1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:04,319 The following program is part of a
national PBS series called Sinking 2 00:00:04,319 --> 00:00:08,519 Cities produced in conjunction with
Peril and Promise - a WNET New York 3 00:00:08,519 --> 00:00:21,600 initiative telling stories of climate
change around the world. Support for this 4 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,320 program is provided by the Foundation
for Excellence in Louisiana Public 5 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:50,809 Broadcasting and from viewers like you. 6 00:00:50,809 --> 00:00:55,110 Hello and welcome to Louisiana Public
Square. I'm Beth Courtney, president of 7 00:00:55,110 --> 00:00:59,579 LPB, and joining me to examine how
coastal Louisiana is preparing for 8 00:00:59,579 --> 00:01:04,379 climate change is one of LPB's news
anchors, André Moreau. Well Andre, nice to 9 00:01:04,379 --> 00:01:07,950 have you with us. It's good to be here, as always. If you've been thinking that climate 10 00:01:07,950 --> 00:01:10,740 change is a problem that you won't have
to face in your lifetime, 11 00:01:10,740 --> 00:01:16,140 consider this: a report recently from the
Society of Actuaries says climate change 12 00:01:16,140 --> 00:01:21,420 is now the biggest concern for North
American insurers. Issues like rising sea 13 00:01:21,420 --> 00:01:26,100 levels have already caused coastal
residents in Texas a 76 million dollar 14 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:31,380 loss in property values. Well 80 percent
of the nation's coastal land loss is 15 00:01:31,380 --> 00:01:35,850 occurring along Louisiana's Shores.
Through natural and man-made influences, 16 00:01:35,850 --> 00:01:41,690 the state is projected to lose another
1,200 square miles of coastline by 2067. 17 00:01:41,690 --> 00:01:45,210 Tonight, Louisiana Public Square, in partnership with public radio 18 00:01:45,210 --> 00:01:50,759 station WWNO, brings together coastal
scientists, stakeholders, and advocates to 19 00:01:50,759 --> 00:01:55,619 explore strategies the state is taking
to protect lives, communities, and a 20 00:01:55,619 --> 00:02:02,810 sinking Louisiana. Louisiana's coastline
is sinking. To determine how much, 21 00:02:02,810 --> 00:02:06,690 scientists calculate the rate of
relative sea-level rise -- 22 00:02:06,690 --> 00:02:11,700 that's a measure of how far the land is
subsiding or sinking plus the rate the 23 00:02:11,700 --> 00:02:17,610 sea level is rising. "And it turns out
that in coastal Louisiana that average 24 00:02:17,610 --> 00:02:23,730 rate is about half an inch per year
right now and that means - that rate - that's 25 00:02:23,730 --> 00:02:28,800 about four times higher than the global
average. Torbjörn Törnqvist is a professor 26 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,870 with Tulane's Department of Earth and
Environmental Sciences. He says a 2016 27 00:02:33,870 --> 00:02:38,100 Tulane study found the highest rate of
subsidence in the Cheniere Plain of 28 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:42,599 Cameron Parish. The parish will
ultimately be home to seven liquefied 29 00:02:42,599 --> 00:02:47,970 natural gas facilities, while subsidence
occurs naturally, Törnqvist says 30 00:02:47,970 --> 00:02:53,550 humans are a factor particularly in
urban areas. "New Orleans expanded 31 00:02:53,550 --> 00:02:59,600 tremendously over the past century or so
because we started to drain swamps and 32 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,400 when you start doing that the land is
going to start 33 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,629 thinking very very rapidly and that is
exactly what has happened here." In 34 00:03:07,629 --> 00:03:11,439 addition the extraction of groundwater
and oil and gas creates localized 35 00:03:11,439 --> 00:03:17,739 subsidence. "Anytime you extract fluids
from the subsurface it's going to lead 36 00:03:17,739 --> 00:03:24,579 to sinking at the surface and that's
very well documented in many many places 37 00:03:24,579 --> 00:03:30,879 and that is certainly a contributing
factor here in Louisiana." Törnqvist says 38 00:03:30,879 --> 00:03:35,370 river diversion projects are critical to
replenishing wetlands wherever possible. 39 00:03:35,370 --> 00:03:41,200 "We're not going to rebuild you know
large parts of the coast that's just not 40 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,609 going to happen but the most important
thing is is that we have to address 41 00:03:45,609 --> 00:03:50,439 climate change because if we don't do
that then even the best River diversions 42 00:03:50,439 --> 00:03:55,120 on the planets are not gonna are not
going to bail us out." "I would say the 43 00:03:55,120 --> 00:04:00,519 whole plan is an adaptation plan and
that adaptation is in large part in 44 00:04:00,519 --> 00:04:04,629 response to climate change."
Bren Haase is executive director of the 45 00:04:04,629 --> 00:04:09,400 Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority. His department develops and 46 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:14,490 oversees the state's coastal master plan,
in addition to structural protection 47 00:04:14,490 --> 00:04:17,949 projects: the plan includes risk
reduction measures for coastal 48 00:04:17,949 --> 00:04:23,139 communities facing sea level rise. The
state recently received 1.2 million 49 00:04:23,139 --> 00:04:28,240 dollars to identify homes in southwest
coastal Louisiana that will qualify for 50 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:33,340 voluntary relocation or elevation. "We
have recently just signed an agreement 51 00:04:33,340 --> 00:04:37,300 with the Corps of Engineers and the
southwestern part of the state which is 52 00:04:37,300 --> 00:04:41,770 really the first our first sort of
dipping our toe in the water of getting 53 00:04:41,770 --> 00:04:46,449 into this non structural game so they're
doing some reconnaissance work there 54 00:04:46,449 --> 00:04:51,729 essentially to identify which structures
are at risk and what the solutions may 55 00:04:51,729 --> 00:04:55,840 be there and so we're excited about that."
This month - Louisiana's Office of 56 00:04:55,840 --> 00:05:00,990 Community Development released a
first-of-its-kind blueprint for managing 57 00:05:00,990 --> 00:05:05,860 the population shift anticipated as
coastal risks increase and in January 58 00:05:05,860 --> 00:05:09,820 the state purchased land for the
resettlement of the inhabitants of Ile 59 00:05:09,820 --> 00:05:15,320 de Jean Charles in Terrebonne Parish - the
nation's first climate refugees. 60 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,640 "I think there's just a growing
realization that we can't put a levy 61 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,880 around every home can't put a flood wall
around every home and that we need to 62 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,330 look at other alternatives and find a
better way to live with water rather 63 00:05:26,330 --> 00:05:30,110 than trying to continuously fight that
water." Climate change can also create 64 00:05:30,110 --> 00:05:35,840 extreme weather events the rain that
caused Louisiana's 2016 floods exceeded 65 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:41,210 amounts expected to occur once every
1,000 years. "It was enough to really 66 00:05:41,210 --> 00:05:44,660 shake us to say wait a minute
something's not right and we need to 67 00:05:44,660 --> 00:05:48,500 come together and we need to we need to
work better and more effectively 68 00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:53,900 together than than what's happening now."
Monique Boulet is CEO of the Acadiana 69 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:57,620 planning commission the flooding in her
region boules says served as a wake-up 70 00:05:57,620 --> 00:06:01,190 call for parishes to think
collaboratively rather than 71 00:06:01,190 --> 00:06:06,350 competitively about the Federal Hazard
Mitigation dollars they received. "And so 72 00:06:06,350 --> 00:06:11,300 what our parish leaders did was ask the
governor when you disperse that money 73 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:15,100 look at our whole region and give us one
pot of money and we'll prioritize 74 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:23,270 drainage we - rather than other types of
mitigation and so, he did that." The 25 75 00:06:23,270 --> 00:06:27,200 million dollars will be used to cover
drainage projects around the three 76 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:32,680 watersheds in the Acadiana region
projects agreed upon by eight parishes. 77 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,740 "We were dealing with elected officials
from those three watersheds and so we 78 00:06:36,740 --> 00:06:41,900 were able to have conversations about
you know we have this problem here yeah 79 00:06:41,900 --> 00:06:46,640 you do you need to fix it but you need
to think about you know downstream, we 80 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:51,110 need to look downstream and upstream." The
National Climate Assessment highlighted 81 00:06:51,110 --> 00:06:55,670 the Acadiana Planning Commission's
regional flood control project in its 82 00:06:55,670 --> 00:07:02,210 2018 report Louisiana was promised 1.2
billion dollars from the feds to fund a 83 00:07:02,210 --> 00:07:07,190 statewide watershed initiative but 15
months later the state still hasn't 84 00:07:07,190 --> 00:07:13,220 received a single dollar. When it comes
to addressing floodwaters or rising seas 85 00:07:13,220 --> 00:07:19,280 Boulet says collaboration is key. "We
often say water knows no political 86 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,720 boundaries it flows where it wants to
float. Our science and decision-making 87 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,599 around that water needs to cross those
political boundaries just as 88 00:07:27,599 --> 00:07:33,330 it crosses those political boundaries."
Helping us now to explore a seeking 89 00:07:33,330 --> 00:07:37,979 Louisiana is our studio audience it
includes representative from Cameron 90 00:07:37,979 --> 00:07:44,090 Parish. Several coastal NGOs, the state's
folk life program and Louisiana's Office 91 00:07:44,090 --> 00:07:47,550 of Community Development we welcome
everyone we've also got high school 92 00:07:47,550 --> 00:07:51,689 students from the Louisiana Legislative
Youth Advisory Council. Now last year a 93 00:07:51,689 --> 00:07:55,889 statewide poll on the role of climate
change and Louisiana is disappearing 94 00:07:55,889 --> 00:07:59,819 coast it was conducted for the
Times-Picayune and among its findings 95 00:07:59,819 --> 00:08:04,979 asked if climate change is responsible
for Louisiana's coastal erosion. Forty- 96 00:08:04,979 --> 00:08:09,709 -eight percent say it is responsible.
Thirty-nine percent say it is not. 97 00:08:09,709 --> 00:08:14,189 Thirteen percent do not believe in
climate change. While only slightly more 98 00:08:14,189 --> 00:08:18,449 than half of the respondents were aware
that Louisiana had a coastal master plan 99 00:08:18,449 --> 00:08:23,219 of this group eighty four percent were
very or somewhat confident that the plan 100 00:08:23,219 --> 00:08:28,740 would succeed only 16 percent were not
confident at all. To the question who 101 00:08:28,740 --> 00:08:32,579 should pay to restore Louisiana's
wetlands seventy two percent believe the 102 00:08:32,579 --> 00:08:36,599 government and industry should share the
cost and eighteen percent believe that 103 00:08:36,599 --> 00:08:41,459 only the oil and gas industry should pay,
nine percent say just the government 104 00:08:41,459 --> 00:08:45,509 should pay. And when asked if they'll
experience the effects of coastal land 105 00:08:45,509 --> 00:08:52,680 loss in their lifetime fifty-one percent
say no, forty nine percent say yes. So 106 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:57,389 let's start with our own survey now and
our own studio audience tell me from 107 00:08:57,389 --> 00:09:02,329 your perspective and experience what are
your concerns about climate change and 108 00:09:02,329 --> 00:09:06,779 Louisiana's coast and I'm going to begin
with Claire. Claire tell me who you 109 00:09:06,779 --> 00:09:10,889 represent and where you're from and
answer that question if you would. 110 00:09:10,889 --> 00:09:14,160 "I represent the Cameron Parish Port
Harbor in Terminal District. I'm also a 111 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,730 board member of the coalition to restore
coastal Louisiana. I was born and raised 112 00:09:17,730 --> 00:09:21,630 in Cameron parish and I lived there now
I live in the village of Cameron so for 113 00:09:21,630 --> 00:09:26,459 me that that's quite astonishing that
there's a 51 percentage point of folks 114 00:09:26,459 --> 00:09:30,750 surveyed that say it's not going to
impact them it impacts me every day and 115 00:09:30,750 --> 00:09:35,370 not just when I'm on the coast. We've got
to begin planning for what our 116 00:09:35,370 --> 00:09:40,649 inevitable circumstances in our state."
Cameron Parish of course is an area 117 00:09:40,649 --> 00:09:44,730 that people remember from Hurricane
Audrey and other hurricanes a low-lying 118 00:09:44,730 --> 00:09:51,119 area very susceptible to any kind of
rising water but also it's an area where 119 00:09:51,119 --> 00:09:56,399 this is huge boom and LNG's and other
production facilities and the Lake 120 00:09:56,399 --> 00:10:01,980 Charles Calgary parish so tell us how do
you prepare for all of this growth 121 00:10:01,980 --> 00:10:06,749 that's going on there. "Well in terms of
the the industrial projects that are 122 00:10:06,749 --> 00:10:10,559 being built and right now there are 35
billion that have already been 123 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,269 constructed in Cameron Parish alone an
additional forty billion on the horizon 124 00:10:15,269 --> 00:10:19,259 in Cameron Parish alone more than a
hundred billion in Calcasieu and Cameron 125 00:10:19,259 --> 00:10:23,399 Parish together. These projects are
working to mitigate wetlands, they're 126 00:10:23,399 --> 00:10:28,199 building marshland. So, a collaborative
effort is certainly what we're looking 127 00:10:28,199 --> 00:10:32,369 forward to con- to seeing more of in
Cameron Parish and Southwest Louisiana in 128 00:10:32,369 --> 00:10:35,279 general. Everyone working together to
save the coast." 129 00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:39,269 Okay thanks Claire we appreciate it.
Lemme go to Travis now, your thoughts 130 00:10:39,269 --> 00:10:43,290 about climate change in Louisiana and
rising sea level on the coast. "There's 131 00:10:43,290 --> 00:10:47,370 many issues going on the same time. We're
sinking naturally. The seas are 132 00:10:47,370 --> 00:10:52,470 rising because of climate change.
Industry has played a part in in all of 133 00:10:52,470 --> 00:10:56,160 this and then of course man-made things
like levees has played a part and so 134 00:10:56,160 --> 00:11:00,209 it's just a really difficult thing to
start parsing out when we're looking for 135 00:11:00,209 --> 00:11:06,590 solutions I think and so for me as a
reporter talking to people I think it's 136 00:11:06,590 --> 00:11:11,639 it can be a tough issue to go about
solving. Because there's so many 137 00:11:11,639 --> 00:11:16,319 different threads that are wound
together so tightly and so knowing where 138 00:11:16,319 --> 00:11:20,670 to sort of focus your attention can be
really tough and confusing. And let me go to 139 00:11:20,670 --> 00:11:24,749 Matt now, who's here on the front row
and Matt tell me who you represent who 140 00:11:24,749 --> 00:11:29,670 you're with your thoughts on this
question. "Sure, I'm the resilience policy 141 00:11:29,670 --> 00:11:32,389 and program administrator with the
State's office of community development. 142 00:11:32,389 --> 00:11:37,199 Over the past several years I've had the
privilege to lead two of the projects 143 00:11:37,199 --> 00:11:40,649 that you alluded to in your segment: The
Resettlement of Village Dean Charles and 144 00:11:40,649 --> 00:11:46,649 the LA safe program that released its
findings this past week. I think we need 145 00:11:46,649 --> 00:11:50,400 to plan for a smaller footprint in
Louisiana and I think to evidence that I 146 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,190 mean we can only look at satellite
imagery from the past 147 00:11:53,190 --> 00:11:56,610 and understand that we're currently living
in a smaller footprint now than we did 148 00:11:56,610 --> 00:12:00,780 then and if we extrapolate that out at
other 50 years and beyond we have to 149 00:12:00,780 --> 00:12:03,000 come to the reality and the
understanding that this is going to 150 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,930 continually be a problem. And so, I think
we need to recognize it as the the 151 00:12:06,930 --> 00:12:10,620 existential threat to the viability of
our economy, our way of life, that it 152 00:12:10,620 --> 00:12:15,180 really is and act accordingly." Alright
thank you very much I'll go to Runra, 153 00:12:15,180 --> 00:12:18,450 right here, our youth Advisory Council.
Where are you from though and your 154 00:12:18,450 --> 00:12:23,790 thoughts on this topic.
"I'm from New Orleans, I'm a member of the 155 00:12:23,790 --> 00:12:29,370 Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory
Council. As a kid it's very scary to 156 00:12:29,370 --> 00:12:35,610 learn that 50% of the people don't care
or believe that this is actually 157 00:12:35,610 --> 00:12:39,570 happening
and I like to use my time to educate and 158 00:12:39,570 --> 00:12:45,780 advocate to make sure that my generation
and future generations have a future." 159 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:49,800 Alright, really thanks so much for that. I
know maybe you've got a lot of thoughts 160 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:54,660 so many who you represent and also
respond to that questioning. "I'm the 161 00:12:54,660 --> 00:12:58,170 state folklorist. I manage the state folk
life program and the division of the 162 00:12:58,170 --> 00:13:04,200 arts. My concern is with all this
population movement that's going to be 163 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,480 happening you know what's going to be
happening to the traditional cultures 164 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:14,880 across the state, it's what is so special
about Louisiana. It's part of what is so 165 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:22,140 special and so in all of this you know
I'm looking at the cultures." And a 166 00:13:22,140 --> 00:13:27,510 culture being lost perhaps shifting over
time well? "Well, all culture changes yeah it's 167 00:13:27,510 --> 00:13:34,920 not static. But with mass in depending on
how quickly and how how much movement 168 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:42,480 how soon it'll be a lot of cultural
disruption not just economic and 169 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:48,960 you know but there'll be cultural
disruption too. So I'm wondering what can 170 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:54,270 be done to help that process." Okay, thank
you so much for that let me go to Bob, 171 00:13:54,270 --> 00:13:58,740 Bob tell me who you're representing here
tonight and your your response to that 172 00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:02,850 question. "Well I'm a professional
hydrologist and I work with a lot of my 173 00:14:02,850 --> 00:14:05,760 colleagues some of whom are gonna be
working with the state on some of its 174 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,600 new watershed initiative activities with
modeling. Going back to your initial 175 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,690 segment when you talked about the cost
of insurance in the state one of my 176 00:14:12,690 --> 00:14:16,800 interest is for our state to really move
rapidly to the point where we can give 177 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,100 every homeowner and every businessman
the insurance information that they need 178 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:23,900 to know about what is the flood risk and
the future flood risk in our state. So 179 00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:27,780 individually people can start seeing the
kind of decisions they personally need 180 00:14:27,780 --> 00:14:31,230 to make on: where they live, where they
want to buy a house, how much their house 181 00:14:31,230 --> 00:14:36,990 is really worth and as a result of that
inform their politicians and policy 182 00:14:36,990 --> 00:14:39,840 makers the kind of mitigation act
actions that they really think will be 183 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,280 cost effective. You know, really having
that cost information personally will 184 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,760 make a big difference in being able to
collectively make some good decisions. Do 185 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,180 you find that cost information is
changing though in different areas, 186 00:14:51,180 --> 00:14:54,150 different situations? "We're starting to
get warned I have friends who live in 187 00:14:54,150 --> 00:14:57,770 various parts of the country who you
know or they're starting to see parts of 188 00:14:57,770 --> 00:15:02,250 America like in Miami and other is where
the concern that property values are 189 00:15:02,250 --> 00:15:05,850 really going to be changing a lot of its
speculation. But what we have in this 190 00:15:05,850 --> 00:15:08,610 state is an initiative on the part of
Pat Forbes who we're going to meet in a 191 00:15:08,610 --> 00:15:12,720 few minutes and others, to give us tools
to get much better estimate so we're not 192 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:16,500 guessing at what the future flood
insurance rates are going to be in the 193 00:15:16,500 --> 00:15:20,730 state we can really confidently know. And
those neighborhoods where it's not going 194 00:15:20,730 --> 00:15:23,610 to have as high risk of flooding maybe
that's the place where we ought to look 195 00:15:23,610 --> 00:15:27,180 be thinking about living." Yeah okay Bob
thank you very much. Chris - 196 00:15:27,180 --> 00:15:30,360 let me ask you your thoughts and who
you're here with 197 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,340 "I'm a geologist. I'm with the New
Orleans Geological Society and I was 198 00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:40,560 trying to look at the optimistic side of
things. I think that in Louisiana, because 199 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,430 we are dealing with the combined effects
of subsidence and sea-level rise we're 200 00:15:44,430 --> 00:15:49,260 gonna see these effects before anybody
else. And so, we're learning and we're 201 00:15:49,260 --> 00:15:51,520 really learning for the rest of the
world in 202 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,779 and we are at the forefront and I think
CPRA is - has got - they're hiring the best 203 00:15:55,779 --> 00:15:58,390 scientists they're taking they're taking
it head-on 204 00:15:58,390 --> 00:16:03,220 they're addressing it with science. My
input is that subsidence is 205 00:16:03,220 --> 00:16:07,420 fundamentally a geological phenomenon
and the more we can understand about 206 00:16:07,420 --> 00:16:12,399 geology the more we can understand the
processes involved with." Okay Chris, thank 207 00:16:12,399 --> 00:16:16,330 you for that.
Celia, tell me where you're from and who 208 00:16:16,330 --> 00:16:19,570 you're representing. "Oh of course, I'm
from the Legislative Youth Advisory 209 00:16:19,570 --> 00:16:24,910 Council and I'm a student I think for me
one of the the biggest things on this 210 00:16:24,910 --> 00:16:28,899 issue is the sociological implications
of coastal erosion. I've actually spent 211 00:16:28,899 --> 00:16:32,200 the past year working on a research
project where I've set out to determine 212 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,880 just how cultures and communities are
being implicated by coastal erosion and 213 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,290 so I think that going forward it's
imperative that we acknowledge that our 214 00:16:40,290 --> 00:16:44,740 culture's and our communities are
dependent and reliant upon the formation 215 00:16:44,740 --> 00:16:49,380 and the geography that they're
surrounded by. And - if we - if they're not 216 00:16:49,380 --> 00:16:53,170 surrounded by that in the same capacity
a lot of their traditions are at risk of 217 00:16:53,170 --> 00:16:57,579 being lost and that's something that is
really tragic for the future of not only 218 00:16:57,579 --> 00:17:01,810 the state of Louisiana but our local or
global community. I mean for our state 219 00:17:01,810 --> 00:17:05,200 especially it's a big part of our
tourist -industry- industry, is our unique 220 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,920 culture and heritage. And also these
communities have taken centuries to form 221 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:13,240 and development so it would be really
have a lot of negative consequences for 222 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,140 our entire world to see them disappear.
Because we can't maintain, you know those 223 00:17:17,140 --> 00:17:20,290 those resources and in that kind of
environment. So I think that going 224 00:17:20,290 --> 00:17:23,770 forward it's just really important that
we whether it's through oral history 225 00:17:23,770 --> 00:17:27,100 reports or through efforts to keep these
communities together that we do 226 00:17:27,100 --> 00:17:29,950 something to try to protect and preserve
a lot of these cultures and traditions 227 00:17:29,950 --> 00:17:35,830 and communities." Okay so yeah thanks for
that. Kendall, your thoughts and response 228 00:17:35,830 --> 00:17:39,429 and also who you represent. "Yes, my name
is Kendall Dix. I'm an organizer with 229 00:17:39,429 --> 00:17:44,950 Healthy Gulf. And I would say that
probably my main concern with all of 230 00:17:44,950 --> 00:17:48,429 this is that like with everything in
Louisiana. The effects of climate change 231 00:17:48,429 --> 00:17:53,830 are going to be born so much by its poor
black and Native residents and I worry 232 00:17:53,830 --> 00:17:58,840 that we haven't really learned our
lessons for where a lot of these 233 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,620 problems are coming from. And -one of - one
of the issues going forward is that the 234 00:18:02,620 --> 00:18:05,870 state's going to have a lot of trouble
for this and one of the reasons is that 235 00:18:05,870 --> 00:18:09,530 through the industrial tax exemption
program they've given away massive 236 00:18:09,530 --> 00:18:13,730 amounts of tax breaks to the companies
who have helped make this problem worse. 237 00:18:13,730 --> 00:18:18,740 Cameron Parish is a perfect example of a
parish that's losing out on billions 238 00:18:18,740 --> 00:18:24,980 billions of dollars statewide and as
long as we continue to prioritize oil 239 00:18:24,980 --> 00:18:32,930 and gas above restoring our coasts I
don't see a lot of hope for the problem 240 00:18:32,930 --> 00:18:36,980 getting any better." Okay Kendall, thank
you for that. That is all the time we 241 00:18:36,980 --> 00:18:39,830 have for this portion of our show.
When we return though, we're going to be 242 00:18:39,830 --> 00:18:48,660 joined by a panel of experts to discuss:
Sinking Louisiana. 243 00:18:53,770 --> 00:18:57,860 Welcome back everyone, to Louisiana
Public Square. Tonight, we are looking at 244 00:18:57,860 --> 00:19:02,390 climate change and Louisiana's sinking
Coast. Joining us now, our panel of 245 00:19:02,390 --> 00:19:07,430 experts: Virginia Burkett is the chief
scientist for land resources at the US 246 00:19:07,430 --> 00:19:12,800 Geological Survey. She is the acting
chair of the U.S. Global Change Research 247 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:17,750 program. Bren Haase is Executive Director
of the Coastal Protection Restoration 248 00:19:17,750 --> 00:19:22,810 Authority - CPRA. Which develops and
oversees the state's coastal master plan. 249 00:19:22,810 --> 00:19:28,760 Tegan Wendland is the lead coastal
reporter for public radio station WWNO, 250 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:33,230 that's based in New Orleans. Wendland has
filed numerous coastal land loss stories 251 00:19:33,230 --> 00:19:38,120 for state and national broadcasts. And
Pat Forbes is Executive Director of 252 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:42,320 Louisiana's Office of Community
Development, in this role he oversees the 253 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:46,910 Block Grant programs in areas including
housing economic development 254 00:19:46,910 --> 00:19:51,350 infrastructure and resiliency planning.
Now before we go to our audience 255 00:19:51,350 --> 00:19:56,180 questions I'd like to ask each of you
from your perspective to give a letter 256 00:19:56,180 --> 00:20:02,750 grade of how well-prepared Louisiana is
to address climate change and let me 257 00:20:02,750 --> 00:20:04,670 begin on the far end right there with
you. 258 00:20:04,670 --> 00:20:09,230 "Okay, thank you I don't know about a
letter grade, but I know of which - it would be 259 00:20:09,230 --> 00:20:13,220 would be very high! And that's based upon
early career here with the Louisiana 260 00:20:13,220 --> 00:20:18,800 Geological Survey serving on the master
plan sent science and engineering board 261 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:23,960 for the first state master plan and then
looking at that solid science basis that 262 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:28,490 the state has used for developing its
strategies for protecting coastal 263 00:20:28,490 --> 00:20:33,170 habitats and coastal people. And most
recently the report the Louisiana safe 264 00:20:33,170 --> 00:20:36,980 report by the Office of Community
Development, now we're looking at the 265 00:20:36,980 --> 00:20:41,540 human dimensions and so that science
that that analytical approach is 266 00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:45,380 evidence there too so I'd say the state
was in a very good position to deal with 267 00:20:45,380 --> 00:20:47,570 the future."
All right, Virginia Burkett thank you 268 00:20:47,570 --> 00:20:51,800 very much for that. Bren Haase, your
letter grade if you can give one. "Well, I 269 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,380 would agree that it would be high and I
would say that if you graded on the 270 00:20:54,380 --> 00:20:57,440 curve I would I would say it would be an
A." Okay. "That's not to say there's not 271 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:01,700 room for improvement, obviously. There's -
there's - lots that we can be doing to to 272 00:21:01,700 --> 00:21:06,730 improve our readiness and
and preparedness for for changes along 273 00:21:06,730 --> 00:21:10,540 our coast. But, I don't know of any other
state that has put the amount of 274 00:21:10,540 --> 00:21:14,590 technical expertise science and
engineering effort behind being ready 275 00:21:14,590 --> 00:21:18,520 for those kind of changes." Alright,
thank you. Teagan Wendland? "Well I'm a 276 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:22,120 reporter, so I'm not really supposed to
have opinions, but if you were to grade 277 00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:26,740 on a curve, you know, and compare the
state to how other coastal states are 278 00:21:26,740 --> 00:21:32,770 preparing for the sea-level rise that we
know is to come, I guess I would put us 279 00:21:32,770 --> 00:21:37,900 around to see a C+ or a B. I'd rank us
fairly high because we do have this 280 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:42,130 coastal master plan and LA SAFE's plan, which we'll hear more about soon. But if 281 00:21:42,130 --> 00:21:45,610 sea level rises if sea levels can
continue to rise at the rate that 282 00:21:45,610 --> 00:21:50,890 scientists predict, you know we're not
going to be able to stop land loss 283 00:21:50,890 --> 00:21:54,880 completely, and the CPRA has acknowledged
that. All right thank you very much for 284 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,170 that Tegan. And Pat Forbes?
I think it's difficult for anybody to 285 00:21:59,170 --> 00:22:03,940 know how well prepared they are for
something that we don't know exactly 286 00:22:03,940 --> 00:22:09,850 what it looks like, but I have to go
along with Brennan's saying that, in 287 00:22:09,850 --> 00:22:18,100 terms of preparation for what may come,
we're better placed than anybody else. 288 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:22,480 We're thinking about things that other
people are not thinking about. We're 289 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:27,700 acting on things that people other
people are only thinking about with the 290 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:32,700 Coastal Master Plan from the CPRA
looking at structural physical 291 00:22:32,700 --> 00:22:39,460 challenges, and with the LA SAFE program
out now looking sort of at the people 292 00:22:39,460 --> 00:22:44,140 side of that, and with our watershed
initiative that we're getting kicked off. 293 00:22:44,140 --> 00:22:50,830 We really are ahead of it's essentially
everyone else in the nation in terms of 294 00:22:50,830 --> 00:22:55,150 thinking through this and what is it
going to look like, even though I mean 295 00:22:55,150 --> 00:22:59,710 you know none of us can know exactly
what it looks like, but we we can't 296 00:22:59,710 --> 00:23:03,700 afford not to prepare. Okay, thank you
very much. All right panelists, get ready 297 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:07,830 for some questions. Tthere'll be a lot of
discourse and questions back and forth 298 00:23:07,830 --> 00:23:12,910 coming your way. Let's begin with Garvin. Tell me who you represent. You're in our 299 00:23:12,910 --> 00:23:16,210 audience and you have a question for the
panelists. I 300 00:23:16,210 --> 00:23:19,690 represent the Coalition to Restore
Coastal Louisiana as a board member and 301 00:23:19,690 --> 00:23:25,000 my question to you guys is what can
community groups and nonprofits do to 302 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:32,460 make your job easier. Pat, do you want to
take that. Yeah I'd love to. I think that 303 00:23:32,460 --> 00:23:38,230 whatever we do it it's going to involve
people and so community groups and 304 00:23:38,230 --> 00:23:42,970 nonprofits are how it's the best way
that we reach people. If you look at our 305 00:23:42,970 --> 00:23:50,500 LA SAFE process that we used, it was an
engagement with citizens and residents 306 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,950 through nonprofits and local
organizations because that's -- you got to 307 00:23:53,950 --> 00:24:00,940 meet people where they are. And until we
can have everybody educated about where 308 00:24:00,940 --> 00:24:05,320 we are -- the numbers that I saw earlier
we're stunning about how many people 309 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:10,930 think sea level changes can affect them
in their lifetime -- but until we can reach 310 00:24:10,930 --> 00:24:15,940 them, educate, and get everybody
understanding where we are and what we 311 00:24:15,940 --> 00:24:19,390 can do about it, then it's going to be a harder row 312 00:24:19,390 --> 00:24:23,290 to hoe. And I think that one of the
primary mechanisms we can use is 313 00:24:23,290 --> 00:24:29,920 nonprofits. Let's go to another question -
and John in our studio audience, what's 314 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:34,960 your question? Tell me where you're from
also. Well I'm a coastal scientist I work 315 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:39,270 for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Foundation, direct our coastal program. I 316 00:24:39,270 --> 00:24:43,120 was thinking about the questions you
asked to panel about grading and I agree 317 00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:48,100 with kind of the assessment that I think
Louisiana's cut ahead of a class, but 318 00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:54,100 like students, we haven't graduated yet,
so I think it's important to to ask you 319 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:59,350 know how well are we learning. And so one
of those things that I think requires a 320 00:24:59,350 --> 00:25:04,240 lot more work and science is is the
question of subsidence, so the question I 321 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:09,370 had is but what can we do to improve our
understanding of subsidence and 322 00:25:09,370 --> 00:25:13,540 estimates in the future because it is so
important to understanding the relative 323 00:25:13,540 --> 00:25:19,000 sea level rise and this this collective
risk from the rising seas and our coast 324 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,750 sinking. Several people might have
answers to this. Virginia Burkett from 325 00:25:22,750 --> 00:25:25,250 the USGS, you want to try this first?
Well the 326 00:25:25,250 --> 00:25:30,590 variability in subsidence from
as you know John from one part of the 327 00:25:30,590 --> 00:25:35,330 coast to the other or even within
subunits of a basin is just very high, 328 00:25:35,330 --> 00:25:41,750 and trying to get a handle on the rate
of subsidence that you then add the 329 00:25:41,750 --> 00:25:45,890 other processes like sea level rise on
top of. Unless you have that basic 330 00:25:45,890 --> 00:25:51,289 geologic understanding -- and the New
Orleans Geological Society and the state 331 00:25:51,289 --> 00:25:58,429 LGS are collaborating on some methods to
integrate industry data with with data 332 00:25:58,429 --> 00:26:02,480 from USGS and others. So anything that
can be done I think to enhance our 333 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:07,340 understanding of local processes, and
local rates of subsidence, and the 334 00:26:07,340 --> 00:26:12,200 drivers of that, because they're episodic.
Just like rainfall is and even sea level 335 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,580 rise in the big picture, so enhancing our
understanding of subsidence mechanisms 336 00:26:16,580 --> 00:26:21,350 trends and projections into the future, I
think is really important. Bren Haase 337 00:26:21,350 --> 00:26:25,850 from CPRA? Sure I'd love to add to that.
Absolutely, geology drives everything 338 00:26:25,850 --> 00:26:29,179 that's occurring across coastal
Louisiana from a landscape perspective. 339 00:26:29,179 --> 00:26:34,669 And I would say it's CPRA, we have we
have a series of monitoring stations -- 340 00:26:34,669 --> 00:26:39,409 almost 400 stations across the coast --
that are monitoring relative subsidence 341 00:26:39,409 --> 00:26:44,590 rates. We also have some targeted
research efforts if you will to 342 00:26:44,590 --> 00:26:47,360 investigate the way faults are affecting
subsided. For example that was mentioned 343 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:52,220 I know earlier, and a subsided
superstation for example that's being 344 00:26:52,220 --> 00:26:57,110 installed in in Plaquemines Parish, so
there is a lot of work. We do recognize 345 00:26:57,110 --> 00:27:00,440 that that's an area that we need to
improve on, and I mentioned that in my 346 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:03,200 sort of grade assessment as well, that
there's there's always room for 347 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,590 improvement. And we've invested quite a
lot actually over the last several years 348 00:27:06,590 --> 00:27:09,860 in trying to get a better understanding
of what those rates are, because they are 349 00:27:09,860 --> 00:27:14,270 so spatially different. Back to our
studio audience and Emily, you're in our 350 00:27:14,270 --> 00:27:18,940 audience. You've got a question and tell
us who you are where you're from also. 351 00:27:18,940 --> 00:27:23,120 Emily Buxton with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. I'm their policy 352 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:28,130 director. My question was about
the general public. So I think the general 353 00:27:28,130 --> 00:27:32,840 public in Louisiana understands more
probably than other states in terms of 354 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,530 what's happening here environmentally. Is
there anything that you think the 355 00:27:36,530 --> 00:27:41,210 general public doesn't understand when
you do your work that you want to relay 356 00:27:41,210 --> 00:27:45,860 to them? Tegan, do you want to take that
first since you cover this? I'm 357 00:27:45,860 --> 00:27:49,120 sure there might be a several people
that can respond to that though. 358 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:53,300 Something that the general public
doesn't understand... I mean it's this is 359 00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:57,350 all very nuanced science we're talking
about, right? And I think Travis got at 360 00:27:57,350 --> 00:28:01,720 this a little bit in his introduction,
but you know the interplay between 361 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:09,260 subsidence and rising sea levels. I think
that sometimes people attribute rising 362 00:28:09,260 --> 00:28:13,280 seas to being one of the greatest
threats, and that hasn't historically 363 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:20,900 been the number one threat, but it will
in the future, And so I think you know 364 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:27,710 explaining some of that nuance is
important. Pat Forbes? I think there are 365 00:28:27,710 --> 00:28:33,710 lots of things. One thing I would point
to immediately is people probably don't 366 00:28:33,710 --> 00:28:39,740 understand the the variance in \ impacts
on people living in the coast and living 367 00:28:39,740 --> 00:28:45,530 in more dangerous areas depending on
their financial wherewithal and their 368 00:28:45,530 --> 00:28:52,100 ability to get away from risk and not
live where in high-risk areas. I think 369 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:59,930 that it is really not well understood by
most folks at this point and it's super 370 00:28:59,930 --> 00:29:07,150 important point. Okay, we're gonna go back
for a moment to our studio audience and 371 00:29:07,150 --> 00:29:13,680 Tori. Tell me who you're with and what
your question is for our experts. Hi, am Tori Jackson. I am 372 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,520 Communications Director for the
Louisiana Youth Advisory Council. I think 373 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:22,890 as a citizen of Louisiana, things that
come into play are financial, and 374 00:29:22,890 --> 00:29:28,440 financial comings and where they come
from. So my question is do you think it's 375 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:34,770 more effective to charge the oil and
energy industry with their effects to 376 00:29:34,770 --> 00:29:38,780 coastal erosion or do you think that
that money should be targeted from the 377 00:29:38,780 --> 00:29:44,600 citizens who contribute to the sea
rising sea levels through climate change? 378 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:49,830 Bren, would you like to take that first? Sure,
well I mean I think it's much like our 379 00:29:49,830 --> 00:29:53,910 plan. It's multifaceted and there's an
all-hands-on-deck approach. I think that 380 00:29:53,910 --> 00:29:57,930 I think that how we pay for this this
issue is an all-hands-on-deck situation 381 00:29:57,930 --> 00:30:01,980 as well. I don't think we can afford
to to turn down any source of funding to 382 00:30:01,980 --> 00:30:06,980 try to accomplish our goals, so I think
it's it's all of the above really. 383 00:30:06,980 --> 00:30:11,160 Anyone else want to respond? Virginia? I would add it's not just one sector of 384 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:15,780 the economy that is causing the problem. And if you're going to attack global, you 385 00:30:15,780 --> 00:30:20,760 know be the whole global community that
would be have to pay for the problem in 386 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:26,550 Louisiana. And it's a combination of very
unique drivers of change, including the 387 00:30:26,550 --> 00:30:32,100 development of cities the the dredging
of coastal waterways. It's not just one 388 00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:37,260 driver, and it's not just you know you
can't just go to the old gas industry 389 00:30:37,260 --> 00:30:42,180 and expect for them to pay for something
that in my view as a Louisiana citizen 390 00:30:42,180 --> 00:30:47,550 that is it's much more complex than that. Okay. But she is getting at an 391 00:30:47,550 --> 00:30:52,200 interesting point I think the majority
of the funding for the coastal master 392 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:56,850 plan is coming from the oil and gas
industry in some form -- whether it's from 393 00:30:56,850 --> 00:31:02,430 the BP settlement or from GOMESA -- the
sale of offshore leases. And then there 394 00:31:02,430 --> 00:31:06,600 are these coastal parish lawsuits
against the oil and gas companies that 395 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:10,980 could provide not probably a very
substantial amount of money but you know 396 00:31:10,980 --> 00:31:14,460 they're symbolic in a sense and you know
are there other ways that we could look 397 00:31:14,460 --> 00:31:20,190 to the oil and gas industry to, you know,
make right for the canals that they've 398 00:31:20,190 --> 00:31:24,330 carved in the marshes over time that
have contributed by some accounts you 399 00:31:24,330 --> 00:31:28,850 know to up to 70% of the land loss. Okay thank you very much for that. Let me 400 00:31:28,850 --> 00:31:33,409 go back to our audience now. And Claire
from Cameron Parish, a huge stakeholder 401 00:31:33,409 --> 00:31:37,690 in this of course. What's your question? So I'm curious to know now that 402 00:31:37,690 --> 00:31:43,400 shoreline protection is approved project
type and the coastal master plan, and we 403 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:47,290 have we see continued wetlands
mitigation in Cameron Parish with 404 00:31:47,290 --> 00:31:51,470 industrial project growth, and we do not
have the sediment generator that the 405 00:31:51,470 --> 00:31:55,700 eastern side of the state has in the
Mississippi River, do you guys see a time 406 00:31:55,700 --> 00:32:01,760 when there will be wetlands mitigation
approved project types like shoreline 407 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,950 protection and oyster reef creation
that's something apart from the the 408 00:32:06,950 --> 00:32:13,789 creation of marshes? Brent? Well, so
mitigation is specific to regulation and 409 00:32:13,789 --> 00:32:19,309 CPRA doesn't regulate wetland impacts, but I will say that absolutely you're right, 410 00:32:19,309 --> 00:32:23,240 in terms of a viable restoration
strategy that, yes shoreline protection is 411 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,960 something that we've considered. We're
participating in as we speak, as you well 412 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:31,850 know in Cameron Parish. Again I'll go
back maybe to my earlier comments that 413 00:32:31,850 --> 00:32:34,669 there's no one single silver bullet,
right? We're definitely in an 414 00:32:34,669 --> 00:32:38,750 all-hands-on-deck kind of a situation. We
can't afford to leave any of these sort 415 00:32:38,750 --> 00:32:42,140 of restoration techniques -- whether it's shoreline protection, living shorelines, 416 00:32:42,140 --> 00:32:47,899 marsh creation, and hydrologic
restoration -- you name it -- off the table. We've seen them all work in 417 00:32:47,899 --> 00:32:51,380 our parish. Yeah. I just hope that people
understand that it's absolutely 418 00:32:51,380 --> 00:32:56,270 multifaceted. It's not one type of -- for
example if we continue to, which I'm so 419 00:32:56,270 --> 00:33:00,350 grateful for, build marsh and Cameron
Parish, but there's not the protective 420 00:33:00,350 --> 00:33:05,870 measures offshore by way of shoreline
protection or living reefs, living 421 00:33:05,870 --> 00:33:10,850 shorelines, then we're building marshland
that's going to continuously be impacted 422 00:33:10,850 --> 00:33:15,500 by wave action and storm surge and and
then what are we left with? I want to 423 00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:21,490 live there. I want my children to live
there. Yeah, yeah. John? I think the concept 424 00:33:21,490 --> 00:33:24,700 that Bren and they were alluding to is what 425 00:33:24,700 --> 00:33:27,790 we call multiple lines of defense. And basically it's using these multiple 426 00:33:27,790 --> 00:33:32,200 tools -- you know it's building levees, it's
building up our coast, our barrier islands -- 427 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:38,830 it's about non structural solutions that
OCD works on so, it is as Bren said kind 428 00:33:38,830 --> 00:33:43,540 of a multi-faceted thing. I mean there is
no silver bullet. We're gonna have to use 429 00:33:43,540 --> 00:33:49,360 as Bren said, all the tools we have.
One thing also... You got a question? 430 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:53,740 One thing I want to respond to, this is
Kendall from Healthy Gulf, again. I wanted 431 00:33:53,740 --> 00:33:59,470 to respond to the comment that CPRA
doesn't mitigate or I mean doesn't 432 00:33:59,470 --> 00:34:03,550 regulate wetlands impacts. But CPRA
recently signed a Memorandum of 433 00:34:03,550 --> 00:34:07,570 Understanding with the Plaquemines
liquids terminal. We already have a study 434 00:34:07,570 --> 00:34:11,800 showing that a project like this at the
mouth of the Mid Barataria sediment 435 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:16,270 diversions -- the signature 1.4 billion
dollar land building project of the 436 00:34:16,270 --> 00:34:19,540 state -- the effectiveness would be reduced
by 17%. 437 00:34:19,540 --> 00:34:25,180 But CPRA signed that memo saying that
we would that they at least initially 438 00:34:25,180 --> 00:34:31,620 are able to go ahead with that project
and I'm just curious why we would put 439 00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:39,910 the signature land building project at
risk for an oil export terminal? Well, 440 00:34:39,910 --> 00:34:44,500 absolutely we would not want to put that
signature project at risk. I think it's 441 00:34:44,500 --> 00:34:46,960 important to note that the two projects
your reference are different projects. 442 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:51,160 Tthey're not the same; their features are
different. And the path that we're taking 443 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:55,150 forward now is one to get to a point
where we can assess what the impacts of 444 00:34:55,150 --> 00:34:59,500 the current proposed project might
have on that diversion. And so we need to 445 00:34:59,500 --> 00:35:06,100 see what those impacts might be, you know, and if they are unreasonable or to a 446 00:35:06,100 --> 00:35:08,830 point where we think they really are
detrimental to that project, then we're 447 00:35:08,830 --> 00:35:11,950 gonna have to have further discussion
about about that project. What do you 448 00:35:11,950 --> 00:35:17,240 like an unacceptable level would be of
impact? We don't know yet. We don't know, 449 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:19,150 yet, we need to get through the
analysis and see what you know see what 450 00:35:19,150 --> 00:35:25,470 things look like. I will say that you're
right. We did sign a Memorandum of 451 00:35:25,470 --> 00:35:30,119 Understanding related to that, but
it would require both a permit and a 452 00:35:30,119 --> 00:35:36,420 memorandum of agreement for that
facility to operate and and move forward 453 00:35:36,420 --> 00:35:40,440 into the future. And so that's really the
kind of the key instrument that would be 454 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:45,000 the sort of go or no-go point. Here on
our panel, Pat Forbes, you've got an 455 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:49,230 LA SAFE report in your hand you've
got it as a matter of fact and how does 456 00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:55,790 the role of insurance play into this
and in your findings? Well, the role of 457 00:35:55,790 --> 00:36:01,560 insurance is huge in the life of
Louisiana. We, some fifty one percent of 458 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:06,710 our state, is in a special flood hazard
area. The geography of our state is in a 459 00:36:06,710 --> 00:36:13,980 special flood hazard area, so the cost of
insurance is going to determine where 460 00:36:13,980 --> 00:36:19,140 people live, it's going to determine what
people are in vulnerable positions 461 00:36:19,140 --> 00:36:26,130 whenever we do have storms and disasters,
and it's critical to how we address the 462 00:36:26,130 --> 00:36:35,130 issue. Because if we continue to have
people live in places that we know are 463 00:36:35,130 --> 00:36:39,000 dangerous and we don't discourage that
and we don't make it possible, we don't 464 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:44,430 facilitate people's ability to live in
safer places, then we're setting 465 00:36:44,430 --> 00:36:49,710 ourselves up for having our most
vulnerable populations living in our 466 00:36:49,710 --> 00:36:55,890 most dangerous places. Insurance is a way
to manage that, if it's done well. It's 467 00:36:55,890 --> 00:37:00,119 also a way to exacerbate it if it's not
done well. If the term "climate change 468 00:37:00,119 --> 00:37:04,319 refugees" is one that has not really been
heard of that much before, but it's 469 00:37:04,319 --> 00:37:09,900 becoming very familiar to you.
It is a term that we don't like. 470 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:15,359 The term was applied to the residents of
ville de Jean Charles. It's a island 471 00:37:15,359 --> 00:37:22,560 community of Native Americans mostly who lived just off the coast and are not 472 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:28,500 going to be protected by a levee. And we
are helping them move to an entirely new 473 00:37:28,500 --> 00:37:33,540 community. It's organized. They're brave
people. They don't want to leave where 474 00:37:33,540 --> 00:37:38,970 they are, but they see that they have to. And they're planning that departure and 475 00:37:38,970 --> 00:37:44,289 that new future for themselves
For those reasons we don't like 476 00:37:44,289 --> 00:37:48,880 to call them refugees, we think of them
as pioneers who are some of the first 477 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:54,640 people who are going to completely
resettle their entire community from one 478 00:37:54,640 --> 00:38:00,090 place to another because of the risks we
that they face living in the coast. And 479 00:38:00,090 --> 00:38:06,789 so we're going to learn a lot from them
and their experiences as we go through 480 00:38:06,789 --> 00:38:09,910 this process of getting them moved. So with just with your mission right now, I 481 00:38:09,910 --> 00:38:14,739 want to go back to our audience. And
to Meta who is dealing with the future 482 00:38:14,739 --> 00:38:21,489 of folk life and how things could change. What is your question for our panel? Well 483 00:38:21,489 --> 00:38:26,739 I'm concerned about what happens to Louisiana's traditional cultures with 484 00:38:26,739 --> 00:38:30,990 all the population movements and shifts
that are going to happen. It's going to 485 00:38:30,990 --> 00:38:35,519 be a good deal of cultural disruption. And well that's the history of humanity, 486 00:38:35,519 --> 00:38:43,150 what can we do about it now? And I'm
wondering how cultural issues are being 487 00:38:43,150 --> 00:38:49,779 considered in planning. Sure if I might
go again, I'm gonna go back to the isle de 488 00:38:49,779 --> 00:38:56,890 Jean-Charles example. If you read our
application and the objectives of our 489 00:38:56,890 --> 00:39:04,329 project, it will be a failure if all
we did was get 40 families moved from an 490 00:39:04,329 --> 00:39:09,910 unsafe place to a safe place. The whole
project is built around not only trying 491 00:39:09,910 --> 00:39:13,960 to preserve the culture of that
community because it's so rich and so 492 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:19,599 long, but actually trying to enhance it --
trying to build the new community in 493 00:39:19,599 --> 00:39:25,450 such a way that elders on Charles starts
to reconstitute itself and enhance its 494 00:39:25,450 --> 00:39:33,390 cultural cohesiveness if you will. Because yeah, we...the coast of 495 00:39:33,390 --> 00:39:38,829 Louisiana is the major driver in its
culture. And if we're losing the coast, 496 00:39:38,829 --> 00:39:43,180 how do we not lose that culture? And we hope that we're going to 497 00:39:43,180 --> 00:39:48,200 learn some things about that in the
resettlement of Isle de Jean-Charles, 498 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:53,690 but we there will be a lot more for us
to learn to try to prevent that loss 499 00:39:53,690 --> 00:39:57,859 that dramatic loss of culture from our
coastal communities. Let me ask you very 500 00:39:57,859 --> 00:40:02,359 quickly... yeah, Bren. go ahead. I'd like
to add on to that if if I may and this 501 00:40:02,359 --> 00:40:08,119 is an immensely complicated question and
problem right and so I don't mean to 502 00:40:08,119 --> 00:40:11,000 oversimplify, but I, but I'd like to sort
of reiterate one of the things that Pat 503 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:15,290 said which is the culture in Louisiana
is so closely tied to its coast that the 504 00:40:15,290 --> 00:40:19,280 more the - the more of the coast
that we can save the better off we'll be 505 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,970 from a preserving of our cultural
heritage standpoint. And again I know 506 00:40:22,970 --> 00:40:27,140 that's very much an oversimplification
but that's a big deal. 507 00:40:27,140 --> 00:40:31,820 I think the second thing I would add is
that the better we are at predicting 508 00:40:31,820 --> 00:40:34,760 what we think the future of our coast is
going to look like. The better prepared 509 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,869 we are to plan well and I know that
doesn't directly answer your question. 510 00:40:38,869 --> 00:40:43,339 'What is planned well mean?' Well, you have
to have an idea of what the future is 511 00:40:43,339 --> 00:40:48,890 going to hold to be able to make good
plans. So that we can adjust the way we 512 00:40:48,890 --> 00:40:51,980 live work and play along our coast in a
deliberate manner instead of those 513 00:40:51,980 --> 00:40:58,130 changes inflicting there will
essentially on us and our cultures. What I'm concerned about: 514 00:40:58,130 --> 00:41:03,230 which traditions are retained in the movement
and I think the most important thing is 515 00:41:03,230 --> 00:41:07,880 that people do it in an intentional
thoughtful way and I'm talking about the 516 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:12,830 communities not the administrators and
give them the opportunity to really say 517 00:41:12,830 --> 00:41:19,609 this is important to me what can I do to
make sure this you know survives. Just 518 00:41:19,609 --> 00:41:24,740 add just a piece most almost every time
anybody has ever moved a community they 519 00:41:24,740 --> 00:41:29,330 have just given those people money and
let them go find a safer place which 520 00:41:29,330 --> 00:41:35,869 completely scatters that culture and you
lose that to the wind essentially which 521 00:41:35,869 --> 00:41:40,369 is why we're doing this resettlement of
Isle De Jean-Charles in such a 522 00:41:40,369 --> 00:41:48,260 different fashion. And again one of our
objectives is to seek how well we can do 523 00:41:48,260 --> 00:41:53,960 in maintaining that culture when
geographically they move to a whole new 524 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:56,980 place.
The challenge is gonna be when they're 525 00:41:56,980 --> 00:42:02,620 changing ecosystems. Yes. Absolutely.
Absolutely. Let me go back 526 00:42:02,620 --> 00:42:06,990 to our audiences for just a moment, Chris did you have a question? Yes, well I 527 00:42:06,990 --> 00:42:10,450 actually like would like to address the
issue about the oil and gas industry 528 00:42:10,450 --> 00:42:14,200 because I work in the only gas industry
I think it's important to say and I'd 529 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:19,510 like to say that by recognizing CPRA
has really been at the forefront of 530 00:42:19,510 --> 00:42:23,340 advancing science. I said that into the
beginning and that was really evident. 531 00:42:23,340 --> 00:42:27,880 Well, I would encourage anybody to
watch a CPRA board meeting they're 532 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:33,430 available online. I got to watch the
March meeting CPRA has an expert in 533 00:42:33,430 --> 00:42:39,400 subsidence on staff Dr. Krista Jankowski
she studied under Dr. Tørnquist at 534 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:45,160 Tulane and she gave a presentation to
the board on subsidence. And in that she 535 00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:50,730 referenced two ongoing research projects.
One at Tulane/UNO and one at UL. 536 00:42:50,730 --> 00:42:56,830 Both of those projects are using oil and
gas industry data to study the 537 00:42:56,830 --> 00:43:00,670 relationship between geology and
subsidence and she in fact referred to it 538 00:43:00,670 --> 00:43:06,520 as a partnership with those universities.
So that to me, I think a missing 539 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:10,630 component that we're not thinking about
is how can we work collaboratively - 540 00:43:10,630 --> 00:43:15,460 Claire alluded to that at the
infrastructure level - but at the science 541 00:43:15,460 --> 00:43:19,600 level: how can we work collaboratively to
address the issue? Is that your question? 542 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:26,100 My question. And who would
like to I would like to take it? I mean - 543 00:43:27,870 --> 00:43:32,860 well, I think you both can chime in.
I think in some ways you answered your 544 00:43:32,860 --> 00:43:38,500 question in your opening. I guess to the
question you know clearly anywhere we 545 00:43:38,500 --> 00:43:41,830 can any source of information that we
can get to help us better understand 546 00:43:41,830 --> 00:43:45,850 what's going on along our coast we're
open to that we want to see that. And 547 00:43:45,850 --> 00:43:51,740 you're right there are efforts underway
that are utilizing oil and gas industry 548 00:43:51,740 --> 00:43:55,220 information and data to help us better
understand what's happening below our 549 00:43:55,220 --> 00:43:59,480 our soil surface essentially. And I
mentioned a few of those earlier, I won't 550 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:03,770 go back through those. But - they're - you
know a dozen or so efforts that that 551 00:44:03,770 --> 00:44:08,260 just CPRA are undertaking at the moment
that are that are doing just that. 552 00:44:08,260 --> 00:44:14,300 Dr. Burkett, let me ask you this - with the
USGS - which parts of the state are most 553 00:44:14,300 --> 00:44:21,800 at risk for sea-level rise is there one
area that is more at-risk? Whether it be 554 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:27,200 Cameron Parish worse than Grand Isle or
Plaquemines Parish which would be at the 555 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:30,800 worst level at the moment well the ones
that are having the greatest rates of 556 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:35,690 subsidence and don't have any protection
any of these lines of defense that John 557 00:44:35,690 --> 00:44:39,290 was talking about earlier. Those are the
ones that are probably the most 558 00:44:39,290 --> 00:44:46,550 vulnerable. But, those areas are?
Well, there's Cheniere Plain, the Mississippi 559 00:44:46,550 --> 00:44:50,630 Delta, Southeast Louisiana
primarily. Just because of the geologic 560 00:44:50,630 --> 00:44:55,880 only 7500 years old and as that Delta
switched back and forth the Mississippi 561 00:44:55,880 --> 00:44:59,660 River switched back and forth across the
coast abandoning one area that area just 562 00:44:59,660 --> 00:45:05,480 naturally subsides D waters compacts.
Okay so.. But one thing that we 563 00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:09,890 haven't mentioned about the drivers of
change and that is the intensity of 564 00:45:09,890 --> 00:45:16,160 storms. And sea level rise is not the
only driver at play here okay? And the 565 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:20,360 coastal land loss that is being
experienced and the loss of our culture 566 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:24,590 overnight well my parents lost their
home. They didn't - we weren't planning for 567 00:45:24,590 --> 00:45:29,990 that it just happened. They moved further
north and dispersal...diaspora they call 568 00:45:29,990 --> 00:45:33,950 it.
So the storms drive that and so the 569 00:45:33,950 --> 00:45:38,800 planning that the state is putting
together now to try to preserve 570 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:44,630 cultures and have this more thoughtful
approach to migration and movement of 571 00:45:44,660 --> 00:45:50,860 people - is - makes a lot of sense.
Because these episodes of dramatic land 572 00:45:50,860 --> 00:45:57,800 loss 216 miles overnight square miles
lost during Hurricane Katrina. And then 573 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:02,500 Rita right after that. You know those
storms are growing more intense 574 00:46:02,510 --> 00:46:08,630 since 1980: the landfalling hurricanes
from the Atlantic Basin have increased 575 00:46:08,630 --> 00:46:15,620 in virtually all measures of intensity
in size and rainfall surge so that's 576 00:46:15,620 --> 00:46:20,000 something that has to be added to or
needs to be added to the equation and 577 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:24,740 the increasing intensity of rainfall
events is another. As you increase the 578 00:46:24,740 --> 00:46:28,190 temperature of the atmosphere it holds
more water. And these are all things 579 00:46:28,190 --> 00:46:32,360 we're experiencing. We are. Yeah so, those are things that need to be 580 00:46:32,360 --> 00:46:35,990 factored into the stormwater management
plan that the Office of Community 581 00:46:35,990 --> 00:46:39,890 Development has put together it's not
just sea level rise it's all of these 582 00:46:39,890 --> 00:46:44,930 other drivers of change that are working
collectively to change our coasts. Teagan, 583 00:46:44,930 --> 00:46:48,470 let me ask you some of the stories
that you've been covering as far back as 584 00:46:48,470 --> 00:46:52,190 you've been covering them. What are you
finding from people as they are forced 585 00:46:52,190 --> 00:46:56,300 to make change in their lives and how
are they responding? Well up until now 586 00:46:56,300 --> 00:47:00,650 we've really seen an unmanaged retreat.
So, like Virginia said, after each storm 587 00:47:00,650 --> 00:47:07,700 folks move away. And you know sometimes they follow each other and you know 588 00:47:07,700 --> 00:47:10,400 many people from St. Bernard Parish
moved to the north shore of Lake 589 00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:14,690 Pontchartrain after Hurricane Katrina.
Sometimes they are able to retain that 590 00:47:14,690 --> 00:47:18,410 identity to an extent there's a seafood
restaurant there where they all gather 591 00:47:18,410 --> 00:47:22,940 now. But it has been unmanaged and so
that means that the folks who have been 592 00:47:22,940 --> 00:47:28,400 left are in large part folks who haven't
been able to afford to move on their own. 593 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:35,750 And so it's exciting to see this plan
being put forth by LA Safe. It's sort of 594 00:47:35,750 --> 00:47:40,790 unprecedented, but I think in order to
affect actual change there really needs 595 00:47:40,790 --> 00:47:45,200 to be funding attached to it.
All right Teagen, thank you very much. Now, 596 00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:52,820 Matt, let me go to you and get your question, if you will.
Sure. What advice would you 597 00:47:52,820 --> 00:47:58,250 give today to our local elected
officials and community leaders as they 598 00:47:58,250 --> 00:48:04,420 contemplate the future of the people in
places they represent? 599 00:48:04,700 --> 00:48:09,780 That oh well -
Bren? I'll be... Anyone 600 00:48:09,780 --> 00:48:16,800 speak up. You know I would say that it
gets back to some of my previous answers 601 00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:21,840 I guess. But to have a good understanding
of what the expected risks are to their 602 00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:26,820 communities into the future.
Because that's the basis for how you you 603 00:48:26,820 --> 00:48:31,470 plan today for what's going to happen
obviously tomorrow. And so without that 604 00:48:31,470 --> 00:48:34,770 understanding of what we think the
future may hold for community X 605 00:48:34,770 --> 00:48:40,440 community Y. It's sort of the
unmanaged approach that Teagan 606 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:46,140 referred to earlier. I think people on
the coast have a lot of meeting fatigue 607 00:48:46,140 --> 00:48:49,980 you know there's rounds of meetings with
every coastal master plan which is good 608 00:48:49,980 --> 00:48:54,600 for Public Engagement. There were many
rounds of meetings with LA Safe, I think 609 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:58,830 that people on the coast are hungry for
bullet points, for information, from their 610 00:48:58,830 --> 00:49:03,660 policymakers, about what action they can
take now. Let me add to the point that I was 611 00:49:03,660 --> 00:49:08,880 gonna make is that I think my advice
would: be make sure your citizens your 612 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:13,980 residents are as well-informed as you
are - about what the risks are and what 613 00:49:13,980 --> 00:49:18,240 our paths are potential paths forward are.
What is the community rating 614 00:49:18,240 --> 00:49:22,560 system assessment and how does that
factor in with insurance rates if it does? 615 00:49:22,560 --> 00:49:31,670 I'm not an expert in in CRA, but it
essentially provides reductions 616 00:49:31,670 --> 00:49:37,920 community-wide reductions in flood
insurance costs depending on actions and 617 00:49:37,920 --> 00:49:43,200 activities and educational activities by
that local government. To reduce flood 618 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:49,110 risk. It can be things like educational
tools it can be things that reduce 619 00:49:49,110 --> 00:49:54,300 physical risk, but anything that reduces
risk overall flood risk for the 620 00:49:54,300 --> 00:50:01,920 community can result in a commensurate
reduction in their overall premiums for 621 00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:05,460 flood insurance. Okay thank you very much
for that. Let's go back to our audience 622 00:50:05,460 --> 00:50:10,690 and Ralina, one of our students, what is
your question for the panel? Hi my name 623 00:50:10,690 --> 00:50:14,710 Ralina Ramrakhiani, I'm a member of the
Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory 624 00:50:14,710 --> 00:50:22,540 Council. My question is - available for
everyone to answer - What do you want to 625 00:50:22,540 --> 00:50:29,380 see the new generation of lawmakers
implement to ameliorate the sinking of 626 00:50:29,380 --> 00:50:37,869 Louisiana? Alright, who wants to test on
that one first? Best question yet. 627 00:50:37,869 --> 00:50:44,940 I think everybody could answer that - so uh Brynn, you wanna give it a shot first? Why not? 628 00:50:45,750 --> 00:50:50,680 That's a really good question and one
that stuff too tough to answer I think. 629 00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:57,250 I think that, we're moving in this direction now but 630 00:50:57,250 --> 00:51:03,550 but I think that an understanding of our
lawmakers that these are decisions that 631 00:51:03,550 --> 00:51:08,290 while they involve people and very
intimately involved people. These are 632 00:51:08,290 --> 00:51:12,430 really you know human dimension type
questions. That to the extent that we can, 633 00:51:12,430 --> 00:51:15,160 we've got to remove politics from the
kind of decisions. That we need to make 634 00:51:15,160 --> 00:51:19,569 into the future and that the science, the
engineering and so forth really has to 635 00:51:19,569 --> 00:51:24,819 drive the decisions that we make moving
forward. Really, I would just second that. 636 00:51:24,819 --> 00:51:30,970 As we work through LA Safe,
as we move to the the watershed 637 00:51:30,970 --> 00:51:37,569 initiative. The key to that whole thing
is focusing on science engineering the 638 00:51:37,569 --> 00:51:46,720 data that we have available to make
smart decisions together. So that 639 00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:51,490 everybody can get optimal benefit from
from the actions that we're able to take 640 00:51:51,490 --> 00:51:55,329 that we can afford to take. And if I
may clarify, I said science and 641 00:51:55,329 --> 00:52:01,510 engineering I want to be clear that that
includes Social Sciences. So again these 642 00:52:01,510 --> 00:52:05,650 decisions absolutely out there at their
most basic involve people. They are people 643 00:52:05,650 --> 00:52:10,750 decisions and so I want to make sure I'm
clear in that statement. Bren , thank you. 644 00:52:10,750 --> 00:52:15,490 I've got a quick question the status of
the watershed initiative and the funding 645 00:52:15,490 --> 00:52:20,380 we saw the mission of that in our
original story at the beginning of our 646 00:52:20,380 --> 00:52:24,400 program what's the status of that? We are
still awaiting guidance 647 00:52:24,400 --> 00:52:28,809 HUD. It comes in the form of a Federal
Register notice and they have not 648 00:52:28,809 --> 00:52:33,279 produced that. We are eagerly awaiting it
the appropriation was written I 649 00:52:33,279 --> 00:52:39,190 believe in February of 2018. And we've
never waited for guidance from HUD for 650 00:52:39,190 --> 00:52:44,470 this long, but until we get that guidance
we can't really - we have to - 651 00:52:44,470 --> 00:52:47,980 write an action plan to tell them how
we're gonna spend the money. We can't do 652 00:52:47,980 --> 00:52:53,260 that till we see the rules. So we're eagerly awaiting those rules. Okay, now 653 00:52:53,260 --> 00:52:58,890 Pat thank you very much. It's a
pretty much time for us to wrap up a bit. 654 00:52:58,890 --> 00:53:02,200 And so I'm going to ask for a closing
comment - a brief run from each of you - 655 00:53:02,200 --> 00:53:07,720 beginning with Miss Burkett. Okay, I would
just remind us all that there are 656 00:53:07,720 --> 00:53:13,000 multiple drivers of change that are
working to affect Louisiana coast and so 657 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:16,270 'everything being on the table' as Bren
said, you know. All the different 658 00:53:16,270 --> 00:53:21,400 strategies for restoring the coast and
protecting the people and your question 659 00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:25,599 I loved you know what what is in my mind
the most important thing is for people 660 00:53:25,599 --> 00:53:31,589 to understand to educate themselves to
read take the time to delve into 661 00:53:31,589 --> 00:53:35,650 understanding and reading the literature
that will give you a basis for decision 662 00:53:35,650 --> 00:53:39,279 making.
Virginia Burkett with USGS. Bren Hasse with 663 00:53:39,279 --> 00:53:45,460 CPRA. I would I would just say that you
know I think as it relates to how we 664 00:53:45,460 --> 00:53:49,210 understand those multiple drivers of
what's happening along our coast is key. 665 00:53:49,210 --> 00:53:54,250 And we need to continue to improve our
understanding of those things and I 666 00:53:54,250 --> 00:53:59,790 think the system that we have set up in
this community, essentially of all of us 667 00:53:59,790 --> 00:54:04,480 sitting here today, is poised to do that.
You know I do want people to know that 668 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:06,700 we've got a plan
I think we can be successful in that 669 00:54:06,700 --> 00:54:09,690 plan and it's going to take all of us
pulling in the same direction to 670 00:54:09,690 --> 00:54:14,589 accomplish our goals but nothing worth
doing is is very easy. Okay, 671 00:54:14,589 --> 00:54:18,970 and Tegan Wendland from WWNO. I think
it's exciting to see that the state is 672 00:54:18,970 --> 00:54:24,279 talking about the human dimensions of
land loss you know 10 or 20 years ago we 673 00:54:24,279 --> 00:54:30,180 weren't necessarily even recognizing you
the extent of this issue and it's taken 674 00:54:30,180 --> 00:54:34,999 us a while to get to this point a few
years ago it was a very uncomfortable 675 00:54:34,999 --> 00:54:39,539 topic to raise with anyone who lives on
the coast this idea of relocation and 676 00:54:39,539 --> 00:54:44,700 now the state is acknowledging the
inevitability that some folks will have 677 00:54:44,700 --> 00:54:51,749 to move. And you know that we need to
find some ways to move away from this 678 00:54:51,749 --> 00:54:58,289 sort of piecemeal approach to funding.
And Lobby the federal government to 679 00:54:58,289 --> 00:55:04,979 create some sort of funding program to
alleviate some of these pressures. And 680 00:55:04,979 --> 00:55:10,650 Pat Forbes, Office Community Development,
briefly. I would say that every challenge 681 00:55:10,650 --> 00:55:15,960 we face is best met when we're all
pulling in the same direction and this 682 00:55:15,960 --> 00:55:22,190 challenge is no different it's bigger.
Which means it requires even more so 683 00:55:22,190 --> 00:55:28,259 that we all have common set of facts
that we understand and an approach to 684 00:55:28,259 --> 00:55:33,150 addressing those facts and that we pull
together to do the things we've got to 685 00:55:33,150 --> 00:55:38,369 do to to not only survive it but thrive
coming out of it. Alright, thank you for 686 00:55:38,369 --> 00:55:43,490 that and we have now run out of time for
our question and answer segment. So we'd 687 00:55:43,490 --> 00:55:47,579 like to thank our panelists: Dr. Burkett,
Mr. Haas, Miss Wendland and Mr. Forbes for 688 00:55:47,579 --> 00:55:51,690 their insight on this month's topic. When
we come back we'll have a few closing 689 00:55:51,690 --> 00:55:57,680 comments. 690 00:56:02,690 --> 00:56:07,380 That is all the time we have for this
edition of Louisiana Public Square. We 691 00:56:07,380 --> 00:56:10,530 encourage you to visit the series
website at the address on your screen, 692 00:56:10,530 --> 00:56:14,670 and while you're there you can view
additional coastal resources and you can 693 00:56:14,670 --> 00:56:18,690 join in the conversation about tonight's
show we would love to hear from you. You 694 00:56:18,690 --> 00:56:22,260 can also see how other major
metropolitan areas are dealing with 695 00:56:22,260 --> 00:56:27,540 climate change on the PBS series: "Sinking
Cities." LPB will air the series every 696 00:56:27,540 --> 00:56:33,180 Sunday in June at 11 a.m. You can join
Louisiana public square next month for a 697 00:56:33,180 --> 00:56:38,640 recap of the session on the legislative
rap of 2019 thanks everyone for watching 698 00:56:38,640 --> 00:56:44,430 and good night. 699 00:57:10,880 --> 00:57:16,170 Major funding for "Sinking Cities: Peril
& Promise" was provided by Dr. P Roy 700 00:57:16,170 --> 00:57:20,580 Vagelos and Diana Vagelos with
additional funding from Sue and Edgar 701 00:57:20,580 --> 00:57:25,380 Rachenheim, the third and the Mark Hasse
Foundation. Additional funding for Peril 702 00:57:25,380 --> 00:57:29,480 and Promise is provided by Lise
Strickler and Mark Gallogly. "Sinking 703 00:57:29,480 --> 00:57:34,350 Cities" was also supported by the Arthur
Vining Davis Foundations and viewers like you.