Updated June 30, 2014.

Sandy Rosenthal and H.J. Bosworth Jr by historic marker breach of 17th Street Canal. Photo/Roy Arrigo Nov 23, 2009

Until the American people see that the flooding of metro New Orleans was a federal responsibility, they will never see rebuilding as a federal duty nor see they too could be in danger.

And so Levees.org was founded, to help everyone everywhere understand why the New Orleans region was so vulnerable when Katrina arrived on August 29, 2005.

The area’s vulnerability due to manmade interference, was predicted and described with remarkable candidness more than 100 years ago in National Geographic. After the 2005 flood, many questioned the wisdom of rebuilding New Orleans which had become marginalized for its dependence on levees.

So Levees.org requested levee data from FEMA and found that the majority of the nation’s population lives in counties protected by levees. Further research showed that GNP is higher and poverty is lower in counties protected by levees and throws cold water on the notion that levees are a poor federal investment.

Levees.org will continue its mission of education by utilizing the American right to free speech to the maximum our energy and funding will allow: public service announcements, historical markers, support of legislation, informational eblasts, education campaigns using YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, speaking engagements and youth education to name only a few.

Click for NPR interview with Sandy Rosenthal.