NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., accused the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday of sitting on millions of dollars meant to improve levees in a part of south Louisiana flooded after Hurricane Ike.He called a lack of “concrete action” in the two years since Congress appropriated $30 million for the work — along with a study he deems unnecessary — “highly irresponsible” and said the flooding that occurred in Terrebonne Parish should never have happened.Vitter, who said the allegations were raised by state and local officials, said he plans to meet with corps and local leaders Wednesday.”I have had it with this sort of bureaucratic nonsense that contributes directly to our extended pain and suffering,” he wrote in an angry letter to the corps’ top general, Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp.Messages seeking comment were left with both the corps and the parish president.In his letter, Vitter said $30 million secured in 2006 for non-federal levees was meant to build “real flood control on the ground in Terrebonne Parish immediately. —-Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]
Vitter accuses Corps of withholding funds
September 22, 2008