“New Orleans and South Louisiana residents can now move forward with their lives and make tough decisions about rebuilding with today’s release of the FEMA advisory flood maps. I am pleased that Mr. Powell and the White House are requesting the additional funds needed to certify our levees so that the maps could be made available for our citizens to start rebuilding their homes and their lives.

“The especially good news is that the new federal guidelines do not restrict rebuilding in any part of New Orleans – meaning that the rebuilding decisions will be left to local officials and residents.  With this advisory, FEMA is saying that new flood insurance policies and federal rebuilding assistance should be available to those who rebuild within the specified guidelines, in any part of the city.  I urge city officials to make the same commitment to all neighborhoods in New Orleans, now that federal officials are certifying all areas to be safe for rebuilding under the new guidelines.

“Unfortunately, however, the White House request for $2.5 billion in additional funds to certify the levees falls short of the latest $4.1 billion total needed to certify levees for the entire Louisiana Coast.  Plaquemines Parish is left out of the plan and it should not be.  I will fight, along with the entire Louisiana congressional delegation, for full funding that does not leave any part of our state out of the rebuilding process. 

“For now, the advisory maps seem to require fairly reasonable rebuilding requirements and I believe our citizens will be able to come home with more certainty.  While I don’t know enough yet to fully embrace the plan, I am pleased thus far with the advisory for New Orleans and our citizens.  I will continue to fight for more funding for our levees and for the entire South Louisiana region, as we still have a long road ahead to our recovery.”