America's Venice

America's Venice

CNN & Fox News (received via e-mail alerts) have announced that New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina's near miss must be entirely evacuated; per the order of Louisiana's Governor ... due to a major two block long breach in the major lakefront Lake Ponchartrain levee. Lake waters are pouring into the city and are flooding entier northern sections of the city -endangering rescue and refugee centers. Love the old town (never seen enough by this blogger) or hate it for its city ways and natural costs and climate (as some do) ... it has become an American committment through wisdom & folly and through politics & money to save and sustain New Orleans. It has become an American Venice in cost, romance and history. New Orleans is a good and feasible river delta port and container shipping center .. but it is soft and low ground. Half to three quarters of a million people live there. If it were to become a giant harbor island and shipping financial district with tourist sectors that might be different. However people do live there, and invest there. Government has committed to keeping New Orleans city as the last great floodplain conserve .. build for it and protect it then with feasible diking and pumps -inside and out and portable as well. That would sustain insurance and investment. Should the Governor and state government fail to address the city's distress ..then place it under a management district of the US Army Crps of Engineers and put the generals in charge until it is safe again. Flooding aside -- the city and her people risked a stay in a cesspool. Political realties and -yes- the benefit of the Union dictate help - but noting that it is other peoples money as well. State government should be permitted its contribution and direction - but due to the Federal need and expertise ... unless you and your state and city are privately capitalizing ... then it will be a 'God Committee' in which Louisiana participates with the Feds -- or go it alone and die as a ghost town. International money would flow out with the Federal exit. In best public health and disaster management the city should have been evacuated to repair it .. all modern science for surveys and record keeping will save properties - which may also be sold. In the very least -- the federal and State funding of New Orleans flood protection as an encouragement -- deserves a follow through of temporary public rent subsidized sheltering. Can we build as fast as WWII barracks on bases? Lets show the nation and the world .. and despite its thrall 'Fuck the Big Easy' as a mentality. This will be the greatest urbanology undertaking in modern US history .. and a good and sad test for modern times which may face a disaster burdened city anytime. I'd guess it's like rebuilding Atlanta.