Impact of Hurricane Katrina
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- Date Submitted: 11/23/2011 08:26 PM
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Impact of Hurricane Katrina
SCI\275
November 6, 2010
In June of 2011 I will get the privilege to travel to New Orleans Louisiana for the first time in my life. I am looking forward to traveling there and experiencing the rich culture, great cuisine, fantastic night live, and beautiful waterfront. However, over the past six years the Louisiana has suffered two major environmental disasters.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 23, 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the coast of Louisiana causing massive destruction. It was estimated that nearly 1800 people lost their life to Hurricane Katrina, but the devastation on the environment will last for years. According to EPA (n.d.), “The storm brought heavy winds and rain to Southeast Louisiana, breaching several levees and flooding up to 80% of New Orleans and large areas of Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes.” Much of the sediment contained various chemicals and fecal matter, according to EPA (n.d.),“Each sample was tested for fecal coli form bacteria and about 200 different chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOC), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), metals, pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH).” “The majority of chemicals detected were below levels of health concern. However, there were some localized areas with levels of arsenic, PAHs and diesel and oil range organics that exceeded both LDEQ Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) and USEPA's risk criteria (e.g., range of 1 in 1,000,000 to 1 in 10,000 risk of an individual developing cancer over a lifetime) based on long-term (30 years) residential exposure assumptions. The levels of fecal coli form bacteria and petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediments also exceeded health-screening values. However, these levels are expected to naturally decrease over time.”
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon...
SCI\275
November 6, 2010
In June of 2011 I will get the privilege to travel to New Orleans Louisiana for the first time in my life. I am looking forward to traveling there and experiencing the rich culture, great cuisine, fantastic night live, and beautiful waterfront. However, over the past six years the Louisiana has suffered two major environmental disasters.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 23, 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the coast of Louisiana causing massive destruction. It was estimated that nearly 1800 people lost their life to Hurricane Katrina, but the devastation on the environment will last for years. According to EPA (n.d.), “The storm brought heavy winds and rain to Southeast Louisiana, breaching several levees and flooding up to 80% of New Orleans and large areas of Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes.” Much of the sediment contained various chemicals and fecal matter, according to EPA (n.d.),“Each sample was tested for fecal coli form bacteria and about 200 different chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOC), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), metals, pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH).” “The majority of chemicals detected were below levels of health concern. However, there were some localized areas with levels of arsenic, PAHs and diesel and oil range organics that exceeded both LDEQ Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) and USEPA's risk criteria (e.g., range of 1 in 1,000,000 to 1 in 10,000 risk of an individual developing cancer over a lifetime) based on long-term (30 years) residential exposure assumptions. The levels of fecal coli form bacteria and petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediments also exceeded health-screening values. However, these levels are expected to naturally decrease over time.”
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon...