A Decade after Katrina, Groups Issue Recommendations for Community Protection, Restoration
The MRGO Must Go Coalition’s report – titled 10th Anniversary of Katrina: Making New Orleans a Sustainable Delta City for the Next Century – reflects on the progress that has been made since Hurricane Katrina and offers recommendations for ensuring the full protection and long-term resiliency of the Greater New Orleans communities, including implementing a "Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy" to protect coastal communities and wetland habitat.
In conjunction with the report release, members of the MRGO Must Go Coalition released the following statement today:
"Hurricane Katrina brought to the forefront the dire need to improve the resilience of New Orleans and its coastal neighbors. Katrina barreled onshore, churned through MRGO, and wreaked havoc in the Greater New Orleans area – showing us that levees alone are not enough to protect our people, natural resources and economy.
"Today, our coastline continues to disappear at the alarming rate of a football field every hour. As coastal wetlands wash away, with them goes our natural defenses. Healthy wetlands and barrier islands serve as natural buffers, defending us against storms. Without slowing down this land loss crisis, we will continue to be vulnerable to storms, sea level rise and the growing risks of climate change.
"Ten years later, we have made great strides toward both restoration and protection. The closure of MRGO, the passing of the 2012 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, the adoption of an Urban Water Plan and major upgrades to structural protections like levees and storm surge barriers are all true marks of progress for our region.
"However, the critical work to achieve protection and resiliency is really just beginning. We must continue to implement a Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy against storms – including community level planning and preparedness, urban storm water management, and protecting and restoring our coastal wetlands. We must build on the momentum of the last decade and continue to work to make New Orleans a model city for restoration, resiliency and sustainability."
Related Resources
More information
The MRGO Must Go Coalition
Sign Up for Updates
Take the Clean Earth Challenge and help make the planet a happier, healthier place.
Learn More
A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs.
Read MoreMore than one-third of U.S. fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. We're on the ground in seven regions across the country, collaborating with 52 state and territory affiliates to reverse the crisis and ensure wildlife thrive.
PO Box 1583, Merrifield, VA 22116-1583
800.822.9919
Share
