Hurricanes
Public can comment at Scoping Meetings on work to be done by Corps
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold four public meetings in March to hear ideas on hurricane work across Louisiana. These public meetings will be “scoping” meetings in which the Corps seeks information from the public to help to determine the full scope of the issues to be considered in framing the Report to Congress and an accompanying Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Public meetings schedule: New Orleans—Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m., Health and Physical Education Center, University of New Orleans, Elysian Fields at Leon C. Simon Avenue. Thibodaux—March 14 at 6:30 p.m., Howard Johnson, 201 Canal Blvd., La. 20 and La. 308. Lake Charles—March 15 at 6:30 p.m., Baker Auditorium, Farrar Hall, McNeese State University. Lafayette—March 16 at 6:30 p.m., Cajundome, 444 Cajundome Blvd. In developing the Report to Congress the Corps of Engineers will consider ways to protect south Louisiana from Category 5 hurricane storm surges. The alternatives proposed may include the following: -Structural. Earthen levees or concrete walls with floodgates and other devices. -Structural-coastal restoration combination. -Structural with coastal wetlands and barrier island restoration commensurate to the level of structural fortification to protect against a Category 5 hurricane. -Non-structural. Elevating homes and improving evacuation plans, with coastal restoration. -No Action. Comments may also be submitted by mail, e-mail or fax to the Corps of Engineers officials listed below. The public may comment for the scoping document until March 27, 2006. Interested citizens should ask to be included on the mailing list. The public comments will be summarized in an appendix to the environmental impact statement. Where to send comments or questions: Report to Congress. Gregory Miller, project manager, New Orleans Engineer Environmental impact statement. Bruce Baird, biologist, New Orleans |
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Editors: For more about the meetings, contact Julie Morgan at the US Army Corps of Engineers Office in New Orleans at 504-862-2587 or John Wm. Hall, 504-862-2201. La. Dept. of Natural Resources coastal officials will also participate in these meetings, call DNR Public Information Office at 225-342-8955 for more information. |