Historic Recognition of Levee Breach Sites Nearing Final Stages

City Councilmember Jon Johnson, Sandy Rosenthal, City Council Vice President Arnie Fielkow, Deborah Langhoff Chief of Staff to Councilmember Susan Guidry, Scott Hutcheson Advisor to Mayor Mitch Landrieu in Cultural Economy and John Barry Vice President SLFPA-East. Photo/ Stanford Rosenthal

With New Orleans City Hall as a backdrop, Levees.org made some important announcements regarding its nomination of two levee breach sites to the National Register of Historic Places – the 17th Street Canal and the Industrial Canal (east side north).

The Louisiana State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO) has confirmed that the sites are National Register Eligible Properties and that Levees.org’s 28-page documentation of the two levee breaches (how and why they occurred, their significance, etc) has been placed in a public file that federal agencies must use when undertaking any activities under Section 106 that are in the vicinity of the breach sites.

In addition, the information in this file may be consulted by media, groups and individuals interested in the history of New Orleans’ water and levee systems, and the events surrounding the breaching of the levees during Hurricane Katrina.

To assist the Louisiana SHPO in preparing the final draft for formal inclusion on the Register, Levees.org is posting the Draft Nomination on our website to solicit public comments on the text and digital letters of support which we will forward to the State.

Please follow these Guidelines for Submission of Comments and/or Digital Letters of Support:

1. Please email to Levees@Levees.org

2. Deadline for comments is June 10, 2011 since it is our goal for the State of Louisiana to place the Nomination on the August Agenda for the State Review Committee.

3. Deadline for Letters of Support is August 11, 2011. For suggested talking points click here.

4. We apologize, but anonymous input will not be accepted.

Click here for downloadable PDF of Draft Nomination.

3 responses to “Historic Recognition of Levee Breach Sites Nearing Final Stages”

  1. Charles Fairbanks says:

    living between 2 great rivers leaves us in Iowa in a giant flood plan. Our rivers always spill out of ther banks each year and eroude away our top soil and with out the soil we will not be able to continue feeding the world!!!!

  2. John Q. Public says:

    You have got to be kidding. Designating a breach site as a historical landmark is nothing more than pissing away more money in an region imfamous for corruption and wasting taxpayer money.

  3. S. Rosenthal says:

    Dear Mr. Public,

    I am reminded of a wise man’s advice on how to handle unwarranted criticism. 

    “Unjust criticism is usually disguised compliment. It often means that you have aroused jealously and envy. Remember that no one ever kicks a dead log.” -Dale Carnegie

    Sandy Rosenthal, wife, mom, whodat and founder of Levees.org

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