Swampy part of New Orleans turns into dumping ground

[callady]

Swampy part of New Orleans turns into dumping ground

Monday, October 31, 2005; Posted: 9:37 a.m. EST (14:37 GMT)


NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- A swampy section of the city is becoming a dumping ground for paint cans, broken furniture, insulation and whatever else is in the rubble.

From its beginnings, New Orleans has viewed the surrounding wetlands and Mississippi River as the logical places for its waste. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the city again is turning to the swamp.

East of the city's residential neighborhoods lies a large tract of swamp land that has been turned into an industrial corridor. Even before Katrina it was besmirched with scrap metal and used parts yards, rust-colored streams and dead cypress trees.

Making matters worse, environmentalists warn, is that the mounds of debris from Katrina also are winding up here.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/31/katrina.dumping.ap/index.html

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Is there any possibility

they could actually use this stuff to build up the level of the ground, or is it mostly toxic??

[marbuc]

2. It has been mentioned

that much of this stuff is organic and would ultimately decay, causing the city to sink slowly. What they need is a permanent fix.

[Child_Of_Isis]

3. Swampy part of New Orleans

Would that be the 9th ward?

[...of J.Temperance]

5. The 9th Ward

LITERALLY used to BE a swamp...this was WAY back in the day. This is why that area suffered the worst flooding, because the cheapest housing was built in the lowest part of the city...the former swampland.

[oregonindy]

4. There are times when I hope the bird flu does wipe us out.....

[...of J.Temperance]

6. Well yeah, but not RIGHT now, because afterall David Lynch MIGHT

Have a new film out in 2006...so I'm afraid that the Bird Flu thing is JUST going to HAVE to wait.

[all.of.me]

7. swamps are filters for major waterways

how stupid to fill them in!

[Rene]

8. I think Mother Nature was trying to 'fix' that part of her world and

reclaim those wetlands. Someone in charge needs to have nature and New Orleans best interests in mind.
Who the heck IS in charge of reconstructing NO safely and in harmony with her unique natural surroundings.