Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Comments on Second Anniversary of Hurricane Rita

Release Date: September 24, 2007

For Immediate Release
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding
Contact: Brendan Lacivita, 202-572-8878

(Washington, DC) -- Donald E. Powell, the president’s top official for Gulf Coast rebuilding, today remarked on the second anniversary of Hurricane Rita, which caused over $11 billion in damage to southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas, and parts of Mississippi and Arkansas:

"Today we pause to note both the second anniversary of Hurricane Rita and the courageous perseverance of the people affected by it," Powell said. "These folks are quietly rebuilding their lives and their communities and I want to emphasize that they are not forgotten. I am always open to hear their concerns, and am eager to continue the dialog we have maintained over the last two years. The people of this region continue to rise to the historic challenge of recovery, and demonstrate an ability to be industrious and hardworking when it comes to their rebuilding."

Rita made landfall on September 24, 2005 as a category 3 hurricane devastating nearly everything in its path and taking 120 lives. Including the response to Hurricane Katrina, the federal government allocated over $110 billion toward the region’s rebuilding efforts.

For the last twenty-two months, the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding has been engaged in facilitating and streamlining various components of the recovery effort, providing key federal support and resources to local leaders, and reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast.

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This page was last modified on September 24, 2007