Wednesday, October 19, 2005

MR-GO may be cause for St. Bernard lawsuit.

Blaming the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet for most of the flooding in St. Bernard Parish during Hurricane Katrina, parish officials said they are considering suing the Army Corps of Engineers and the New Orleans Dock Board, which respectively maintain and use the shipping channel.

The Parish Council on Monday authorized the administration to consult with attorneys about whether the parish should sue the agencies, saying the MR-GO served as a corridor for Katrina's surge to reach St. Bernard neighborhoods. The Aug. 29 hurricane flooded the entire parish.

Some of the water entering the parish also came from breaches in the levees on the Industrial Canal. But some officials say the water from the MR-GO was responsible for the brunt of the flooding.

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