The Rebuilding: Starting from Scratch

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Despite insurance companies settling flood claims on cars and houses at a record rate (State Farm signed off on approximately $150 million across Louisiana in one day last week), the obstacles to rebuilding are daunting. Residents have been told not to return until next summer, since there will be no parishwide electricity for eight months to a year. Mail service won't begin until next year. The biggest concern, however, remains a spill from the Murphy Oil refinery in Meraux, which inundated 1,200 homes with 1 million gal. of crude during Katrina. Although the spill was not toxic, the few people who have ventured back say they are worried about the long-term effects of living in the area, especially for children. Some have even filed lawsuits, about which the company has no comment. Standing in the oil-stained streets after returning-- officially triumphant--from Washington, Rodriguez contemplates the gloomy future of his leveebound parish. "Every time we went to Washington, we never got a damn thing--nickels and dimes--for coastal erosion. I predicted a long time ago this was gonna happen," he says. "I just never thought it was gonna happen on my watch."