D Peter Maus wrote:





Like I said. I was there. Blanco's press release directly conflicts
with the facts.


Ever hear the expression "can't see the forest for the trees"?

Issued by Louisiana Governor's Office
"Press Release
Date: 8/27/2005 [Saturday]
Contactenise Bottcher or Roderick Hawkins at 225-342-9037

Governor Blanco asks President to Declare an Emergency for the State of
Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina

BATON ROUGE—Today Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco forwarded a letter
to President Bush requesting that he declare an emergency for the State
of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina. The full text of the letter follows:

August 27, 2005
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C.

Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76209

Dear Mr. President:

Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206
(Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you
declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina
for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The
affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New
Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and
northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the
thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded
as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State
law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26,
2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of
Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the
evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation
Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs
and Sheltering Plan.

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, protect
property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of
a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures,
direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP)
assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal.

Preliminary estimates of the types and amount of emergency assistance
needed under the Stafford Act, and emergency assistance from certain
Federal agencies under other statutory authorities are tabulated in
Enclosure A.

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 Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters
(SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.

• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and
establishing (3) on Standby.

• Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP):
Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.

• Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased
evacuation of the coastal areas.

• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the
evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and
Rescue Missions.

• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD):
Coordinating traffic flow and management of the evacuations routes with
local officials and the State of Mississippi.

The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other
Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in responding to this
incident:

• FEMA ERT-A Team en-route.

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.

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives
and protect property.

(a) List any reasons State and local government cannot perform or
contract for performance, (if applicable).

(b) Specify the type of assistance requested.

In accordance with 44 CFR § 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, easement, and
rights-of-ways 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.

In addition, I anticipate the need for debris removal, which poses an
immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety.

Pursuant to Sections 502 and 407 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5192
& 5173, the State agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United
States of America for any claims arising from the removal of debris or
wreckage for this disaster. The State agrees that debris removal from
public and private property will not occur until the landowner signs an
unconditional authorization for the removal of debris.

I have designated Mr. Art Jones as the State Coordinating Officer for
this request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
in damage assessments and may provide further information or
justification on my behalf.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Governor
Enclosure