It was for the nation's benefit. But the unintended consequence is that the natural annual overflow of sediment and fresh water has been cut off from the delta.

We've been telling people in Washington for years we don't have time to wait; now they can see for themselves why time wasn't on our side. We're not asking for exemptions from NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act), regulations concerning environmental safeguards. We want all those in place. But we can't wait the average of 10 years it takes to get a single project online.

These barrier islands and wetlands are our first line of defense from hurricanes. This needs to be treated as an emergency. We need everyone to recognize that restoration efforts must begin immediately.