Lobbyists Guiding Gulf Reconstruction

One would have hoped that, with the future of the Louisiana Gulf now in the balance, our leaders would consult a wide range of constituencies -- planners, scientists, community leaders -- about how best to rebuild the region. Instead, the LA Times reveals that the panels advising Louisiana's U.S. senators have mostly been big corporate lobbyists:

The Louisiana Katrina Reconstruction Act - introduced last month by Sens. Mary L. Landrieu, a Democrat, and David Vitter, a Republican - included billions of dollars in business for clients of the lobbyists and a total price tag as high as $250 billion [...]

"I was basically shocked," said Ivor van Heerden, director of a hurricane public health research center at Louisiana State University. "What do lobbyists know about a plan for the reconstruction and restoration of Louisiana?"

Van Heerden, an early panel member, was quickly cast aside for voicing such concerns. So what corporate interests are moving in to capitalize off the Gulf disaster?

Energy utilities: Entergy Corp. and Cleco Corp. lobbyists consulted with the senators' staffs. Five days before the bill was introduced, Cleco retained the lobbying services of Lynnel B. Ruckert, Vitter's former deputy campaign manager and the wife of his chief of staff. In an unusual assist to private utilities, the recovery bill includes $2.5 billion [for the two companies].

Supporters of a controversial industrial canal project for New Orleans: Among those on advisory panels were two officials of Jones Walker, a New Orleans-based firm that lobbies in Washington for the canal project. One of those officials was Paul F. Cambon, an ex-aide to former House Speaker Bob Livingston (R-La.), whose Livingston Group also is a lobbyist for the canal. The recovery bill asks Congress to give 'priority consideration' to the Army Corps of Engineers' project that would build a lock along the canal for $748 million.

Highway advocates: Among those on a transportation working group were lobbyists for highway projects seeking funds, including one from a firm headed by former Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.). In the bill, four Louisiana highways considered evacuation and energy supply routes would receive construction, maintenance and repair work worth $7 billion. At least two of those projects were represented by lobbyists on the working group.