New Orleans Crawfish Atlantis, SOWL's Prophetic Voices

WELCOME ALL HISTORIANS, RESEARCHERS, TRUTH SEEKERS

Louisiana and Florida politicians continue to bill and permit housing developments over wetlands, which protect us from hurricane tidal surges. SOWL can only continue at this point to provide historians with documentation of this environmental and economic destructive course. It’s only a matter of time before New Orleans becomes the Crawfish Atlantis.

100-Year Weather Forecast Worsens for New Orleans

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April 7, 1999
CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Senator Mary Landrieu
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510-1803

Dear Senator Landrieu:

Enclosed is SOWL letter to you dated November 19, 1998, requesting you introduce a resolution in the United States Senate to investigate our disappearing wetlands in Louisiana and the affect on flooding as well as our insurance rates. Hopefully the United States Senate can recommend steps to insure our remaining Louisiana wetlands are preserved." (See copy enclosed for your reference.)

As of this late date, no response from your office has been received. SOWL realizes you are busy supporting the bombing in Yugoslavia and it was announced in the New Orleans Times Picayune on April 2, 1999, your support of sending U. S. ground troops into this European War theater.

In the meantime, we, your constituents, have our own war. Louisiana has one of the highest rates of cancer and birth defects as a direct result of industrial toxic dumping.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers’ construction of the Mississippi River Gulf outlet is pouring Gulf of Mexico salt water into our rapidly eroding wetland hurricane tidal buffers. St. Bernard, Plaquemines and Orleans Parishes are sitting ducks for major flooding.

Also, the Corps, in conjunction with Louisiana state agencies, have been reckless in their rubber stamping of wetland destruction permits to land developers in St. Tammany Parish. And now, urban sprawl over once vast north shore coastal estuaries invite major flooding.

What does it take to get your attention? Do we have to be 12 feet under water? After we flood, will you fly over us in your big jumbo Washington airplane and bestow upon us your declaration as a federal disaster area?

We, your supporters, did not send you to Washington to perpetrate Ronald Regan's Star Wars. We, the people of Louisiana, sent you, Mary Landrieu, to Washington to address our problems in this State.

It's time to take your fingers off the nuclear trigger and address the problems here. We've already had our F. Edward Heberts in the United States Congress.

SOWL requests your response to SOWL's November 19, 1998, and now this letter in the near future.

Sincerely,

Save Our Wetlands

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Letter to Mr. James Lee Witt, Director of FEMA:
November 17, 1998 - Letter to Mr. James Lee Witt, Director of FEMA. Unfortunately, this once vast coastal estuary was permitted to be drained illegally, and possibly criminally, by various government agencies.

November 17, 1998
CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECIEPT REQUESTED
Mr. James Lee Witt
Director of FEMA
Federal Center Plaza
500 “C” Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472

RE: Approximately 2,600 flood plain acres scheduled for development on North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, Louisiana, East of I-10, T10S, R14E, titles Oak Harbor East and Lakeshore Estates

Dear Mr. Witt:

Unfortunately, this once vast coastal estuary was permitted to be drained illegally, and possibly criminally, by various government agencies. In regard to the historic background and documented drainage of this area, enclosed is a letter from SOWL attorney Arthur Lemann IV to Col. Frank Ellis and Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard dated March 26, 1998.

In line with the New Orleans Corps’ policy of permitting large scale developments on the North Shore of St. Tammany Parish in wetland-flood plains, without requiring an EIS under NEPA, the New Orleans District of the Corps of Engineers recently granted permits to St. Tammany Holding Corporation to develop a mega residential-commercial development in this area, extremely susceptible to hurricane tidal surges.

The devastation to lives and property from the coming flood to this area will be a disaster to all tax payers, and to our federal treasury, subsidizing federal flood insurance. It will, of course, result in increased insurance rates to all Louisiana taxpayers. And there might even come a time when the federal government might have to buy out the homeowners in this vast flood plain. The resulting loss to all of us could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

SOWL is attempting to stop development in this flood basin and, on September 21, 1998, filed suit in Baton Rouge (Time Picayune press clipping enclosed).

SOWL has also drafted a lawsuit hopefully to be filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans against the New Orleans District of the Corps of Engineers for violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, and Administrative Procedure Act.

SOWL is also requesting a United States Congressional and Senate investigation, relating to the destruction of Louisiana wetlands acting as barriers to flood surges, and the resulting economic chaos to our federally subsidized flood insurance program.

In the meantime, SOWL requests that your agency survey this area, to insure all height and FEMA building requirements are mandated upon the present and future builders. It is our understanding that a Holiday Inn is presently being constructed. Also, Slidell based O’Neil Theaters plan to build a movie megaplex in this flood plain (See Times Picayune press clipping enclosed dated November 14, 1998).

SOWL requests that your agency immediately contact St. Tammany Holding Corporation, Holiday Inn, and O’Neil Company’s President Mr. Tim O’Neil, the City of Slidell, the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury and any and all others to insure all FEMA requirements are mandated.

SOWL is not only concerned about the environment, but also about the economic well- being of SOWL’s over 1,200 taxpaying Louisiana citizens being forced to subsidize corporate buildings in our Louisiana flood plain coastal- estuary-wetland areas.

Please advise.

Sincerely yours,

SAVE OUR WETLANDS, INC.

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November 19, 1998: Letter to Congressman Robert Livingston:
As you are well aware, wetlands act as hurricane buffers and are rapidly disappearing especially on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish.

November 19, 1998 - Letter to Mr. James Lee Witt Director of FEMA:
Development by Wal-Mart, Sam’s Wholesale Club and Home Depot, mega commercial development over wetlands on North side of Slidell, Louisiana off I-12.

November 19, 1998 - Letter to Mr. James Lee Witt Director of FEMA:
Pursuant to SOWL’s letter to you dated November 17, 1998, concerning the above captioned, I have recently discovered a Corps report on flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969

September 23, 1998 - ARTICLE: Oak Harbor East Fight Continues with Lawsuit:
Although written opposition from environmental groups and others were substantial during the permit process, neither the Army Corps of Engineers nor the state departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources held a public hearing.

March 26, 1998 - TO: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers::
From Artuhr A. Lemann III & Associates, Inc. Attorneys At Law, Re: Permit Application of the Tammany Holding Corporation to develop approximately one thousand acres of land on the east side of I-10 across from Eden Isles. This letter summarizes the past illegal and criminal activities done by land developers, with the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, in destroying 5,200 acres of a vast wetland estuary on the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, the city of Slidell, LA. This area was originally called the Eden Isle subdivision.

March 27, 1995 - Dear Mr. President and Mr. Vice-President::
Please stand up for what is right and good and is in the economic interest of the public. Please stand up for our economic treasures and fortunes found in protecting and preserving our natural resources for future generations.

March 27, 1995 - House Republican’s efforts and determination to destroy the Clean Water and Endangered Species Act:
Can you explain why SOWL’s 20-plus year track record did not at least merit an invitation to Tauzin’s “Sham and Scam” congressional hearings held in Belle Chase recently? There was no proper notice of such hearings except for an article in the Times-Picayune the weekend before the hearing.

July 16, 2005 - ARTICLE: Arctic ice loss could hurt wetlands efforts; Melting may bring rise in coastal water:
The Arctic sea ice has decreased by 8 percent during the past 30 years and could decline at least 10 percent by 2100, according to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment.

July 15, 2005 - ARTICLE: Tryin’ To Wash Us Away:
Shrinking ice caps and glaciers in Antarctica and elsewhere could hasten a rise in sea levels over the next century and complicate the restoration of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, scientists say.

A Collection of Recent News Articles on Global Warming
Greenhouse gas 'threatens marine life'
Carbon Dioxide Levels at a New High
Carbon Dioxide Levels at a New High
TO: Honorable Mike Foster
Energy Policy Killing Our Coast
100-Year Weather Forecast Worsens for New Orleans
Wetlands Rules are Eased
Barrier islands must be rebuilt
Land Developers, Corps Ruin Lake?
Drained Wetlands: How Infirm a Foundation?
June 2, 2004 Lawsuit: SOWL vs. United States Army Corps of Engineers Col. Peter J. Rowan:
History of the Eden Isles, Oak Harbor & North Shore Estate subdivisions in Slidell Louisiana:
Corps ‘Footsie’ Game Charged:
Lawsuit- Save Our Wetlands vs. the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1975:

June 18,2004 - Lawsuit: SOWL (Glynn Brock) vs. St. Tammany Parish Council:
SOWL Lawsuit filed June 18, 2004, in 22nd Judicial District Court, Covington, LA, against the St. Tammany Parish Council contesting their issuance of a rezoning permit to Tammany Holding Corporation for the Lakeshore Village Estate 2 billion dollar Planned Urban Development (PUD) project adjacent to the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor subdivisions on the North shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, LA, smack dab in the middle of a hurricane tidal surge pathway. SOWL did not have the ability or resources to continue to appeal this lawsuit, but these lawsiuts are listed here for historical purposes and SOWL contends that the issuance of these permits was in bad faith.

June 17,2004 - LETTER: To: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality:
Letter from Gulf Restoration Network and other environmental groups. To Dr. Mike McDaniel, Secretary Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Office of the Secretary, detailing how the DEQ's public meeting on April 29, 2004, in Slidell, Louisiana, on Tammany Holding Corp.’s plans to obtain water quality certification for their expansion of the Oak Harbor and Lakeshore Estates subdivisions is shoveling smoke. This letter is a good indication of how the new democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco's administration is business bullshit as usual.

June 12,2004 - LETTER: SOWL’s Board of Director’s Resolution:
authorizing 3 separate lawsuits against Col. Peter J. Rowan, Governor Kathleen Blanco and St. Tammany Parish Council for approving Tammany Holding Corp.’s 2 billion dollar mega-city Planned Urban Development (PUD) on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, LA, adjacent to the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor subdivisions in illegally drained wetlands smack dab in the middle of hurricane tidal surge pathway. And SOWL’s letters to U.S. Congressional Committees on the hypocrisy of LA politicians requesting billions of dollars from U.S. Congress to restore LA wetlands and, at the same time, issuing any and all wetland destruction permits for shopping centers and housing developments.

June 08,2004 - ARTICLE: Wetlands Group Tries Courts Again:
Times Picayune article concerning SOWL’s two lawsuits filed against Corps of Engineers and DEQ granting permission to Tammany Holding Corporation to construct Lake Shore Village Estates adjacent to Eden Isles and Oak Harbor Subdivisions on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish-Slidell, LA

June 05,2004 - ARTICLE: Council Backs Lake Tract Project:
Times Picayune article concerning St. Tammany Parish Council granting zone changes to Tammany Holding Corporation to construct their 2 billion dollar mega-city titled Lake Shore Estate Village Planned Urban Development (PUD) on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain adjacent to the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor Subdivisions, St. Tammany Parish-Slidell, LA.

June 3,2004 - LAWSUIT: SOWL vs. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality:
Save Our Wetlands suit filed June 3, 2004, against Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Contesting their issuance of a Water Quality Certification to Tammany Holding Corporation for their proposal to construct a 2 billion dollar mega-city titled Lake Shore Estates Village Planned Urban Development (PUD) on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain adjacent to the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor Subdivisions in St Tammany Parish-Slidell, LA. SOWL did not have the ability or resources to continue to appeal this lawsuit, but these lawsiuts are listed here for historical purposes and SOWL contends that the issuance of these permits was in bad faith.

June 02,2004 - Lawsuit: SOWL vs. United States Army Corps of Engineers Col. Peter J. Rowan:
Save Our Wetlands lawsuit filed on June 2, 2004, in the U.S. District Court of New Orleans contesting the issuance of a permit to Tammany Holding Corporation by Colonel Peter J. Rowan in order to construct a 2 billion dollar mega-city over 650 acres of wetlands on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain adjacent to the Eden Isles and the Oak Harbor Subdivisions in St. Tammany Parish-Slidell, LA. Colonel Rowan concluded this 2 billion dollar project over illegally drained wetlands smack dab in the middle of a hurricane tidal pathway does not merit an environmental impact study under the National Environmental Policy Act. SOWL did not have the ability or resources to continue to appeal this lawsuit, but these lawsiuts are listed here for historical purposes and SOWL contends that the issuance of these permits was in bad faith.

May 12,2004 - Appeal to St. Tammany Parish Council:
SOWL’s appearance before the St. Tammany Parish Council in matters relating to the zoning change request made by Tammany Holding Corporation for their Lake Shore Village Estate on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish-Slidell, LA. Enclosed is SOWL’s May 12th, 2004, appeal made to the St. Tammany Parish Council asking them to reverse the Parish and Planning Zoning Commission approval of May 4, 2004.

Below are SOWL letters dated April 12, June 6, June 8, June 9 and June 12, 2004, written to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking Housing & Urban Affairs, the Senate and House Committee on Energy and National Resources and the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. These letters discuss the Lake Shore Village Estate Project and also surmise SOWL’s position on Louisiana coastal restoration.

Please note that none of the Congressional Committees nor the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers responded to any of SOWL's letters. As of now, Florida has been devastated by hurricanes Frances, Charley, Ivan and soon to be Jeanne. While these communities have been devastated, our government is spending billions of dollars for wars in the Middle East to monopolize oil and gas resources that the American population uses in vast amounts and, in turn, increases the green house effect, which heats up the global atmosphere and, as we all know, higher global temperatures fuel hurricanes.

April 12, 2004 - LETTER: U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs:
Re: Concerning U.S. Senate Bill 2238, sponsored by Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky. Bill to amend National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 – to reduce losses of property for which flood insurance claims have been made. SOWL's position is that while Louisiana politicians scream to the U.S. Congress for billions of dollars to restore Louisiana's eroding coastal zone, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and former Governor Mike Foster push and subsidize every wetland destruction permit for housing and shopping center malls. Also, the St. Tammany Parish Council rubber-stamps all wetland destruction proposals, causing a massive flood potential in St. Tammany Parish.

June 6, 2004 - LETTER: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs:
Concerning the present proposal to build a 2 billion dollar mega city called the Lakeshore Village Estates Project by Tammany Holding Corp. over a vast tract of illegally drained wetlands located in an unprotected flood plain on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, Louisiana – right smack-dab in the middle of a hurricane tidal surge pathway!

June 8, 2004 - LETTER: Senate and House Committee on Energy and National Resources:
Concerning the destruction of Louisiana Wetlands by Louisiana politicians’ Housing/Commercial development schemes, promoting such developments in low lying flood plains extremely susceptible to hurricane tidal surges.

June 9, 2004 - LETTER: U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Members:
Concerning the present proposal to build two billion dollar mega city titled the Lakeshore Village/Estates Project by Tammany Holding Corporation over a vast tract of illegally drained wetlands, located in an unprotected flood plain, extremely low lying and susceptible to hurricane tidal surges, situated on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, LA – right smack-dab in the middle of a hurricane tidal surge pathway!

June 12, 2004 - LETTER: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Enclosed are various documents and letters from Save Our Wetlands Inc. SOWL requests you place such on your official record concerning the federal – State Louisiana Costal Area Ecosystem Restoration Plan. SOWL feels these documents and letters best summarize SOWL’s position. SOWL requests they be placed in your official records for present and future coastal historians to study and ponder.

June 2004 - SAVE OUR LAKE-Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation:
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation publicly released a report in July 2002 commissioned by the University of New Orleans - Coastal Research Laboratory (UNO-CRL), entitled Urbanization Effects on Habitat Change in St. Tammany Parish.

June 5, 2005 - LETTERS: Three Open Letters to the U.S. Senate, RE: Senator Mary Landrieu’s Coastal Aid Bill:
SOWL is opposed to the Senator Landrieu-Billy Tauzin bill and supports the Permanent Protection for America Resources 2000 Act. The Landrieu bill encourages increased drilling activities by tying the state’s shares to production without enough safeguards to ensure the money is spent wisely. Oil company canals are a major reason for the loss of Louisiana wetlands. No drilling should be encouraged.