Alabama Insurance

Dauphin Island, Ala. - Pounded by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, then “Katrina” during the past year, regardless of Dauphin Island, a paradise resembles days depending on their past.

More than 300 houses were destroyed beach by the two storms, and many lots are now 50 in the Gulf of Mexico, saliva permanently close this form of sand. The wooden stilts, once in possession of $ 1 million through the eyes apartments foam surf.

For some owners, the answer is a giant, four miles long sandbox, the government retained to build the ocean. The price: at least $ 4 million, and very probably more.

“Everybody is waiting for the berm,” said Jan Blackmon of Richmond, Texas, including the right to leave the house was torn by Katrina.

For others, such a project is a senseless waste of money, which most taxpayers, in a vain attempt to resist the wrath of nature. More Dauphin Island is for them a symbol of excessive financial aid, benefits, especially privileged people whose communities vulnerable coastal property was taken several times by storms.

The berm - which is built to replace after Hurricane Georges in 1998 and flattened by Tropical Storm Isidore - is a big topic of conversation between the two in the absence of full-time owners and 1500 inhabitants of Dauphin Island, which was in the Half of Katrina.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency pays about $ 3 million for the construction of 9 meters high, 50 feet wide berm on the southern coast of the island, which was flat suffered by hurricanes Katrina and encourage Relief Fund ’s former President Bill Clinton and George Bush is kick in another $ 600000th

The city and private funders of the island, with another $ 600000 for the project includes the reconstruction of more than 3 miles from the beach. Work is to begin later this year.

But it is only a portion of funds, the government has paid to Dauphin Island to help heal the scars left by Katrina and Ivan.

FEMA $ 44.1 million was paid to 881 flood insurance claims Dauphin in Iceland since Katrina, and $ 16.2 million was paid to 777 requests for Ivan. Separated, FEMA, the island has obtained $ 9.4 million to repair roads, sewers and other public works, after the two storms. All this for the entire 1500 year hundreds of people and more than rentals or apartments vacation on the island.

Opponents say these expenses are not outsmart mother nature. Steve Jones, a coast-geologist of the Geological Survey of Alabama, would not build a house.

While the eastern end of the island remained stable because of dunes, trees and other natural protection mechanisms, which is the west end thin barely larger than a bar in the interface sand for residential areas.

“It is almost like a dog’s tail collected It moves a lot,” said Jones. Almost all houses were destroyed or severely damaged were active, constantly moving west.

The island enemies of the environment and isolation meant it was not designed to 1953, and it helped me to prevent a major tourist destination, such as Panama City, Florida, or Gulf Shores, located on the side of Mobile Bay.

Life has always drawn in an exploration of Dauphin Island, and both occupants and visitors, as they in this way.

There is no karting tracks or dance clubs, hermit crabs and a higher number of people on the beach. The barrier island is a picturesque memory of the days before condominium towers and municipalities provided a large part of the gulf coast.

Still, city guide recognize that Dauphin Island is not any good without a combination of programs: coastal protection mechanisms for protection against flood insurance and mortgage deductions for second homeland.

“I believe that if the federal government to withdraw somewhere here or stop it,” said Mike Tafra, has the pleasant Gulf Breeze Motel, Dauphin Island, and serves in the community. “It is easier to do when it is not only your money.

That is the problem Oliver A. Houck, construction on High-risk areas throughout the country.

Houck, Tulane University Law Professor, specializes in relations between legislation and the environment, said rules and regulations did not stop the continuing reconstruction of hurricane risk in the areas he sees as “an enormous sum to lose the game.”

The only real answer to stopping the cycle of reconstruction, during the federal money, materials, construction, he said.

“You can not prohibit, so that means you do to stop them,” said Houck.

The government proposes the purchase of the property Dauphin Island, has been regularly hit by cyclones taken, but few people have the Buyout. The formula for calculating payments is complicated, but the city official said the owner of a $ 1 million at home can get approximately $ 250000 under the plan.