The ACoE estimates that it needs about $2.5 billion to do the work necessary to protect New Orleans from another Cat-5 hurricane. So what about the other $37.5 billion that Louisiana's senators (one of whom is a REPUBLICAN)?
They propose creating a "Pelican Commission" controlled by Louisiana residents! The most corrupt state in the nation would control $40 billion of your tax dollars, of which $37.5 billion is simply like giving ice cream to a kid who bonked his head -- a soothing item to offset injury.
But this gets worse:
[The Pelican Commission] would decide which Corps projects to fund, and [the proposed bill] ordered the commission to consider several controversial navigation projects that have nothing to do with flood protection. The Corps section of the Louisiana bill, which was supported by the entire state delegation, was based on recommendations from a "working group" dominated by lobbyists for ports, shipping firms, energy companies and other corporate interests.
The bill would exempt any Corps projects approved by the commission from provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. It would also waive the usual Corps cost-sharing requirements, ensuring that federal taxpayers would pay every dime.
Worst of all, the Republican "controlled" Congress is so spineless that it will likely give most of the money sought and the President, who lost his veto stamp upon entering office, will sign the bill.
Ugh.
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