Home
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.

Letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

June 12, 2004
To: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

C/O General comments on any aspect of
the Louisiana costal area submitted
on the Web at www.lca.gov

Dear 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.

These documents and letters submitted are as follows:

  1. SOWL April 12, 2004 letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs c/o Senator Richard Shelby R. Alabama, Chairman and Senator Paul Sarbanes, D-MD Ranking Member

  2. May 12, 2004 SOWL appeal to St. Tammany Parish Zoning Commission Hearing and Decision on Tuesday, May 4, 2004, amending the conditions of the Lakeshore Estates and Lakeshore Villages Planned Unit Developments.

  3. SOWL June 6, 2004 letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs c/o Senator Richard Shelby R. Alabama, Chairman and Senator Paul Sarbanes, D-MD Ranking Member

  4. SOWL June 8, 2004 letter to Senate and House Committee on Energy and National Resources c/o Senator Pete Domenici R-New Mexico and Rep. Joe Barton R-Texas

  5. SOWL June 9, 2004 letter to U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee c/o Senator James Inhofe R. Oklahoma

  6. Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation July 2002 Report commissioned by the University of New Orleans – Costal Research Laboratory, entitled Urbanization Effects on Habitat Change in St. Tammany Parish.

  7. March 26, 1998 letter from SOWL attorney, Arthur Lemann IV, to Col. Frank Ellis, Division Inspector General and to Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This letter summarizes the illegal and ciminal diking, daming and draining of the 5,200 acres of wetlands – estuaries on the North Shores of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, Louisiana. This area is now the Eden Isles and Oak Harbor Subdivisions and is presently part of the 2 billion dollar proposed mega city project of Tammany Holding Corporation called the Lakeshore Villages/Estate Project.

  8. SOWL lawsuit filed June 1, 2004 in U.S. District Court, New Orleans against Col. Peter J. Rowan, District Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District. Basically, SOWL is challenging Peter Rowan’s final decision that the Lakeshore Village/Estate Project destroying 650 acres of wetlands and costing 2 billion dollars will not have a significant impact on the quality of the environment as to require an Environmental impact study under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). SOWL is contending among other things that Colonel Peter J. Rowan is inviting a 2 billion dollar mega city to be constructed in the face of unprotected hurricane tidal surges that will eventually lead to countless loss of human lives and billions of dollars in property damages! This mega city project is being proposed by Tammany Holding Corporation on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, St. Tammany Parish, Slidell, Louisiana.

Again, please file this letter and supporting documents accordingly. Please inform where on your Website, this SOWL information will be located.

Respectfully,
Save Our Wetlands, Inc.

CC: U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
C/O Senator Richard Shelby, R. Alabama Chairman
Senator Paul Sarbanes, D. MD Ranking Member

Senate and House Committee on Energy and National Resources
C/O Senator Pete Domenici R – New Mexico
Representative Joe Barton R – Texas

U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Members
C/O Senator James Inhofe, Chairman – R. Oklahoma

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Save Our Wetlands Inc.(SOWL) has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Save Our Wetlands Inc.(SOWL) endorsed or sponsored by the originator. For more information go to:www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.