The US Army Corps of Engineers and the engineering community are ramping up their campaigns to shift blame for the metro New Orleans flooding away from themselves and onto the citizens/victims.

Actual blame for the catastrophic flooding during Katrina lies at the feet of the Corps of Engineers because the agency, by federal law, is solely responsible for the design and construction of the levees.

But ever since the August 29, 2005 flood, the Corps of Engineers and its consultancy communities have been more concerned with protecting their own reputations than with finding out the truth.

After the spectacular public failure of the Corps of Engineers’ system in New Orleans, the Corps has consistently blamed the citizens of Louisiana for the catastrophic flooding using a combination of spin and half-truths.

And upcoming lawsuits in the New Orleans area have further energized the Corps of Engineers and the engineering community.

We invite you to join a new Team of people to respond to this PR campaign that has already begun.

If you join this important new Team, you will have a critical role in preserving and protecting New Orleans.

Want to know more? Click here and say “I want to know more.”

And if you live and work away from metro New Orleans, this is a truly powerful way you can help your family and friends in the City and the land you love.

Sincerely,
Sandy Rosenthal
Founder, Levees.org
www.levees.org

In line with our promise to make metro New Orleans a national issue, Levees.org has released its second set of Black and Gold lists.

We feel the individuals and organizations cited on the Black List have slowed the regions’ recovery from the catastrophic man-made flood damage of 2005. As a civic grassroots group, it’s our duty to spotlight such activity.

The individuals placed on the Gold List have promoted and served New Orleans and south Louisiana in its rebound. They have educated themselves and their offices to understand why metro New Orleans was nearly destroyed and how important it is to have a non-controversial and irrefutable study of the flawed policies and actions that led to the disaster three years ago.

Of course, we’re referring to the 8/29 Investigation Act, an independent complete analysis of the levee and flood protection failures during Hurricane Katrina.

Black List

William Jefferson (D-LA)
Due to Bill Jefferson’s 16-count federal indictment on corruption, he has been stripped of his Congressional committee assignments including the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He is ranked 434th out of a 435-member Congress. This means the city with the greatest needs is represented in Congress by the least effective voice. For not stepping down in the interests of our region, Bill Jefferson has earned himself a spot on the black list.

Senator Inhofe (R-OK)
For twice blocking Senator Mary Landrieu’s efforts to introduce the 8/29 Investigation Act.

The Commission on Presidential Debates
For denying a request to host a presidential debate in New Orleans citing that the city is not ready to host a large event. Spreading this untruth, despite the fact that New Orleans has hosted multiple successful large events since August 2005, is harmful to the city’s recovery.

The Dallas Morning News
For their August 30, 2008 editorial stating that New Orleans’ crisis today is “…the fault of business people, activists and others who don’t seem to grasp the urgency of their situation…”

The Boston Globe
For their September 3, 2008 article with an opening line is “Hurricane Katrina brought shame upon a fabled American city…” The article condemns state and local officials for the disaster without inclusion that the flood protection’s performance is a federal responsibility via the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Jim Lehrer, Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour, PBS
Tom Brokaw, Special Correspondent, NBC News,
Bob Schieffer CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, and Host, Face the Nation
All three moderators of the presidential debates for failing to ask a single question to the candidates about New Orleans.

Rush Limbaugh
“I see devastation in Iowa that dwarfs what happened in New Orleans…I don’t hear a bunch of people whining and moaning”.

Glen Beck CNN
For his Katrina Anniversary statement: “…President Bush proposed to spend another billion or hundreds of gazillion dollars to rebuilding New Orleans. It doesn’t matter! You can’t change New Orleans’ doomed geography…” August 30, 2007

Gold List:

Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
The first member of Congress to support the goals of Levees.org

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Sponsor of the 8/29 Investigation Act

Rep Charlie Melancon (D-LA)
Co-sponsor of the 8/29 Investigation Act (HR6526) filed July 16, 2008

Newt Gingrich (R-GA)
For his paper “Why New Orleans needs Saving” published in TIME Magazine.

Barack Obama (D-IL)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Both candidates have visited New Orleans and promised to shore up the flood protection system.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D- CA)
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
These three Senators agreed to allow the 8/29 investigation to go to the floor for a vote.

Retired Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY)
Shery Boehlert led a task force examining the way the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) conducts peer reviews of studies of national significance. Last month, the task force concluded that major changes are needed to address the issue of conflict of interest. The Congressman has done a huge favor to everyone in America whether they walk into a building, cross a bridge or live by a levee.

David Winkler-Schmit of Gambit Weekly
Mark Schleifstein of the New Orleans Times Picayune
For their excellent investigative reporting on all kinds of issues relating to hurricane and flood protection as well as issues defining the need for the 8/29 Investigation Act.

Thank you Cain Burdeau of the Associated Press.

A long awaited report putting the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) under “the ethics microscope” might nearly have gone unnoticed if not for you.

The Boehlert Report was released at the height of Hurricane Ike on a Friday afternoon at 5pm, likely the worst moment possible for disseminating this important document. But Cain Burdeau waited until the hurricane had passed and then gave the report the attention it deserved.

The AP reporter wrote on how a Task Force headed by retired Congressman Sherwood Boehlert R-NY had released a report saying ASCE should draw up an ethics policy to eliminate questions of possible conflicts of interest.

Specifically, The Boehlert Report chided the ASCE for accepting compensation directly from the organization whose work they were investigating, and for exerting way too much control over the investigation teams.

All the things that The Boehlert Report criticized were clearly and abundantly evident in the corps-sponsored levee failure investigation, the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force.

The money, the medals, the muzzling.

The AP article closes by saying the critics have been vindicated and the issue is still far from over, because an internal committee is currently examining allegations that the Corps of Engineers hid their mistakes during the levee investigation and intimidated anyone who tried to intervene. 

Since the findings are directly relevant to our health and safety, Levees.org believes the results should be made public!

If you agree, sign the petition.

Thank you,
Sandy Rosenthal
Founder, Levees.org

Click here for the AP story.

Click here for pdf of The Boehlert Report.

Citing breach of ethics, Levees.org challenged 16 people who received medals from the Army Corps of Engineers for their role investigating the deadly levee failures to give them back.

Sixteen members of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) received the Outstanding Civilian Service medal for their participation peer reviewing the corps-sponsored levee investigation a whopping 18 months before their work was complete. The corps also paid them $2 million.

An task force examining ASCE-led engineering reviews also criticized such behavior because it reduced the credibility of the final product. Bolstered by the task force’s findings, Levees.org asked the ASCE members to do the right thing and give their medals back.

A member of the External Review Panel tasked to assure engineering quality and independence of IPET refused to comment until he checked with ASCE headquarters. Robert Gilbert, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Texas said, “I have a contract with ASCE and that contract says I have to go through ASCE for media requests.”

This is a perfect example of what the Task Force called “extremely tight controls” placed on assessment team members with regard to interaction with the press.

The Medals Challenge is part of our ongoing illumination of reasons why America needs the 8/29 Investigation Act. When passed, the Investigation will likely be uncomfortable for some. It will ask hard questions. But the Wall Street Bailout shows what terrible things can happen when the hard questions are not asked.

Look for me and HJ Bosworth Jr. Levees.org’s research director on Dennis Woltering’s Sunday Morning Show, WWL-TV Channel 4 at 10:30a October 5. We will discuss the Medals Challenge.

A panel led by retired U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-NY has dealt a harsh blow to the credibility of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET) convened in New Orleans after Katrina by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Rep. Boehlert’s panel looked at the way the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) takes part in post disaster engineering investigations and peer reviews including the IPET.

The Boehlert Report recommends that from now on, the funding for peer reviews over $1 million come from a separate source, that the ASCE Headquarters should facilitate but not control the assessment teams, and that dissemination of information to the public and press not be under extreme controls.

What does it mean for American citizens?

It means Congressman Sherwood Boehlert has done everyone in America a favor. It means anyone in America who depends on any engineered structure can sleep better, be it a building, bridge or levee. 

And it means that the need for the 8/29 Investigation is now as clear as glass. Because all of the things the task force soundly criticized were abundantly evident in the ASCE’s peer review of the corps-sponsored IPET.

Click here for the Times Picayune article.

Click here for the Boehlert Report.

For me, during the ordeal of Gustav, lots of things were hard. Like packing for an evacuation, traveling in traffic jams, and hunkering down during a hurricane.

But for me, the hardest thing of all was watching the media – yet again – blame the citizens of New Orleans for the difficulties and hardships we are going through. And the winner is The Boston Globe. An article by the Globe starts with this sentence:

“Hurricane Katrina brought shame upon a fabled American city…”

The article was chock full of the myths and misinformation that New Orleans citizens have been working for three years to dispel. And it’s the reason we at levees.org created our latest video “The Katrina Myth.”

If you haven’t yet, please click the link, watch the short video and rate it. It’s got a top rating on YouTube, but we need to keep it there! Your action is important. Then forward to your fam and friends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wln_iq5bc8k

Thanks for your help!

Sandy Rosenthal
Founder, www.levees.org

You can click here for the infamous Boston Globe article.

On the anniversary of the worst engineering failure in U.S. history – and as another storm ominously approaches Louisiana’s coast - a new movie “The Katrina Myth: The Truth about a thoroughly unnatural disaster” will debut in 70 locations all across America in twenty states including New York, Illinois, Texas and California.

The film has already received a rave review from an international news source.

“Levees.org provides fascinating insights into the extent of the engineering breakdown and neatly lances numerous Katrina falsehoods.” — The Guardian (UK).

Produced by levees.org, the film goes after and obliterates the destructive and unfair rumors that are slowing the region’s recovery. Few people understand what really happened in New Orleans or what caused it. Even fewer realize that they too may be living under a similar or an even greater threat.

Soon, levees.org will upload the video onto YouTube. Folks coast to coast are urged to join levees.org if they want to receive an alert on when the eye-popping new video will be posted online.

Click here for the full article in The Guardian.

Come out and support our latest weapon in the battle to help metro New Orleans.

On August 28, we will release the new short film The Katrina Myth: The Truth about a Thoroughly Unnatural Disaster which goes after and obliterates the destructive and unfair myths that are slowing the region’s recovery.

The movie has already received some major press and a a rave review from The Guardian (UK).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/27/hurricanekatrina.usa

Confirmed to attend: New Orleans City Councilman at Large Arnie Fielkow,
St. Bernard President Craig Taffaro, author Ivor van Heerden

When: Thursday August 28, 2008
Where: Touro Synagogue, 4238 St. Charles Avenue, uptown New Orleans (secure parking at Carondelet and Gen. Pershing)
6:30p Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live jazz band
7:30 – 8:30 Presentation, documentary premiere and after-show discussion
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Click here for more information and to reserve your place.

Click here for a rave review of the movie.

Angered and dismayed over excessive delays by American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) management of two panels looking into possible ethics violations, levees.org held a press conference yesterday and said so. In response, we presented a set of questions to the head of each panel. I have provided their responses to our request below:

From Rich Hovey, head of the Committee looking at Dr. Ray Seed’s allegations that the ASCE helped the US Army Corps of Engineers cover up their mistakes in the flood protection system after Katrina.

The Committee on Professional Conduct conducts confidential investigation into complaints of ethical misconduct by ASCE members. The Committee establishes its own timeline for its efforts. No timeline has been provided to anyone other than the Committee and none will be.

Because of the confidential nature of the inquiries the Committee reports its actions and findings only to the Executive Committee of the Board at the conclusion of any case. No report will be released to anyone else.

From retired Congressman Sherwood Boehlert R-NY, head of the external task force reviewing how the ASCE participates in engineering studies of national significance

Sandy,
Doing well but am still much busier than I’m supposed to be….
Have your questions and will provide answers as soon as I get a couple of free minutes.
Hope all is well with you.
Sherry Boehlert,

Levees.Org is angry over long delays and other conduct by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and its management of two ethics panels. We think the delays are contrived and that both panels are more focused on protecting ASCE’s reputation than protecting the American public.

We will not to let this continue unchallenged, and at a press conference Tuesday, we will document our position and take action.

When: Aug 5, 2008 at 10:30am
Where: Lakeview Harbor Restaurant, 911 Harrison Avenue, New Orleans (Lakeview area). Enter door with “the gold ribbon.”

The details:
Late last year, the ASCE announced the formation of two separate ethics investigations and promised the final reports by April 2008, but each has yet to produce the much anticipated reports. One panel is an internal committee looking into allegations by Dr. Ray Seed, University of California Berkeley who says the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the help of the ASCE covered up its mistakes in the flooding after Hurricane Katrina . The other panel, lead by retired Congressman Sherwood Boehlert R-NY is looking at how the ASCE participates in engineering studies of national significance.

Click here for Associated Press story.