UC Davis Scientists Predict $40B Levee Failure

NewsWatch 2007: UC Davis scientists say California must change the way they manage the vast Delta water system or face environmental and economic disaster. Authorities say the magnitude of an unexpected collapse is staggering. The cost of a levee failure could be billion and it would cause severe disruptions to California’s water supply.

Video Rating: 5 / 5

Since the first days after Hurricane Katrina, when the streets were still under water, many residents of New Orleans and its surroundings have maintained that the flood that wrecked their lives was the government’s fault, and that the government should pay for it. This was a major uphill battle for residents in these areas, as a major class action lawsuit against the federal government seemed unlikely to see the light of day. However, through the dedication of a team of the nation’s best attorneys, not only did the case make it to court, but a federal judge last week ruled that the failure of the levees was in fact the result of government negligence. Mike Papantonio talks about this with Pierce O’Donnell, one of the lead attorneys on the case.

Video Rating: 4 / 5