Pathos in Plaquemines

The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season is June 1 -- just a month away. A week ago, President Bush announced that he will not seek the $1.6 billion in funding required to upgrade the levees protecting the southern half of the Plaquemines Parish, a low-lying area south of New Orleans and home to 14,000 residents. The decision means that if another storm like Katrina hits, Plaquemines is a goner.

Most residents would like to see not only upgraded levees but also coastal wetlands restoration. As it is, the Parish is slipping away at a rate of 10 square miles per year and Katrina took 57 in one fell swoop. It's a trend that has serious implications for New Orleans itself. John Barras of the National Wetlands Research Center tells USAToday:

It is a good possibility that the area could deteriorate completely. Plaquemines provides a buffer from storms. If Plaquemines were not there, Katrina would have advanced directly into New Orleans with no protection, similar to what happened on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

One 76-year-old resident who has already given up on southern Plaquemines told the newspaper: "What we need is a better coastline, but it's too late for that. This is not a safe place to live."