The first time tax money will be used to relocate refugees within the U.S. will go towards the residents of the Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana. The isle is prone to flooding and it has been confirmed that the recent flooding events has a direct correlation with climate change.
A total of $1 billion worth of grants were given by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD) to the administration of 13 states in order to curb the effects of global warming by housing refugees, building dams and draining systems.
The inhabitants of the isle aren’t refugees
About 60 people will benefit from the $48 million assigned to the operation, which reveals a complex and difficult procedure that will take several years to be completed. According to the inhabitants of Indian descent, the land of the island has been almost completely lost due to rising sea levels.
The State of Louisiana received $92 million in order to develop the Louisiana Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments Program, also known as LA SAFE. The program aims to protect communities against floods and natural disasters through the development of inland for occupation. However, the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw community of the isle hasn’t been given a place for their accommodation as of now.
“We’re going to lose all our heritage, all our culture,” stated Chief Albert Naquin. “It’s all going to be history.”
The relocation procedures aim to set a precedent for other states and the world, as the real implications of climate change are yet to be taken into consideration by world powers. The expenses of relocating only 60 people are tremendously high, so the best course of action is to prevent damages rather than to fix the damages. All of this while taking into account that the source of the problem diverts into global implications.
The Isle of Jean Charles and its residents were already named as potential victims of global warming by 13 federal agencies through the National Climate Assessment (NCA). But still, there are some inhabitants of the isle that refuse to leave, as they feel attached to their homes and are afraid that someone is taking it from them.
Louisiana has been subject to a concerning loss of landmass in recent years. In fact, it is estimated that at least 1,900 square miles of Louisiana’s ground have been lost due to floods and erosion since the 1930’s. Efforts contained in LA SAFE are focused on stoping these ongoing events, but it doesn’t take into account smaller and risk-prone locations such as the Island de Jean Charles.
Source: Fox News