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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America's Wetlands Pushing Morganza's Leaky Levee Wall Around Louisiana

If we are to change our plight in Southeastern Louisiana's coastal region by reforming the Corps, at some point we are going to have to stop giving dollars and cents priority over human life and safety. We are going to have to peek behind the mask of America's Wetlands, and realize their platforms are tainted with $ and agendas from not only Shell, but also Conoco Phillips, British Gas, Dow, Exxon Mobil, Freeport McMoran, Chevron Texaco, Marathon Oil, British Petroleum, and T.Baker Smith.

Therefore, when America's Wetlands puts an "Action Alert" on their website urging Congress to vote for the WRDA, a red flag should immediately arise. Below is from America's Wetlands website:

1. ["ACTION ALERT: Bush Threatens Veto of Water Resources Bill

2. "Given the Water Resources and Development Act's urgent importance to coastal restoration, we encourage all of America's WETLAND's supporters to urge the President to sign WRDA into law. We ask that you contact President Bush via the email address below and that you pass the following message along to influential friends who will join our cause: After seven years, the Congress is sending the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to the President for signing in the near future. The measure authorizes projects critical to Louisiana's coastal restoration and hurricane protection, but the White House has indicated the President will veto. Our eroding coast will not wait another seven years, and we ask that you make your voice heard on this important matter by contacting the White House and urging that the President sign the bill into law. For immediate action go to www.paceonline.org and press the "Flood'Em Take Action" button or contact the White House directly by emailing comments@whitehouse.gov. Thank you for your help in the fight to save America's WETLAND."]

So what is America's Wetlands pushing here? They are pushing the Morganza to Gulf of Mexico "Leaky Levee" Pork Barrel Project opposed by practically every leading coastal scientists and engineer in the U.S.A., but favored by Louisiana politicians and Terrebonne-Lafourche Levee Districts, and by T. Baker Smith, the engineering firm that will greatly profit by building this WALL of Levees.

Mike Grunwald wrote an excellent featured article in Time Magazine dissecting how Morganza's Wall of Levees around Louisiana is likely to become another failed engineering Corps' boon doogle.

See also: http://saveourwetlands.org/formorganzaveto.html

A Key component of Morganza's "Leaky Levee" to Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Protection Plan is to build a LOCK in Houma Navigational Channel(HNC) supposedly to stop storm surges. But the HNC Lock proposal only adds to the Morganza-to-the-Gulf Pork Project, and will destroy Houma to fill the pockets of the oil companies and the "Good Old Boys." The Houma Navigational Channel(HNC) like MR-GO should be closed.

The lessons of Katrina and Rita show the consequences of a hundred years of gross policy imbalance, elevating industry interests and real estate development over community protection - in Lakeview, in New Orleans East, in Ninth Ward, in Gentilly, in Chalmette, in Slidell's Eden Isles and Oak Harbor subdivisions and so many other neighborhoods...

For over forty years, people of wisdom and conscience in St. Bernard Parish tried to get the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) closed - too late.

The MRGO channeled Gulf salt water into the adjacent wetlands and it channeled storm surge directly into Chalmette, St. Bernard, and New Orleans east.

Many are shocked and disturbed that the WRDA's Morganza project recommends for Terrebonne's safety only one control structure about half-way up the Houma Navigation Canal from the Gulf of Mexico - no improvements to the Gulf pass into the HNC, no improvements to the ship channel, no mitigation for the 25,000 acres of land the HNC has already destroyed, and not even a single dollar for restoration. See: Water Bill Criticized for its Pork Projects

Leading scientists questions the wisdom of using a single control structure that will be operated only a few weeks a year at mile 15 of a 30 mile canal as the foundation of the community's protection from salt water intrusion and storm surge.

Additionally, Morganza watchdogs peg the actual cost of building the proposed HNC Lock Complex, Morganza's keystone feature, at $400M-$500M dollars. Is that what your "hurricane protection" money is for?

Levees that work, built around our neighborhoods, homes, and businesses, on fastlands, where we can watch them are what's needed - not levees built out in the marsh or in practically open water choking off sustainable wetlands necessary for survival.

Save Our Wetlands has been working for over twenty years to hold industries accountable for their damage to our environment and to force changes in projects that destroy the wetlands which protect our communities. There are over 10,000 miles of oiler canals/navigational channels cut and left open to rot since 1920. SOWL is fighting to force oil companies to fill in these canals.

Terrebonne Parish's Sherriff Jerry Larpenter certainly recognizes the grave and imminent threat posed to Terrebonne's citizens by the Houma Navigation Canal. His proposed emergency measure to sink a ship in the HNC to block storm surge prompted the Terrebonne Parish Council to commission a $50,000 study of narrowing the HNC in three places. We applaud that local leadership seems to be aware of the issue, but we challenge them to act immediately and decisively to save Terrrebonne - Close the Houma Navigation Canal.

In the meantime America's Wetlands is pushing Morganza and the continuation of the Houma Navigational Channel. They even have incorporated the Gulf Restoration Network on their agenda as a participating sponsor. This is the reason the Corps will never be reformed, and even the Gulf Restoration Network(GRN) might have good intentions, their actions are tragic. The Gulf Restoration Network is a victim of the ever encompassing America Wetlands'- Shell Oil Company network of good old boys-tragic and sad indeed.