Katrina Index, The Brookings Institution, July 12, 2006. 1. “The Battle of Chef Menteur,” Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch, July 13, 2006. 2 Ibid. 2. Letter from LDEQ Assistant Secretary Chuck Carr Brown 3 Ibid. to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, July 21, 2006, 4 Ibid. www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/portals/0/news/pdf/7- 5 Ibid. 2106LettertoMayorNaginandPresidentThomas.pdf. 6. “New Orleans area adds 5,500 jobs,” Baton Rouge 3. “Groups sue state over landfill sites,” Baton Rouge Advocate, July 26, 2006. Advocate, Aug. 10, 2006. 7. “Katrina Index.” 4. “East N.O. landfill ordered to close,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. 15, 2006. 8. “Special Edition of the Katrina Index: A One-Year Review of Key Indicators of Recovery in Post-Storm New 5. “Denied reprieve, eastern N.O. landfill closes,” New Orleans,” The Brookings Institution, August 2006. Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. 16, 2006. 9. Katrina Index, July 12. Tracking the Toxic Storm: An Interview With Wilma Subra 10. “New Orleans area adds 5,500 jobs.” 1. www.leanweb.org 11. Katrina Index, July 12. 2. “Environmental and human health impacts of the 2005 12. Ibid. Katrina and Rita hurricane season,” presentation by 13. “5,000 public housing units in New Orleans are to be Wilma Subra, March 26, 2006, www.leanweb.org/katri- razed,” New York Times, June 15, 2006. na/wilmadata.html. 14. “Nearly a year after the storms, homeowners will begin 3. “Morbidity Surveillance After Hurricane Katrina- collecting Road Home grants of up to $150,000,” New Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, September Orleans Times-Picayune, Aug. 4, 2006. 2005,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 7, 2006. 15. Ibid. Stopping the Bulldozers of New Orleans LAW AND ORDER: Justice System 1. People’s Hurricane Relief Fund Web site, http://cluon- line.live.radicaldesigns.org/?p=81. Index 2. Katrina Information Network Reporter Resources, 1. “A Report on Pre- and Post-Katrina Indigent Defense in www.katrinainfonet.net. New Orleans,” Southern Center for Human Rights, March 2006. 3. The Advancement Project Web site, Press Release: http://www.advancementproject.org/press_releases.html 2. Ibid. #bullsett. 3. “Treated Like Trash: Juvenile Detention in New Orleans Before, During, and After Hurricane Katrina,” Juvenile FEMA Tests Trailers for Toxins Justice Project of Louisiana, May 2006. 1. “Citizens group criticizes FEMA trailers and homeowners 4. Ibid. Grant program,” WLOX-TV, July 19, 2006. 5. Ibid. 2. “Toxic Trailers?: Tests Reveal High Formaldehyde Levels 6. “City’s public defender system troubled before Katrina,” in FEMA Trailers,” Sierra Club, May 2006. USA Today, May 22, 2006. 3. “FEMA does U-turn, will test trailers for toxins,” 7. Ibid. MSNBC, Aug. 4, 2006. 8. “Judge vows to free untried inmates,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, July 29, 2006. 92

places to go,” New Orleans CityBusiness, July 10, 2006. 10, July CityBusiness, Orleans New go,” to places

Release, Sept. 8, 2005. 8, Sept. Release, 12. “Mentally ill patients in Louisiana still have too few too have still Louisiana in patients ill “Mentally 12.

States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Press Enforcement Customs and Immigration States

11. Ibid. Ibid. 11.

Hurricane Katrina Rescue and Security Efforts,” United Efforts,” Security and Rescue Katrina Hurricane

0 Ibid. 10. 17. “ICE Law Enforcement Support Proves Critical to Critical Proves Support Enforcement Law “ICE 17.

Online NewsHour, May 17, 2006 17, May NewsHour, Online 16. “Rebuilding After Katrina.” Katrina.” After “Rebuilding 16.

9. “Mississippi works to restructure health care services,” care health restructure to works “Mississippi 9.

2006.

8. Ibid. 8. Organizer, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, June Alliance, Rights Immigrant Mississippi Organizer,

15. Author interview with Victoria Cintra, Gulf Coast Gulf Cintra, Victoria with interview Author 15. AIDS Policy & Law, July 28, 2006. 28, July Law, & Policy AIDS

7. “HIV/AIDS services still hampered in New Orleans,” New in hampered still services “HIV/AIDS 7. 14. Ibid. 14.

6. Ibid. 6. 13. Ibid. 13.

Associated Press, June 19, 2006. 19, June Press, Associated Transfer, Tulane University, June 2006. June University, Tulane Transfer,

5. “Old Charity will be replaced by $1.2 billion complex,” billion $1.2 by replaced be will Charity “Old 5. Center for International Development and Technology and Development International for Center

Berkeley/Human Rights Center, UC-Berkeley/Payson Center, Rights Berkeley/Human 4. Ibid. 4.

Human Rights Law Clinic, University of California- of University Clinic, Law Rights Human

Press, July 29, 2006. 29, July Press,

Labor and Human Rights in New Orleans,” International Orleans,” New in Rights Human and Labor

3. “Post-Katrina, hospitals still struggling,” Associated struggling,” still hospitals “Post-Katrina, 3.

12. “Rebuilding After Katrina: A Population-Based Study of Study Population-Based A Katrina: After “Rebuilding 12.

2. Ibid. 2.

11. Ibid. 11.

1. Katrina Index, The Brookings Institute, August 2006. August Institute, Brookings The Index, Katrina 1.

Picayune, May 6, 2006. 6, May Picayune,

Index 10. “Kerry pledges to rebuke the SBA,” New Orleans Times- Orleans New SBA,” the rebuke to pledges “Kerry 10.

9, 2005. 9,

VITAL SIGNS: Health Health SIGNS: VITAL

9. “Slow business administration,” Washington Post, Dec. Post, Washington administration,” business “Slow 9.

Orleans Back Commission, January 2006. January Commission, Back Orleans

Picayune, May 6, 2006. 6, May Picayune, 8. “Economic Development Final Report,” Bring New Bring Report,” Final Development “Economic 8.

12. “Kerry pledges to rebuke the SBA,” New Orleans Times- Orleans New SBA,” the rebuke to pledges “Kerry 12.

Inc.com, Dec. 15, 2005. 15, Dec. Inc.com,

9, 2005. 9, 7. “Congresswoman calling for SBA chief’s resignation,” chief’s SBA for calling “Congresswoman 7.

11. “Slow Business Administration,” Washington Post, Dec. Post, Washington Administration,” Business “Slow 11.

6. Ibid. 6.

Compliance Programs, Dec. 9, 2005 9, Dec. Programs, Compliance

Times-Picayune, July 26, 2006. 26, July Times-Picayune,

Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Federal of Office Labor, of Department

5. “Katrina unemployment checks end,” New Orleans New end,” checks unemployment “Katrina 5.

Involved in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort Expired,” Effort Relief Katrina Hurricane the in Involved

4. Ibid. 4. 10. “Limited Exemption for Non-Construction Contractors Non-Construction for Exemption “Limited 10.

Statistics, Aug. 4, 2006. 4, Aug. Statistics, (2004); Sept. 9, 2005. 9, Sept. (2004);

3. “Employment Situation Summary,” Bureau of Labor of Bureau Summary,” Situation “Employment 3. reprinted as amended in 42 United States C. 2000e C. States United 42 in amended as reprinted

Efforts,” Exec. Order No. 11,246, 3 C.F.R. 339 (1964-65, 339 C.F.R. 3 11,246, No. Order Exec. Efforts,” Institution, August 2006. August Institution,

Government Re; Contracts for Hurricane Katrina Relief Katrina Hurricane for Contracts Re; Government Recovery in Post-Storm New Orleans,” Brookings Orleans,” New Post-Storm in Recovery

9. “Memorandum to all Contracting Agencies of the Federal the of Agencies Contracting all to “Memorandum 9. 2. “Katrina Index: A One-Year Review of Key Indicators of Indicators Key of Review One-Year A Index: “Katrina 2.

Sept. 8, 2005. 8, Sept. 1. U.S. Department of Labor, Oct. 7, 2005. 7, Oct. Labor, of Department U.S. 1.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement press release, press Enforcement Customs and Immigration

Index

Hurricane Katrina Rescue and Security Efforts,” U.S. Efforts,” Security and Rescue Katrina Hurricane

8. “ICE Law Enforcement Support Proves Critical to Critical Proves Support Enforcement Law “ICE 8.

Worker Justice Coalition, July 2006. July Coalition, Justice Worker

7924, Nov. 3, 2005. 3, Nov. 7924, Project/National Immigration Law Center/New Orleans Center/New Law Immigration Project/National

7. Proclamation by the President: Revoking Proclamation Revoking President: the by Proclamation 7. Reconstruction of New Orleans,” Advancement Orleans,” New of Reconstruction

9. “And Injustice for All: Worker’s Lives in the in Lives Worker’s All: for Injustice “And 9. Economic Policy Institute, Sept. 28, 2005. 28, Sept. Institute, Policy Economic

United States. “Gulf Families’ Recovery at Risk,” at Recovery Families’ “Gulf States. United Transfer, Tulane University, June 2006. June University, Tulane Transfer,

the lowest and the 15th-lowest, respectively, in the in respectively, 15th-lowest, the and lowest the Center for International Development and Technology and Development International for Center

construction workers in Mississippi and Louisiana were Louisiana and Mississippi in workers construction Berkeley/Human Rights Center, UC-Berkeley/Payson Center, Rights Berkeley/Human

6. Before Hurricane Katrina, the prevailing wage rates for rates wage prevailing the Katrina, Hurricane Before 6. Human Rights Law Clinic, University of California- of University Clinic, Law Rights Human

Labor and Human Rights in New Orleans,” International Orleans,” New in Rights Human and Labor Emergency Cause by Hurricane Katrina, Sept. 8, 2005. 8, Sept. Katrina, Hurricane by Cause Emergency

8. “Rebuilding After Katrina: A Population-Based Study of Study Population-Based A Katrina: After “Rebuilding 8. Limited Geographic Areas in Response to the National the to Response in Areas Geographic Limited

IV of Chapter 31 of Title 40, United States Code, Within a Within Code, States United 40, Title of 31 Chapter of IV 2006.

5. Proclamation by the President: To Suspend Subchapter Suspend To President: the by Proclamation 5. 7. “The Katrina Index,” The Brookings Institution, August Institution, Brookings The Index,” Katrina “The 7.

Security press release, Oct. 21, 2006. 21, Oct. release, press Security April 25, 2006. 25, April

Hiring Hurricane Victims,” Department of Homeland of Department Victims,” Hurricane Hiring 6. “Hector Barreto resigns as SBA chief,” Washington Post, Washington chief,” SBA as resigns Barreto “Hector 6.

4. “Notice Regarding I-9 Documentation Requirements for Requirements Documentation I-9 Regarding “Notice 4.

9, 2005. 9,

Security press release, Sept. 6, 2006. 6, Sept. release, press Security 5. “Slow business administration,” Washington Post, Dec. Post, Washington administration,” business “Slow 5.

Hiring Hurricane Victims,” Department of Homeland of Department Victims,” Hurricane Hiring

Associated Press, Oct. 4, 2005. 4, Oct. Press, Associated

3. “Notice Regarding I-9 Documentation Requirements for Requirements Documentation I-9 Regarding “Notice 3.

4. “Minority firms getting few Katrina contracts,” Katrina few getting firms “Minority 4.

Administration press release, June 28, 2006. 28, June release, press Administration

2006.

Mississippi,” Occupational Safety and Health and Safety Occupational Mississippi,”

Report,” Bring New Orleans Back Commission, January Commission, Back Orleans New Bring Report,”

2. “OSHA Resuming Regular Enforcement throughout Enforcement Regular Resuming “OSHA 2.

Inc.com, Dec. 15, 2005; “Economic Development Final Development “Economic 2005; 15, Dec. Inc.com,

press release, Aug. 31, 2005. 31, Aug. release, press 3. “Congresswoman calling for SBA chief’s resignation,” chief’s SBA for calling “Congresswoman 3.

Katrina,” White House, Office of the Press Secretary Press the of Office House, White Katrina,”

2. Ibid. 2.

1. “Fact Sheet: Federal Relief for the Victims of Hurricane of Victims the for Relief Federal Sheet: “Fact 1.

Aug. 1, 2006. 1, Aug.

Creating a Climate for Abuse Abuse for Climate a Creating

Business Establishments,” U.S. Bureau of the Census, the of Bureau U.S. Establishments,” Business

1. “The Impact of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma on Wilma and Rita Katrina, Hurricanes of Impact “The 1.

Worker Justice Coalition, July 2006. July Coalition, Justice Worker

Introduction Project/National Immigration Law Center/New Orleans Center/New Law Immigration Project/National

Reconstruction of New Orleans,” Advancement Orleans,” New of Reconstruction

MAKING A LIVING: Economy LIVING: A MAKING 18. “And Injustice for All: Worker’s Lives in the in Lives Worker’s All: for Injustice “And 18. 13. “Post-Katrina, hospitals still struggling.” 9. “Weekly disaster relief fund report,” Department of 14. Ibid. Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, July 17, 2006. 15. “Rebuilding Healthcare In Louisiana-A Blueprint for the Nation,” Modern Healthcare, June 19, 2006. 10. Ibid. 16. “Stress building in New Orleans,” Associated Press, Aug. 11. Ibid. 10, 2006. 12. “2006-2007 Priorities for the National VOAD Public 17. Ibid. Policy Committee Report,” National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Web site, Aug. 1, 2006, Feds’ Disaster Plans Still Neglect Nursing Home Residents www.nvoad.org 1. “Most people killed by Katrina were elderly, researcher 13. Ibid. finds,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Feb. 17, 2006. 14. “Certification of Presidential Electors,” Mississippi 2. “State probes 13 nursing homes, 4 hospitals,” Baton Secretary of State Web site, www.sos.state.ms.us. Rouge Advocate, Sept. 29, 2005. 15. Election results by parish, Louisiana Secretary of State, 3. “Homes’ evacuation plans failed,” New Orleans Times- Nov. 2, 2004. Picayune, March 26, 2006. 4. “Disaster Preparedness: Limitations in Federal SOUL OF THE GULF: Culture Evacuation Assistance for Health Facilities Should be Addressed,” GAO-06-826, Government Accountability Index Office, July 2006. 1. “Culture Committee Report,” Bring New Orleans Back 5. “Senator Grassley Comments on GAO Report on Disaster Commission, January 2006. Preparedness for Nursing Home Residents,” U.S. Fed 2. Ibid. News Press Release, July 20, 2006. 3. Ibid. Storm Sparks Revamp of Louisiana Medicaid 4. “Gulf Coast Report,” Southeast Tourism Society, 1. “ A pre-Katrina look at the health care delivery system for www.southeasttourism.org. low-income people in New Orleans,” Kaiser Commission 5. “Culture Committee Report.” on Medicaid and the Uninsured,” January 2006. 6. Ibid. 2. “Governor, State and Federal Officials Commit to Health 7. Ibid. Care Redesign,” Louisiana Governor Press Release, July 17, 2006. 8. Ibid. 3. “Louisiana Health Care System Focus of Redesign,” 9. Ibid. Department of Health and Human Services Press Release, 10. Ibid. July 17, 2006. 11. “They Got it Bad,” Offbeat.com, July 2006. 4. “Health care overhaul tall order,” New Orleans Times- 12. Ibid. Picayune, July 17, 2006. 13. Ibid. 5. “Report on Louisiana Healthcare Delivery and Financing System,” PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2006. 6. “Long-Term Care: Federal Oversight of Growing THE NEXT STORM: Hurricane Readiness Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waivers Should Be Strengthened,” General Accounting Office, July 7, Index 2003. 1. National Hurricane Center, Aug. 8, 2006. 2. “Extended range forecast of Atlantic seasonal hurricane DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Politics activity,” Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project, Aug. 3, 2006. Introduction 3. “Katrina was Category 3, not 4,” CNN, Dec. 21, 2005; 1. “Firm hired ex-Corps head before winning deal,” The “Levees’ construction faulted in New Orleans flood Hill, Oct. 25, 2005. inquiry,” Washington Post, Nov. 3, 2005. 2. “Southern Comfort,” Newsweek, Sept. 26, 2005. 4. “New Orleans shelters to be evacuated,” CNN, Aug. 31, 2005. 3. “23 wanna-be mayors vie to win New Orleans vote,” CNN, 5. Task Force Hope Status Report, Army Corps of Engineers, Apr. 21, 2006. June 4, 2006. 6. “Feds confirm fears of New Orleans flooding,” Associated Index Press, July 27, 2006. 1. Election results by parish, Louisiana Secretary of State, 7. “3 pumps burned up in light rainstorm,” New Orleans March 2, 2002. Times-Picayune, April 27, 2006. 2. Weekly voter registration statistics, Louisiana Secretary of 8. “Doubts raised about pump stations,” New Orleans State, May 22, 2006. Times-Picayune,” April 28, 2006. 3. Elections index, Louisiana Secretary of State Web site, 9. Ibid. www.sos.louisiana.gov. 10. Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration 5. “New Orleans re-elects Nagin as Mayor,” PBS NewsHour Task Force Web site, www.lacoast.gov. with Jim Lehrer, May 22, 2006. 11. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 12. Ibid. 7. Google Maps, maps.google.com. 13. Ibid. 8. Based on an average of $2.97 per gallon as reported by the 14. “Environmental groups are wary of corps report,” New U.S. Energy Information Administration for May 2006 Orleans Times-Picayune, July 12, 2006. and average fuel economy as listed at www.fueleconomy.gov. 15. “Red Cross faces another round of political heat,” The NewStandard, Feb. 28, 2006. 94

confrontation with House,” Associated Press, Aug. 2, 2006. 2, Aug. Press, Associated House,” with confrontation

16. “Senate approves more offshore drilling in Gulf, sets up sets Gulf, in drilling offshore more approves “Senate 16.

20, 2006. 20,

15. “Bill has $2.6 billion for La.,” Baton Rouge Advocate, July Advocate, Rouge Baton La.,” for billion $2.6 has “Bill 15.

Times-Picayune, July 30, 2006. 30, July Times-Picayune,

14. “Oyster deal may foster restoration,” New Orleans New restoration,” foster may deal “Oyster 14.

Task Force Web site, www.lacoast.gov. site, Web Force Task

13. Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration and Conservation Wetlands Coastal Louisiana 13. says,” Louisiana Weekly, July 31, 2006. 31, July Weekly, Louisiana says,”

4. “U.S. Katrina relief, recovery efforts lacking, U.N. body U.N. lacking, efforts recovery relief, Katrina “U.S. 4. Orleans Times-Picayune, July 12, 2006. 12, July Times-Picayune, Orleans

12. “Environmental groups are wary of corps report,” New report,” corps of wary are groups “Environmental 12. ASIL Insight, September 21, 2005 21, September Insight, ASIL

3. “Hurricane Katrina and Internally Displaced Persons,” Displaced Internally and Katrina “Hurricane 3. Times-Picayune, May 9, 2006. 9, May Times-Picayune,

11. “Pump operators want to see storm plan,” New Orleans New plan,” storm see to want operators “Pump 11. Law, Spring 2004 Spring Law,

International Law,” Georgetown Journal of International of Journal Georgetown Law,” International Orleans Times-Picayune, July 19, 2006. 19, July Times-Picayune, Orleans

on Internal Displacement to Become Customary Become to Displacement Internal on 10. “Drainage forecast cut at London Ave. Canal,” New Canal,” Ave. London at cut forecast “Drainage 10.

2. “Process and Prospects for the U.N. Guiding Principles Guiding U.N. the for Prospects and “Process 2.

Times-Picayune,” April 28, 2006. 28, April Times-Picayune,”

press release, July 11, 2006 11, July release, press 9. “Doubts raised about pump stations,” New Orleans New stations,” pump about raised “Doubts 9.

abuses to UN committee,” U.S Human Rights Network Rights Human U.S committee,” UN to abuses

Times-Picayune, April 27, 2006. 27, April Times-Picayune, 1. “US Human Rights Network presents report on Katrina on report presents Network Rights Human “US 1.

8. “3 pumps burned up in light rainstorm,” New Orleans New rainstorm,” light in up burned pumps “3 8.

Introduction

Inundation Maps,” press release, July 26, 2006. 26, July release, press Maps,” Inundation

www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/women/chart.html. 7. “Senator Vitter Comments on the Release of Corps of Release the on Comments Vitter “Senator 7.

Library,

Press, July 27, 2006. 27, July Press, Conventions,” University of Minnesota Human Rights Human Minnesota of University Conventions,”

6. “Feds confirm fears of New Orleans flooding,” Associated flooding,” Orleans New of fears confirm “Feds 6. 13. “Chart of Ratifications of Four Human Rights Human Four of Ratifications of “Chart 13.

Picayune, Aug. 2, 2006. 2, Aug. Picayune, 12. International Displacement Monitoring Centre. Monitoring Displacement International 12.

5. “Harvey Canal’s wall will be taller,” New Orleans Times- Orleans New taller,” be will wall Canal’s “Harvey 5.

Katrina, The New Press, 2006. Press, New The Katrina,

Orleans Times-Picayune, June 15, 2006. 15, June Times-Picayune, Orleans Black Intellectuals Explore the Meaning of Hurricane of Meaning the Explore Intellectuals Black

4. “Senate approves money for hurricane recovery,” New recovery,” hurricane for money approves “Senate 4. Katrina From a Global Perspective,” After the Storm: the After Perspective,” Global a From Katrina

11. Prof. Adrien Wing, “From Wrongs to Rights: Hurricane Rights: to Wrongs “From Wing, Adrien Prof. 11. Times-Picayune, Aug. 4, 2006. 4, Aug. Times-Picayune,

3. “Storm prods makeshift levee repairs,” New Orleans New repairs,” levee makeshift prods “Storm 3. UNHCHR, Feb. 11, 1998. 11, Feb. UNHCHR,

10. “Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement,” Internal on Principles “Guiding 10. York Times, May 25, 2006. 25, May Times, York

2. “Levees rebuilt just in time, but doubts remain,” New remain,” doubts but time, in just rebuilt “Levees 2. 9. Ibid. 9.

Colorado State University, Aug. 3, 2006. 3, Aug. University, State Colorado 2006.

Activity,” Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray, M. William and Klotzbach J. Philip Activity,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jan. 12, Jan. Rights, Human for Commissioner High U.N.

1. “Extended Range Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Seasonal Atlantic of Forecast Range “Extended 1. on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons,” Displaced Internally of Rights Human the on

8. “Report of the Representative of the Secretary-General the of Representative the of “Report 8. Another Storm Another

The Big Uneasy: New Orleans Remains Unprepared for Unprepared Remains Orleans New Uneasy: Big The 2005.

of Natural Disaster,” The Brookings Institution, March 5, March Institution, Brookings The Disaster,” Natural of

Beyond,” American Red Cross, June 23, 2006. 23, June Cross, Red American Beyond,” 7. “Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Situations in Persons Displaced Internally of “Protection 7.

Related Capabilities for the 2006 Hurricane Season and Season Hurricane 2006 the for Capabilities Related

2006.

to Improve and Enhance Its Disaster Response and Response Disaster Its Enhance and Improve to

6. “Indonesia lowers quake death toll,” CNN.com, June 6, June CNN.com, toll,” death quake lowers “Indonesia 6.

7. “From Challenge to Action: American Red Cross Actions Cross Red American Action: to Challenge “From 7.

www.internal-displacement.org.

9, 2006. 9,

5. International Displacement Monitoring Centre, Monitoring Displacement International 5.

6. “Relief rift persists, report says,” New York Times, June Times, York New says,” report persists, rift “Relief 6.

4. “Afghan Operation Update,” UNHCR, September 2005. September UNHCR, Update,” Operation “Afghan 4.

2001.

relatives for shelter,” Washington Post, Sept. 8. 2005. 8. Sept. Post, Washington shelter,” for relatives 5. “Red Cross blinks,” www.consumeraffairs.com, Nov. 15, Nov. www.consumeraffairs.com, blinks,” Cross “Red 5.

of Impacted Areas”; “Many displaced by Katrina turn to turn Katrina by displaced “Many Areas”; Impacted of

NewStandard, Feb. 28, 2006. 28, Feb. NewStandard,

3. “Hurricane Katrina: Social-Demographic Characteristics Social-Demographic Katrina: “Hurricane 3.

4. “Red Cross faces another round of political heat,” The heat,” political of round another faces Cross “Red 4.

Progress, www.americanprogress.org. Progress,

season,” Gannett News Service, May 18, 2006. 18, May Service, News Gannett season,”

Care Assistance in Louisiana,” Center for American for Center Louisiana,” in Assistance Care

3. “Red Cross vows to improve ahead of 2006 hurricane 2006 of ahead improve to vows Cross “Red 3.

Nov. 4, 2005; “Katrina by the Numbers: Need for Health for Need Numbers: the by “Katrina 2005; 4, Nov.

June 8, 2006. 8, June of Impacted Areas,” Congressional Research Services, Research Congressional Areas,” Impacted of

dination per GAO report,” U.S. Fed News press release, press News Fed U.S. report,” GAO per dination 2. “Hurricane Katrina: Social-Demographic Characteristics Social-Demographic Katrina: “Hurricane 2.

2. “Sen. Grassley gives FEMA, Red Cross low grade for coor- for grade low Cross Red FEMA, gives Grassley “Sen. 2.

Commissioner for Refugees Web site, www.unhcr.org. site, Web Refugees for Commissioner

Office, June 2006. June Office, 1. “Who is an internally displaced person?” U.N. High U.N. person?” displaced internally an is “Who 1.

2006 Hurricane Season,” Government Accountability Government Season,” Hurricane 2006

Index

FEMA and the Red Cross Should Be Improved for the for Improved Be Should Cross Red the and FEMA

1. “Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Coordination Between Coordination Rita: and Katrina “Hurricanes 1.

THE WORLD IS WATCHING: Human Rights Rights Human WATCHING: IS WORLD THE

Red Cross Addresses Post-Storm Missteps Post-Storm Addresses Cross Red

Efforts,” Landstar press release, April 18, 2006. 18, April release, press Landstar Efforts,” 2006.

4. “Landstar Recognized by U.S. DOT for Hurricane Relief Hurricane for DOT U.S. by Recognized “Landstar 4. 14, July CityBusiness, Orleans New landfill,” as lands

4. “Corps proposes using Mississippi River Gulf Outlet wet- Outlet Gulf River Mississippi using proposes “Corps 4.

Transportation Inspector General, June 30, 2006. 30, June General, Inspector Transportation

Disaster Relief Transportation Services,” Department of Department Services,” Transportation Relief Disaster 2006. 1, July Blog,

3. “Internal Controls Over Payments for Emergency for Payments Over Controls “Internal 3. Network Restoration Gulf fronts,” two on loss “Wetland 3.

Coast Reconstruction Watch, Jan. 19, 2006. 19, Jan. Watch, Reconstruction Coast 2006. 20, July Advocate,

2. “DOT Audit Probes Katrina Evacuation Fiasco,” Gulf Fiasco,” Evacuation Katrina Probes Audit “DOT 2. Baton-Rouge The La.,” for billion $2.6 has “Bill 2.

www.taxpayer.net/budget/katrinaspending/index.htm. 2006. 14, May Post, Washington

1. List of Katrina contracts, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Common for Taxpayers contracts, Katrina of List 1. The projects,” bad of flood A Corps: the for “Par 1.

Katrina Bus Fiasco Reveals Contracting Weaknesses Weaknesses Contracting Reveals Fiasco Bus Katrina Go’ ‘Mr. of Death and Life Strange The Contributors Suncere Ali Shakur is a New Orleans resident and organ- Ana Pardo is a freelance writer/photographer and civic izer with Common Ground Relief Collective. activist currently living in Raleigh, N.C. She works as a field organizer for Farm Labor Organizing Committee. Joe Atkins is a veteran reporter and professor of journalism at the University of Mississippi. William Quigley is a human rights lawyer and law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He is on the Pam Broom is a community building, nonprofit admin- board of advisors for Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch. istrator from New Orleans currently residing in Durham, N.C. She recently accepted a project coordinator’s posi- Aesha Rasheed is co-director of New Orleans Network, tion at Growing Power Inc., a leading urban agriculture an organizing tool for New Orleans-based groups work- and sustainable community food systems nonprofit in ing for a just and equitable rebuilding. She is a former Chicago. education journalist whose experiences covering New Orleans public schools transformed her into advocate Yolanda Carrington is an activist, community organizer, for equitable and effective public education. and writer. She lives in her hometown of Raleigh, N.C. Katy Reckdahl has worked as a news reporter in New Kristen Clarke-Avery is a civil rights attorney in Orleans since 1999. Her son Hector was born in New Washington, D.C. She worked with the NAACP on the New Orleans the day before the hurricane; they evacuated three Orleans elections this spring. days later to Phoenix. She recently returned to New Cailin Deery is an English student and intern for the Orleans to work on a year-long Katrina Media Fellowship. Institute for Southern Studies. Sean Reilly is a reporter with Newhouse News Service Rev. Lois Dejean is the interim director of the Gert Town based in Washington, D.C. Revival Initiative. She lives in New Orleans. Jeremy Scahill is a freelance journalist. He is currently Elena Everett is a program associate with the Institute a Puffin Foundation writing fellow based at The Nation for Southern Studies and on the editorial board for Gulf Institute. Coast Reconstruction Watch. Tim Shorrock is a freelance journalist based in Memphis, Jordan Flaherty is an editor of Left Turn Magazine and Tenn. Research for his articles was supported by a grant a community organizer based in New Orleans. from the Katrina Media Fellowships of the Open Society Institute. Jordan Green is an investigative reporter for Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch and associate editor of Southern Sue Sturgis is an independent investigative reporter Exposure. and editorial coordinator of Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch. She lives in Raleigh, N.C. Catherine Jones and Jennifer Whitney are organizers with the Common Ground Latino Health Outreach Project. Adrien Katherine Wing is the Bessie Dutton Murray Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Iowa Chris Kromm is the executive director of the Institute for College of Law. Southern Studies and publisher of Southern Exposure magazine.

Thousands of survivors gathered on bridges to escape flood waters, often waiting several days for evacuation. FEMA/ Marty Bahamonde 96 ABOUT GULF COAST RECONSTRUCTION WATCH

GULF COAST RECONSTRUCTION WATCH — www.reconstructionwatch.org — was launched in October 2005 to document and investigate the rebuilding of the Southern Gulf in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through original reporting, in-depth features, voices from community leaders, and other unique coverage, Watch aims to promote a more democratic and accountable reconstruction in the South.

Reconstruction Watch Editors Reconstruction Watch Board of Advisors Prof. Joe Atkins — Department of Journalism, University of Mississippi Sue Sturgis — Editorial Coordinator, Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch. Julian Bond — Distinguished Professor, American University [email protected] Steve Bradberry — Lead Organizer, New Orleans ACORN Chris Kromm — Executive Director of the Institute for Southern Studies and Jordan Flaherty — Co-Coordinator, New Orleans Network Publisher of Southern Exposure. [email protected] Carlos Guerra — Columnist, San Antonio Express-News Naomi Klein — Syndicated columnist and author, No Logo Elena Everett — Program Associate, Institute for Southern Studies and Gulf Darryl Malek-Wiley — Louisiana Environmental Justice Organizer, Sierra Club Coast Reconstruction Watch. [email protected] Sangita Nayak — Policy and Communications Director, Praxis Project Tram Nguyen — Executive Editor, ColorLines The Institute thanks the Investigative Fund of The Nation Institute, the Rappaport John O’Neal — Director, Junebug Productions (New Orleans) Family Fund, and contributors to the Bob Hall Investigative Action Fund for their sup- Dr. William Quigley — Professor, Loyola University New Orleans Law School port of Gulf Coast Reconstruction Watch. Lisa Seitz Gruwell — Political Director, Skyline Public Works

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN STUDIES/SOUTHERN EXPOSURE

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