As far as government offices that can’t be trusted in New Orleans go, the Corps of Engineers is at the top of that list. The gross negligence that occurred when constructing the levees is what made Hurricane Katrina so devastating, and the Army Corps of Engineers is planning to reconstruct part of the Industrial Canal and residents are against it. And as a Loyola community, we should stand in solidarity with them against this renovation.
The Canal Will Kill website lays out the facts of why this is a threat to citizens here. Currently, the Corps of Engineers plans to renovate the lock in the Industrial Canal located in the 9th Ward. This would cost millions of taxpayer dollars. It would stand only to benefit national shipping and barge companies and those at the very top who profit off of New Orleans’ maritime trade.
Specifically, according to The Canal Will Kill NOLA organization, The Corps estimates the construction project will cost $951 million and endure 13 years, but recent reports are showing that the cost will be upwards to $1.4 billion.
The project will disrupt not only local traffic, but local economies on both sides of the canal, causing daily traffic jams for more than 50,000 people and putting those same people at serious risk during hurricane season. Some residents will need to “temporarily” move and only $58 million dollars has been set aside for massive relocation.
An interim bridge will be built during construction of a new bridge, destroying the nationally significant lock and landmark St. Claude Bridge. Not to mention the problems that have been caused recently by the gutting of the federal government and budget means that the Corps of Engineers will most likely be looking to cut costs, and they take no responsibility or liability when their projects have failed.
Can the government be trusted to take care of New Orleans? Historically, no. Can a government led by Trump and supported by the Landry administration be trusted? No, there is nothing to suggest from the past 2 years of Landry’s gubernatorial term and the past 3 months of Trump’s presidency that suggest they will do anything of benefit for the city or people of New Orleans.
As always the only people who will profit are the wealthy CEOs who only see New Orleans as the place that holds their profit margins. There are no benefits to the people of New Orleans. It will only be months and months of unnecessary construction, holding up people going to jobs, schools, and emergency services, especially when the bridges are up, which the Corps says is going to happen more after this construction. People’s homes and businesses will be uprooted all for increasing a profit margin and an executive’s salary.
As a Loyola community, we need to understand that being against this unnecessary government intervention in our city is a social justice issue, and it is imperative that we fight against this and support The Canal Will Kill NOLA campaign in fulfillment of our Jesuit values.
