Katrina may be an intense environmental disaster due to chemical plants

[zulchzulu]

There are over 70 major chemical plants on the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, a 65-mile stretch, that pollute the river directly. That area is called Cancer Alley and many health issues with the population along that area are well documented.

If the storm wreaks havoc on these facilities, it may indeed have much more harmful damage environmentally than the actual forces of nature that the hurricane will bring.

This is the dark horse of this story. The storm surge will be very damaging, but the damage caused to the chemical plants will be the most damaging for years to come.

Watch for oil prices to skyrocket as well due to a lot of oil coming from tankers that travel the Mississippi.

[Fatima]

1. There's a lot of refineries there too!

It's gonna be bad, all the way around, for everybody. :(

[BrklynLiberal]

2. I used to work in and around N.O. and you are right about the chemical

plants. There were days when we were told not to go outside during lunch since there had been some sort of "release" at the nearby Hooker Chemical plant...(Anyone remember Love Canal? That was Hooker Chemical too) LA is infamous for giving all sorts of corporations tax and pollution breaks to bring their businesses to their state. The people who live there who can afford not to drink the tap water, do not. Everything is polluted near the chemical plants...which are of course out in the poorest rural areas of the state. But the tap water, even in New Orleans proper is undrinkable.

[Maestro]

3. I lived in Slidell in the late 70's and early 80's

It is just north of NO and everyone knew never to drink the water. We had bottled water delivered all the time.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. That is when I was there..1979-1982. I worked on the Waterford project

West of N.O....Used have to drive out by the River Road...near Houma
I rented a place near the airport...across the GNO Bridge from the French Quarter...if I remember correctly.
No..It was in Metairie or Kenner. I had to cross the bridge to drive out to work.

[candy]

5. I just heard that on CNN---positively frightening.

[Coastie for Truth]

6. I was a HazMat/Marine Transport Regulator

in the New Orleans area. Cancer Alley (and Houston Ship Channel) are major catastrophes waiting to happen.

"Coastie"
US Coast Guard Captain of the Port Office, New Orleans (late 1960's)

[Flaxbee]

7. yeah, and the nuclear power plant in Taft might be vulnerable, too

shee-it this is a nightmare.