Building Category 5 protection, however, is proving to be an astronomically expensive and technically complex proposition. It would involve far more than just higher levees: there would have to be extensive changes to the city's system of drainage canals and pumps, environmental restoration on a vast scale to replenish buffering wetlands and barrier islands, and even sea gates far out of town near the Gulf of Mexico.
The cost estimates are still fuzzy, but the work would easily cost more than $32 billion, state officials say, and could take decades to complete.
Sure, we could fund protection of New Orleans for a lifetime for that sum. But that kinda money could buy a few weeks of occupaton in Iraq. Why do civil engineers hate America?
Hey, we're in Iraq so that when Slim Bob needs a pack of cigarettes he can get it in the car and go get it.
A few people today at town meeting with mayor Nagin raised the Iraq spending analogy.
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- bill 11-29-2005 4:07 pm
Sure, we could fund protection of New Orleans for a lifetime for that sum. But that kinda money could buy a few weeks of occupaton in Iraq. Why do civil engineers hate America?
- mark 11-29-2005 7:37 pm [add a comment]
Hey, we're in Iraq so that when Slim Bob needs a pack of cigarettes he can get it in the car and go get it.
- tom moody 11-29-2005 8:21 pm [add a comment]
A few people today at town meeting with mayor Nagin raised the Iraq spending analogy.
- jimlouis 11-30-2005 2:53 am [add a comment]