Hurricane Katrina's second anniversary brings end to Corps debris

New Orleans CityBusiness, Aug 28, 2007

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will stop removing hurricane debris in Orleans Parish on Wednesday, transferring remaining debris removal to city government.

The Corps' debris removal program will end on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and a month before the Corps' Louisiana Recovery Field Office in New Orleans closes.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set Sept. 29 as the last day of operations for the LRFO, which is at 525 St. Charles Ave.

FEMA will not allow the LRFO to accept demolition assignments after Saturday in order for Corps contractors to complete assignments in time for the LRFO to close.

The Corps will turn over to Orleans Parish any demolition work that remains after Sept. 29. The city will have to complete FEMA project worksheets to be reimbursed for demolition costs.

A public drop-off site at Crowder Boulevard and Interstate 10 will close this week. An Elysian Fields drop-off site will remain open until Sept. 29.

Also by Sept. 29:

- In Jefferson Parish, the Corps expects to finish cleaning debris from private properties; and

- In St. Bernard Parish, the Corps expects to finish cleaning canals.

The Corps is turning over debris removal to the parishes at the direction of FEMA, which determines when communities can manage work remaining after a disaster.

At its peak, the Corps was removing almost 200,000 cubic yards of debris per day following Katrina. That has dropped to about 6,000 cubic yards per day. One truck can carry about 40 cubic yards.

By Sept. 29, the Corps expects to have removed, recycled or processed almost 29 million cubic yards of debris, demolished about 8,000 structures and cleaned almost 70,000 private properties since Katrina.

To have debris removed or for instructions on scheduling a demolition, New Orleans citizens can call 311 or 658-2299.