THE FULL SERIES IS OUT NOW. LISTEN TO EVERY EPISODE LISTEN TO EVERY EPISODE WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS . . GLAD YOU'RE STREAMING WITH US GLAD YOU'RE STREAMING WITH US WHERE WE'RE LEARNING A ABOUT WHERE WE'RE LEARNING A ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS THAT'S THREATENING VITAL DRINKING THREATENING VITAL DRINKING WATER FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. WATER FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. SALTWATER IS SEEPING INTO SALTWATER IS SEEPING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, MAKING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, MAKING ITS WAY UPSTREAM FROM THE GULF ITS WAY UPSTREAM FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AND COULD OF MEXICO AND COULD IMPACT PEOPLE IN PARISHES IMPACT PEOPLE IN PARISHES THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA AND. THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA AND. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE VOLUME OF THE RIVER THE VOLUME OF THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO HISTORIC IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO HISTORIC LOWS IN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, LOWS IN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, MAKING IT MUCH EASIER FOR MAKING IT MUCH EASIER FOR SALTWATER TO ACTUALLY MOVE SALTWATER TO ACTUALLY MOVE UPSTREAM. UPSTREAM. >> LET'S BRING IN MIKE STEELE, >> LET'S BRING IN MIKE STEELE, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY OF HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY PARADICE. PARADICE. MIKE, GOOD TO SEE YOU. MIKE, GOOD TO SEE YOU. THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, YOU KNOW, IT BUILT UNDERWATER YOU KNOW, IT BUILT UNDERWATER BARRIER SILL, WHAT, TWO MONTHS BARRIER SILL, WHAT, TWO MONTHS AGO TO PREVENT MORE SALTWATER AGO TO PREVENT MORE SALTWATER FROM MOVING UPSTREAM. FROM MOVING UPSTREAM. BUT IT SPILLED OVER THE SILLS BUT IT SPILLED OVER THE SILLS ELEVATION THIS WEEK. ELEVATION THIS WEEK. >> TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT >> TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY DIDN'T IT? HAPPENED AND WHY DIDN'T IT? WHY DIDN'T THE SEAL HOLD THERE. WHY DIDN'T THE SEAL HOLD THERE. >> SO THE SEAL IS ACTUALLY >> SO THE SEAL IS ACTUALLY DOING IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO DOING IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO AND THAT'S BASICALLY TO SLOW AND THAT'S BASICALLY TO SLOW THE SALTWATER DOWN. THE SALTWATER DOWN. THERE'S REALLY NO WAY THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO COMPLETELY STOP IT AT THIS TO COMPLETELY STOP IT AT THIS POINT. POINT. IT'S A PRETTY UNIQUE SITUATION IT'S A PRETTY UNIQUE SITUATION WE'RE FACING HERE IN LOUISIANA WE'RE FACING HERE IN LOUISIANA WITH THE AMOUNT OF FLOW DOWN WITH THE AMOUNT OF FLOW DOWN THE RIVER BEING SO LOW AT THIS THE RIVER BEING SO LOW AT THIS THAT IT'S UNABLE TO KIND THAT IT'S UNABLE TO KIND OF STOP THAT SALTWATER FROM OF STOP THAT SALTWATER FROM FROM BACKING UP INTO THE RIVER. FROM BACKING UP INTO THE RIVER. WE SAW CONDITIONS LIKE THIS WE SAW CONDITIONS LIKE THIS BACK IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS 1988. BACK IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS 1988. THE CONDITIONS LAST NEARLY THE CONDITIONS LAST NEARLY AS LONG AS THEY'RE PROJECTED AS LONG AS THEY'RE PROJECTED TO LAST WITH THIS EVENT. TO LAST WITH THIS EVENT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW GOING ON WITH RIGHT NOW GOING ON WITH OUR LOCAL WITH A LOT OF OUR OUR LOCAL WITH A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS AT THE CORPS, PARTNERS AT THE CORPS, WITH FEMA, TO DETERMINE WITH FEMA, TO DETERMINE WHAT MOVES CAN BE MADE TO KIND WHAT MOVES CAN BE MADE TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THE SITUATION OF DEAL WITH THE SITUATION AND HELP GET THE STATE THROUGH AND HELP GET THE STATE THROUGH THIS EVENT RIGHT NOW. THIS EVENT RIGHT NOW. IT'S A IT'S EXPECTED TO IMPACT IT'S A IT'S EXPECTED TO IMPACT ABOUT FOUR PARISHES, ALL KIND ABOUT FOUR PARISHES, ALL KIND OF IN THE NEW ORLEANS REGION, OF IN THE NEW ORLEANS REGION, THE OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. THE OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MAY BE A IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MAY BE A BREAK, BUT WE REALLY NEED THOSE BREAK, BUT WE REALLY NEED THOSE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO CHANGE. WEATHER CONDITIONS TO CHANGE. THERE'S JUST BEEN A LACK THERE'S JUST BEEN A LACK OF RAIN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE OF RAIN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN, MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN LOUISIANA YOU KNOW, BETWEEN LOUISIANA AND MINNESOTA. AND MINNESOTA. AND SO UNLESS THE CONDITIONS AND SO UNLESS THE CONDITIONS CHANGE, THIS COULD BE KIND OF A CHANGE, THIS COULD BE KIND OF A PROLONGED FIGHT. PROLONGED FIGHT. >> SO NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT'S >> SO NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT'S COMING, WHAT'S DONE RIGHT NOW COMING, WHAT'S DONE RIGHT NOW TO PROTECT THE DRINKING FOR TO PROTECT THE DRINKING FOR THOSE SPECIFIC FOR PARISHES THOSE SPECIFIC FOR PARISHES AND BEYOND. AND BEYOND. >> YEAH. >> YEAH. SO WE WE'VE HAD ABOUT A SO WE WE'VE HAD ABOUT A FOUR MONTH FIGHT NOW GOING FOUR MONTH FIGHT NOW GOING ON WITH OUR PARTNERS DOWN ON WITH OUR PARTNERS DOWN IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH. IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH. YOU THINK ABOUT LOUISIANA YOU THINK ABOUT LOUISIANA BEING THE FOOD THERE, KIND BEING THE FOOD THERE, KIND OF THE TWO OF THE FOOD DOWN OF THE TWO OF THE FOOD DOWN ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI AND SO ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI AND SO THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE GOING BACK TO THE ISSUE GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF JUNE IT'S JUST BEGINNING OF JUNE IT'S JUST STARTING NOW TO BE PROJECTED STARTING NOW TO BE PROJECTED TO BE A PROBLEM, KIND TO BE A PROBLEM, KIND OF GETTING CLOSER INTO OF GETTING CLOSER INTO NEW ORLEANS. NEW ORLEANS. AND SO YOU SOME OF THE THINGS AND SO YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT ARE THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT ARE BRINGING BARGES DOWN RIVER BRINGING BARGES DOWN RIVER TO HELP MIX THE WATER. TO HELP MIX THE WATER. THOSE BARGES THAT WILL BE USED THOSE BARGES THAT WILL BE USED TO HELP MIX AT THE INTAKE TO HELP MIX AT THE INTAKE POINTS FOR THE WATER TREATMENT POINTS FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS ALONG THE RIVER. PLANTS ALONG THE RIVER. THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THAT THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THAT SALINITY LEVEL. SALINITY LEVEL. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANY MOVES NEEDED. ANY MOVES NEEDED. THERE'S THERE'S ADDITIONAL THERE'S THERE'S ADDITIONAL PROJECTS BEING LOOKED AT AT PROJECTS BEING LOOKED AT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE LOCAL LEVEL. WE'VE REQUESTED AN EMERGENCY WE'VE REQUESTED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FROM FEMA AND THE DECLARATION FROM FEMA AND THE PRESIDENT TO HELP WITH SOME PRESIDENT TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES OF THE REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE COST OF DOING ANY OF THE WORK OF DOING ANY OF THE WORK TO KIND OF THESE PROBLEMS. TO KIND OF THESE PROBLEMS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE OF NEXT MONTH IS WHEN THE OF NEXT MONTH IS WHEN THE IMPACT IS SUPPOSED BE FELT THE IMPACT IS SUPPOSED BE FELT IN SOME OF THE HIGHER POPULATED IN SOME OF THE HIGHER POPULATED AREAS. AREAS. BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE BUT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO SEE CAN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO SEE WHAT MITIGATION EFFORTS CAN WHAT MITIGATION EFFORTS CAN BE DONE. BE DONE. >> AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A >> AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A NATIVE AND I LIVED AND WORKED NATIVE AND I LIVED AND WORKED IN NEW ORLEANS FOR A NUMBER IN NEW ORLEANS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. OF YEARS. YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST CRISIS TO STRIKE LOUISIANA. CRISIS TO STRIKE LOUISIANA. RIGHT. RIGHT. KATRINA WAS JUST DEVASTATING. KATRINA WAS JUST DEVASTATING. AND WE THOUGHT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE THOUGHT INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, COULD HELP PREVENT YOU KNOW, COULD HELP PREVENT DISASTERS. DISASTERS. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY SINCE MOMENT. ONE PRIORITY SINCE MOMENT. NOW YOU'VE GOT THE IMPACT NOW YOU'VE GOT THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT CAN'T REALLY DO MUCH CAN'T REALLY DO MUCH ABOUT THAT. ABOUT THAT. BUT YOU CAN THINGS BUT YOU CAN THINGS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINK OF WAYS TO TO PREVENT BIGGER OF WAYS TO TO PREVENT BIGGER DISASTERS. DISASTERS. >> SO SO WHAT CAN WHAT WHAT >> SO SO WHAT CAN WHAT WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING AT THIS ARE YOU PROPOSING AT THIS POINT? POINT? YOU KNOW FORGET A TEMPORARY YOU KNOW FORGET A TEMPORARY FIX. FIX. >> FOLKS NEED A PERMANENT FIX. >> FOLKS NEED A PERMANENT FIX. >> YEAH. >> YEAH. AND SO SOME OF THE SOME OF THE AND SO SOME OF THE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING LOOKED CHANGES THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CORPS AT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CORPS AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS DRIVEN KIND OF AT THE LOCAL IS DRIVEN KIND OF AT THE LOCAL BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR UNIQUE SITUATIONS THEIR UNIQUE SITUATIONS THAT THEY FACE. THAT THEY FACE. OUR ROLE IS TO KIND OF HELP OUR ROLE IS TO KIND OF HELP HELP THEM WALK THROUGH HELP THEM WALK THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THAT PROCESS. IF THERE IS FEDERAL IF THERE IS FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY LONGER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY LONGER TERM PROJECTS OR BIGGER TERM PROJECTS OR BIGGER MITIGATION EFFORTS, THEN WE'RE MITIGATION EFFORTS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO HELP GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO HELP FIND THOSE SOLUTIONS. FIND THOSE SOLUTIONS. WE HAD MINOR LIKE THIS NOW OVER WE HAD MINOR LIKE THIS NOW OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND NOTHING TO THIS LEVEL AGAIN AND NOTHING TO THIS LEVEL AGAIN SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES. SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES. BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE GOING BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN MORE AND TO SEE THIS HAPPEN MORE AND MORE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, MORE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE PROJECTS AND WORK WITH OUR PROJECTS AND WORK WITH OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. LOCAL OFFICIALS. ANY POTENTIAL PIPELINES OR ANY ANY POTENTIAL PIPELINES OR ANY OTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS OTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS THAT MAY BE OUT THERE AS KIND THAT MAY BE OUT THERE AS KIND OF A LONGER TERM FIX. OF A LONGER TERM FIX. >> MIKE, STILL GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> MIKE, STILL GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANKS FOR JUST MAKING US MORE THANKS FOR JUST MAKING US MORE AWARE. AWARE. IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION TO