Scout's Obsession with the GAO: Perspective
The GAO released correspondance sent to Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. It is as update of briefings on Rebuilding Efforts in the Gulf Coast that were given to staff and meant to assist in the committee's oversight responsibilities. (Yeah I'm still waiting for some of that from Joe)
At any rate there is nothing really new here. They once again make this very important point...
While the federal government has provided billions of dollars in assistance to the Gulf Coast, a substantial portion of this aid was directed to short-term needs, leaving a smaller portion for long-term rebuilding.
They lay out the nagging questions still hanging there awaiting answers...How much is rebuilding going to cost, how much cost will the feds bear and are current funding delivery mechanisms effective.
What was interesting in the correspondance was the graphic below which compares the impact in terms of casualties, cost of damage, homes destroyed, homes damaged, people evacuated and displaced for Hurricanes Camille, Andrew and Katrina (notice GAO refers to Katrina AND NOLA levee breaks--good one).
Just look at this.(can click on image for better view) Camille is the black spot, Andrew is the striped area and Katrina/NOLA levee breaks is the large grey area. There's some perspective....
if had been just a hurricane event, it would have been a blip for new orleans as well.
Posted by: pansypoo | June 29, 2007 at 23:38
The only point of contention I have is that if 2,000,000 million evacuated prior to Katrina, who was left at the Superdome?
This is somewhat factious but the Miami MSA population in 1992 was 2,011,174. I don't think the evacuation was as successful as the New Orleans evacuation in 2005, which was over 90% by most figures. The New Orleans MSA was 1,046,399 in 2005.
It don't add up.
BTW Andrew missed Miami and hit farther south and the USACOE didn't build faulty levees around Homestead.
Posted by: mominem | June 30, 2007 at 22:10
2 million would be for all of Katrina so I imagine includes all evacuated in Louisiana and MS
Posted by: scout | June 30, 2007 at 23:28
gah!
eep.
[speechless]
Posted by: mdhatter | July 01, 2007 at 21:09
mominem -
I can't imagine it's limited to the New Orleans MSA.
Posted by: mdhatter | July 01, 2007 at 21:12