United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2005-12-15 monographic deposited born digital 27 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-322T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T P0b002ee180399e10 f:d06322t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T GAO-06-322T Disaster relief aid Emergency preparedness Emergency response Federal regulations Flood control Hurricanes Inspection Intergovernmental relations Hurricane Katrina Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project Testimony A43279 The greatest natural threat posed to the New Orleans area is from hurricane-induced storm surges, waves, and rainfalls. To protect the area from this threat, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) was authorized by Congress in 1965 to design and construct a system of levees as part of the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity, Louisiana Hurricane Protection Project. Although federally authorized, the project was a joint federal, state, and local effort. For the levees in the project, the Corps was responsible for design and construction, with the federal government paying 70 percent of the costs and state and local interests paying 30 percent. As requested, GAO is providing information on the (1) level of protection authorized by Congress for the Lake Pontchartrain project; (2) authorities, roles, and responsibilities of the Corps and local sponsors with respect to the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of the levees; (3) procedures in place to ensure that responsible parties maintain the levees in accordance with the authorized protection level; (4) authorities, roles, and responsibilities of the Corps and local parties when levees fail or are damaged; and (5) plans, capabilities, and activities that have been developed by the Corps to ensure an adequate emergency response when levees fail. GAO is not making any recommendations at this time. The Corps is authorized to prepare for emergency response when levees fail by undertaking disaster preparedness, advance measures, and hazard mitigation activities. The Corps' New Orleans district has developed an all hazards emergency response plan for the New Orleans area. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T.pdf GAO-06-322T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-322T Testimony GAO-06-322T; Hurricane Protection: Statutory and Regulatory Framework for Levee Maintenance and Emergency Response for the Lake Pontchartrain Project; Disaster relief aid Emergency preparedness Emergency response Federal regulations Flood control Hurricanes Inspection Intergovernmental relations Hurricane Katrina Lake Pontchartrain Hurricane Protection Project Volume 79 Page 1073 79 Stat. 1073 Public Law 84-99