Federal Government Found Liable for Katrina Flooding

The federal government is liable for some of the flooding damage from Hurricane Katrina because of failures in the hurricane protection system, the New York Times' John Schwartz reports. U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Susan G. Braden found that a canal built by the Army Corps of Engineers led to flooding in the New Orleans area, and that private plaintiffs and the St. Bernard Parish government can recover under the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment. The amount of the liability will be determined through mediation.