Mitch Landrieu: “in Louisiana, hurricanes and floods are as much a part of life as crawfish boils and Mardi Gras. Twenty percent of the…”

“in Louisiana, hurricanes and floods are as much a part of life as crawfish boils and Mardi Gras. Twenty percent of the coastal zone of my State lies below sea level, including 80 percent of our largest city New Orleans. Because of this our State has one of the finest and extensive levee systems in the world. Our communities have well developed flood plain management plans. We have built flood walls to protect neighborhoods from rising waters and homeowners in flood zones have built their houses on stilts. Even with all of this preparation, flood damage does occur. It is estimated that Louisiana suffered more than $47 million in losses from flooding in 2003. To address this, 377,000 property owners participate in the National Flood Insurance Program--a program that is a real godsend to the people of my State. This program is fully financed by insurance premiums paid by property owners to cover damage to their homes and businesses as a result of flooding. The program also provides funding for property owners to flood-proof their homes under the mitigation grant program. They can use these grants to put their homes on stilts, improve drainage, and obtain waterproofing materials. All the people in my state ask for is a warning and an opportunity to protect themselves, their homes, and their loved ones from these disasters.”