I think others have a point when they say it was a failure on all levels. Local, state & federal.
http://hurricane.lsu.edu/_in_the_news/houston.htm
Written in 2001
A consortium of local, state and federal agencies is studying a $2 billion to $3 billion plan to divert sediment from the Mississippi River back into the delta. Because the river is leveed all the way to the Gulf, where sediment is dumped into deep water, nothing is left to replenish the receding delta.
Other possible projects include restoration of barrier reefs and perhaps a large gate to prevent Lake Pontchartrain from overflowing and drowning the city.
All are multibillion-dollar projects.
A plan to restore the Florida Everglades attracted $4 billion in federal funding, but the state had to match it dollar for dollar. In Louisiana, so far, there's only been a willingness to match 15 or 25 cents.
"Our state still looks for a 100 percent federal bailout, but that's just not going to happen," said University of New Orleans geologist Shea Penland, a delta expert.
I personally blame the 'tax cuts by any means necessary' attitude that has pervated american society. People clamor for tax cuts after tax cuts after tax cuts then infrastructure goes to shit because there is no funding for it. I personally will take a 35% tax rate with a stable national debt, good infrastructure and good social programs over a 31% tax rate and a massive debt, shitty infrastructure and struggling programs any day of the week.
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