Katrina Coverage

The LAT article "Lobbyists Shape Gulf Coast Rebuilding" has more on just how much say corporations got in Louisiana's rebuilding plan. Bear in mind, that article is about the state's plan, the one they want $250 billion for. See "Louisiana wants $40 billion; stuffed with pork" for previous coverage.
From the LAT:
…"I was basically shocked," said […]

The House recently passed the GAS Act of 2005, which, cutely enough, stands for the "Gasoline for America's Security Act".
According to Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10), "the GAS Act of 2005 will cut red tape that prevents more refineries from being built. It would also improve infrastructure within the United States so that gas and diesel […]

Two weeks ago, the head of the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, Johnnie Burton, said that there had been minimal damage to underwater oil and gas pipelines. Now, her office has changed that estimate of the damage:
"It appears that way," said MMS spokesman Gary Strasburg, who pointed out that Burton's comments were based on initial […]

From this:
Legislation that would end the longtime ban on energy development along most of the country's coasts and open an Alaskan wildlife refuge to oil drilling advanced Wednesday in the House.
Opponents said Republican leaders were exploiting the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita to pass pro-industry measures that they failed to get included in an […]

FT reports in "Rita causes record damage to oil rigs" that:
Hurricane Rita has caused more damage to oil rigs than any other storm in history and will force companies to delay drilling for oil in the US and as far away as the Middle East, initial damage assessments show…
Ken Sill of Credit Suisse First […]

From "Storms Cast Spotlight on Energy's New Reality":
…Still, on the Texas coast, the focus through the weekend was on how long it would take to restart the 16 refineries that were shut down by the storm.
Those refineries can process 4 million barrels of oil a day, or 23 percent of the country's total capacity, according […]

That alone should raise suspicions, but, as previously reported that's only part of what they want: Landrieu, Vitter want $250 billion.
WaPo offers "Louisiana Goes After Federal Billions":
Louisiana's congressional delegation has requested $40 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, about 10 times the annual Corps budget for the entire […]

Maybe the $50 billion amount that their proposal exceeds the already phantasmagoric figure proposed by Bush is intended to be bargained down. Let's split the difference, eh?
Louisiana's Senators, Mary Landrieu (D) and David Vitter (R), have proposed legislation to provide about $250 billion in federal aid to help their state rebuild from Hurricane Katrina. The […]

A glorious day for Americans, as CITGO - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela - will soon be pumping oil specially sent to the U.S. by far-left favorite Hugo Chavez. Venezuela’s Ambassador to the United States, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, says:
"As a Hemispheric neighbor and business partner, we are pleased that we are able to […]

In preparation for Hurricane Rita, Exxon Mobil has shut its Baytown TX refinery. That produces 557,000 bbls of oil products per day and is the largest in the U.S.