Comments Due to Army Corps of Engineers by March 14th on Industrial Canal Expansion

This contains some of our comments to the Corps.

As you know, the history of the expansion of the Industrial Canal includes the uniform opposition by those neighborhood members and groups who line the canal. At present, there are many issues with the expansion that has led most of us to conclude that the canal needs to be moved to an un-populated area of St. Bernard Parish. We are working with elected officials from St. Bernard who are for this move, as well. Most folks recognize that the future of the Industrial Canal will continue to be against other expansion efforts, why not just move it to a place where the future won’t guarantee a fight?

The current basis for the log-ramming effort to expand at its existing location is based on out of date information. At the very least, a new Traffic Study should be conducted to give you the data that this site is out of date, past info suggesting anything positive about this site is out of date and that a new paradigm is needed since the largest ships cannot even navigate the Mississippi River, but a downriver site would be much closer for them.

As we requested at the meeting this week in the lower 9th ward, another hearing is necessary for the upper 9th ward side, which would also require an extension of the comment period to April.

As the near sole beneficiary of this log-ramming effort, post the Trump inauguration is his major fundraiser Boysie Bollinger, it is time for our Congressional delegation to request a GAO investigation into the misuse of federal funds on this project.

Of course, the St. Claude bridge needs work, a bikeway and pedestrian upgrade, and local residents should enjoy the benefit of jobs on this section of the canal.

This project should be moved away from urban areas and to where large barges towing hazardous cargoes could negotiate the river, away from the treacherous bends, and currents around New Orleans in the busiest and most dangerous section of the Mississippi River.

This project will not benefit the 9th Ward: in fact it will do much damage. Thousands of pilings will be driven that will damage historic structures in neighborhoods bordering the canal. Further construction dust, noise, vibration, exposure, disruption, devastation, are accompanied with guaranteed uncompensated risk, as the Corps’ arbitrary decisions are immune from lawsuit.

The 13-year construction project will create a bottleneck for transportation- and problems for residents, businesses, and all forms of transit that would paralyze this area. The demand that residents move from their homes is inhumane.

Fabricating studies, ruining wetlands, risking communities, and a lack of accountability to citizens and nation, along with the Corps’ history instructs that this project should be moved to an unpopulated area.

It is dangerous to disturb toxins in the canal bottoms and expose the community to further danger from their transportation and disposal. The environmental hazards to both our communities and anywhere they decide to dump these toxins is unknowable and potentially illegal.

All of these points constitute Environmental Racism.

We look forward to your response and to working with you to achieve a fair and impartial just solution for this project. Please accept this letter as our deep opposition to this project as it is currently proposed.