BATON ROUGE – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal issued the following letter to the federal government requestinga pre-landfall federal disaster declaration in preparation for Hurricane Gustav, which could potentially make landfall in Louisiana by early next week. Governor Jindal has already declared a state of emergency:
August 27, 2008
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Through: Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop
Denton, TX
Dear Mr. President:
Under the provisions of Section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR Section 206.36, Subparts B and C, I request that you declare a major disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Gustav effective August 27, 2008. According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Gustav is projected to strike the eastern coastal parishes of Louisiana. The state began emergency protective measures on August 27, 2008, and is continuing.
In response to the situation, I have taken appropriate action under state law and have declared a state-wide state of emergency on August 27, 2008. Furthermore, I have directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on that day in support of the state-wide emergency declaration in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. A copy of the declaration of the state of emergency is attached.
I anticipate that the effects of the storm will overwhelm the capability of state resources and it is necessary that critical pre-positioning and other readiness requirements be provided through federal assistance. I request that federal resources be activated to assist with the evaluation of the incident and sheltering operations.
Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments, and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary to save lives and to protect property, public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting Public Assistance Category B Emergency Protective Measures to include Direct Federal Assistance statewide to address risk and host parish actions.
The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of state and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
• Department of Transportation is activating the state’s bus contract which will provide 700 buses to evacuate the population from at risk areas.
• Louisiana State Police is managing contra-flow evacuation routes.
• Department of Transportation has executed the truck contract to provide for evacuation of pets in the city of New Orleans.
• Department of Corrections will begin relocating prisoners from at risk areas on Friday, August 29, 2008.
• Department of Agriculture and Forestry is prepared to activate pet shelters.
• Department of Health and Hospitals has executed its emergency evacuation plan and is requesting ambulances.
• Louisiana National Guard has activated 3000 troops to perform prior scripted missions which include the transportation of logistics, security, assistance with contra-flow and search and rescue.
• The Department of Social Services is prepared to execute its shelter plan.
• The city of New Orleans has made preparations to execute its city evacuation plan, which includes an additional 130 buses at approximately H-65 hours.
• The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has activated its EmergencyOperationsCenter at a Level 3.
The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in response to this incident:
• FEMA Warm Cell is currently located at the JFO in Baton Rouge and is assisting the state in preparation of Hurricane Gustav.
I certify that for this emergency, the state and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.
In accordance with 44 CFR Section 206.208, the state of Louisiana agrees that it will, with respect to direct Federal assistance:
1. Provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements and rights-of-way necessary to accomplish the approved work;
2. Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the requested work, and shall indemnify the Federal Government against any claims arising from such work;
3. Provide reimbursement to FEMA for the non-Federal share of the cost of such work in accordance with the provisions of the FEMA-State Agreement; and
4. Assist the performing Federal agency in all support and local jurisdictional matters.
I have designated Mark Cooper as the Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR) and Fred Palmer as the Alternate GAR. I have designated Mark Riley as the State Coordinating Officer (SCO) and Mark DeBosier as the Alternate SCO for this request. Messrs. Cooper, Palmer, Riley and DeBosier will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.
Well, it’s time to slap some Mr. Zog’s sex wax on the ole’ surfboard, and get ready to head down south of Morgan City to Pt. Au Fer Island…. Not sure if I am going to use quick hump purple, or quick hump blue…. But I have a few days to make up my mind… Got my O’Neil body glove siliconed up, and looking to shred some knarly waves… Probably going to be singing some Hank Williams Jambalaya lyrics under a new moon (don’t think I will be able to see it, but what the heck, at least I’ll know it’s up there)…….SON OF A GUN GONA HAVE GOOD FUN ON THE… waiting for the swell in anticipation of the radical cuts to be made after getting my board on top…….. Waves like the ones I am expecting are really rare (like maybe once or twice a decade), but when they do come…… HOOOOOYAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!........ Ahhh, many, many, many moons ago ….. The United States Army Corp of Engineers Mississippi River District Command Headquarters, New Orleans, Louisiana……….. Sometime around 1996….. Concerned Citizens for Louisiana Coastal Restoration Committee type meeting……… The subject? Coast 2050 (or Ghost 2050, depends on how you want to look at it I suppose)…….. A young man steps up to the podium and informs the audience that as a result of the development of a new technology it is now possible to create cost effective artificial barrier islands in offshore Louisiana waters to suppress hurricane storm wave actions…………………………. And in 2005 several hundred million dollars worth of aid was extended to the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Governing body of the State of Louisiana so the creation of the same thing could become manifest in a rapid and economical fashion……….. So that Louisiana could be spared some of the associated detrimental effects commonly associated with hurricane activities that commonly occur in our state…… So, at 200 feet of protection installed per day since, ehhhh, 1998, by the time Aug. of 2005 arrived, there could have been around 96 miles worth of that medium in place…… And St. Bernard Parish probably wouldn’t have become anywhere’s near the ordeal it was for the citizenship there….. And today, there would be probably around 138 miles or so of offshore barrier islands in place…… Or roughly, from somewhere over in Chandeleur Sound to just shy of Pt. Au Fer Island…….. Or at 500 feet per day production, since 2006, there would be around 69 miles or so of artificial barrier islands in place, somewhere in offshore Louisiana waters……. So old timer, that is what would have prudently been acceptable as ‘taking responsibility’….. I did my part, and Louisiana failed to do its, and I am not merely speaking of our elected leaders, I am also including the monitor lizards that watch the buzzy boreds to make sure nothing like a STRONGCONCRETE technology is allowed to provide for the publics interests, and common good……. So now, instead of Gesundheit, we have Gustav, and then there is the next, and the next, and the next, and on and on and on………………………… Up and down the ABC’s because we don’t have good and common priorities…… SO…………………………. SURF’S UP DUDES AND DUDETTES!!!!!!!!!!! Written by
on 8/29/2008
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You too Sid. Now all that has to happen is that people heed the warning, make their preparations, and follow instructions in case of an evacuation. From the Panhandle of Florida to Texas everyone is praying for everyone else. Written by Sharon
on 8/28/2008
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It's called taking responsibility, instead of pre-blaming and pre-pandering. A lot has been done since Katrina to try and make Louisiana government accept its own responsibility. And the state (under demands from the feds) has worked hard to develop plans that can and are being implemented this time.
One more major improvement this time, we don't have Bob Odom playing politics with emergency fuel supplies this time around. Written by an old timer.
on 8/28/2008
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Much better than deciding how her response would sound to party bigwigs, or better than forming commissions, or hiring consultants to tell her what to wear or how to handle FEMA..we could go on for days. If we didn't learn anything from Katrina then all these so called public servants need to be shot and hung from the lamp posts. At least Jindal is appearing to be getting prepared unlike Blanco, nagin, etc. Written by Sid
on 8/28/2008
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I doubt it pretty seriously there sid, he is simply going through the motions... Anyone can do that...... Written by
on 8/28/2008
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Maybe this time we have a governor that is doing his job. Written by Sid
on 8/28/2008
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And maybe this time folks will evacuate like they were supposed to..... Written by
on 8/28/2008
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Maybe this time Bush will listen instead of posing for photo ops. Written by Billy
on 8/27/2008
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