On December 15'th Recovery Coordinator Donald Powell announced that the Administration would rebuild the levees better than they were before Katrina including a 17.5 foot height, dry side shielding with rock and riprap, and probably most importantly new state-of-the-art pumping stations at the mouths of three canals (17'th, Orleans, London). A total of $3.1 billion has now been committed to the levees.

The matter now goes to Congress.

We'll also have to watch closely as the money is actually spent. We have a long history of projects with funds allocated but the actual spending delayed for one reason or another.