NEW ORLEANS – Mayor Mitch Landrieu issued the following statement yesterday on the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Rita:
"Today marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Rita – a devastating storm that forever changed the lives of our friends and family members across Louisiana and Texas. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones and with those who have yet to rebuild and fully recover.
"The legacies of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remind us that America’s coastal cities face existential threats that are becoming even more intense as our climate changes. We must prepare and become more resilient to these types of threats, including protecting and restoring our coastal wetlands, which are disappearing at a rate of greater than a football field of land an hour. We can only address these challenges and other issues that divide our communities by working together at all levels and by having honest discussions about solutions that will help us build a stronger, more resilient nation for every American.
"Pope Francis today gave us a pathway to find common ground on tough issues where the parties don't always agree. Speeches and visits like we are witnessing today from the Pope do have the ability to change the direction we are going in. My hope is that his words will give our leaders the courage they need to work across party lines on the issues that confront our nation today.”
