Looking into the future the Pelican feeding its young from a self-induced wound in its own breast (as depicted, mysteriously, on the state flag of Louisiana) is accepted as an appropriate symbol of both self-sacrifice and rebirth. Through his selfless efforts, man is raised from the slavery of ignorance to the condition of freedom conferred by wisdom. Given the current state of affairs in Louisiana, one hopes that the understanding of the Pelican as a symbol shall point the way towards a new consciousness of ourselves as a whole, and lead us to face our futures with strength, grace, wisdom and faith, to learn from our mistakes and carry our successes and zest for living to future generations.

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A Summary Analysis of the Failure to Close the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet(MRGO)

March 23,2007

Before Hurricane Katrina the closure of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet(MRGO) was not going to happen internally from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It would have to come from political pressure from U.S. Louisiana Senators like Mary Landrieu and Senator Breaux. We all knew the Corps was not going to do it. The Corps is no more than a puppet for the shipping interests, and remember they receive $millions of Congressional dollars yearly to dredge and maintain the monster they created.

Save Our Wetlands(SOWL) proved the Corps was a corrupt organization back in 1975 when SOWL filed its first lawsuit. SOWL requested that a special Grand Jury be formed to investigate the Corps for criminally permitting the diking and damning of 5,200 acres of navigable wetlands estuaries on the North Shores of Lake Pontchtrain. The area that is now known as the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor Subdivisions, which were devastated by Katrina.

Breaux provided lots of leadership for the oil and gas industries, and became recognized as a Democrat devoted to the Bush agenda. However, when Landrieu was first elected, she presented hope to SOWL that possibly change was in the air.

SOWL wrote her letters [November 19^th 1998, April 7^th 1999] concerning the introduction of legislation in the U.S. Senate, requiring an investigation into the Corps permitting destruction of Louisiana's coastal zone, and also the proposition that the "permitting" authority for wetland development be transferred from the Corps to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agencies.

SOWL received no response. SOWL then sent letters to Landrieu blasting her ignoring the MRGO issue and the destruction of Louisiana's coastal zone by the Corps, and for supporting the Bush war machine invasion of Bosnia.

SOWL soon discovered that Senator Mary Landrieu was no more than a "Bennett Johnston in a skirt". She was more interested in promoting drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge than demanding closure of the MRGO...more interested in promoting nuclear power than the closure of the MRGO.

1. Letter To Senator Mary Landrieu’s RE: Deadly Oil Spill in Breton Sound Kills 400 Pelicans - Your coastal aid bill promoting more oil coastal drilling only increases the inevitability that more pelicans and wildlife will be killed in large numbers by the oil industry. Your vote to drill in our Arctic Wildlife Refuge Center will also result in the countless deaths of more wild creatures and loss of our economic natural resources.
2. 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 support 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.
3. Beware of Senator Mary Landrieu's Contradictory Environmental Policies - Senator Landrieu's denial of energy conservation, fuel cell technology, solar and wind energies is forcing this country to the same old economic chaos of mid east OPEC dependency, and foreign wars and high gasoline prices.
4. Landrieu Makes Environmentalists Blood Boil - Senator Landrieu supports President Bush's push for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and goes so far as to say that environmentalists have gone "too far" in trying to block the drilling. SOWL demands Alternate Energy and Conservation NOW.
5. Environmentalist 'Shocked' at Tirade - Adam Kolton of the Alaskan Wilderness League said he was 'shocked and alarmed' by Landrieu's comments. He said they are reminiscent of those delivered by conservative Senate Republicans who routinely demonize environmentalists.

How about Governor Foster? His Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ) became notorious among Louisiana environmentalists for rubber stamping any and every wetland development permit requested. For example, the Foster adminstration appropriatted $11 million dollars to destroy over 246 acres of wetlands for a golf course and housing development in a flood plain adjacent to Bayou Segnette State Park in Westego, Louisiana.

1. Suit Filed to Stop West Jeff Golf Course RE: Destruction of 196 acres of wetlands in Westwego, LA Hoping to halt the development of a $20 million golf course on 250 acres of West Bank wetlands, an environmental group has filed suit against Gov. Foster and Commissioner of Administration Mark Drennen, alleging the state's top executors are mishandling the public's trust and money.
2. Letter to Jefferson Parish Council Members March 28, 2001 - RE: 250 acres of wetlands near Bayou Segnette State Park proposed to be developed into a $20 million golf club near Westwego. Please be advised I represent Save Our Wetlands, Inc. (SOWL) consisting of over 1,200 Louisiana citizens outraged because of the rampant destruction of 250 acres of Louisiana wetlands in connection with the proposed golf course in Westwego, Louisiana.
3. Letter to Professional Golfer's Association (PGA) - RE: Destruction of 196 acres of wetlands in Westwego, LA for construction and development of a PGA Compaq Classic golf course. "It is SOWL's opinion that the PGA should adopt a policy to withdraw the agreement to contribute $10 to $12 million to help and develop this golf course because of its destruction of Louisiana wetlands."

Foster provided no leadership in closing the MRGO. Foster like all Louisiana politicans was busy making $money for his corporate backers.

What about Blanco? Again like Landrieu, Blanco gave SOWL a hint of hope that the Louisiana DEQ would be different. However, SOWL soon discovered Blanco's DEQ would be business as usual. Her true colors became apparent at a DEQ meeting in Slidell, relating to the Tammany Holding Corporation's highly controversial request to expand Pirate's Harbor Canal behind the Eden Isle and Oak Harbor Subdivision in Slidell. SOWL's experience with Blanco's DEQ was that her adminstration was more devoted to granting permits to wetland developers than the closure of the MRGO.

There was simply no political leadership from a federal or state level pre-Katrina to close the MRGO. The leaders of St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish pleas to close the MRGO were just ignored.

And how about Mayor Nagin? Even after Katrina the best Nagin came up with was "yes Mr-GO is a disaster, but we're stuck with it." Also pre-Katrina Nagin had grandiose plans to develop a Hong Kong type airport over Lake Pontchtrain. SOWL's position on Nagin is that he's just a puppet for Shell and other corporate interests. Nagin is more interested in "Privatizing" than demanding the MRGO closure.

Even Mitch Landrieu in his mayoral campaign avoided confronting the issue.

Failure to close the MRGO is a reflection of our governments non-action. A government not of the people, but controlled and dominated by mega-corporations which Eisenhower warned us about in his departing speech to the military industrial complex. This corporate control results in a disaster to the lives and welfare not only of Louisiana citizens, but to humanity worldwide, and to the sustainable future of our very planet. And it makes no difference if that government is Democrat Clintons or Republican Bushies, or Democrat Landrieu-Breauxs or Republican Vitter-Jindals. Their allegiance is to the corporations that gave them the $ to get elected. Their allegiance is to the oil-gas-shipping-war machine that murders over 600,000 Iraqi and Afghani civilians, and covers up the truth of 9-11, and the murders of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy.

And in the meantime the MRGO stays open despite the repeated pleas of Save Our Wetlands Inc.(SOWL), and others.