(The Center Square) — Gov. Jeff Landry met with President Joe Biden on Monday, with discussions centering around the New Year’s attack on Bourbon Street. The President also attended a memorial service for the victims at the St. Louis Cathedral.
Biden granted Landry’s request to declare a federal emergency for the state, which would include public assistance for emergency protective measures, such as securing the area, restoring essential services, and ensuring public safety, as well as direct federal assistance to provide logistical and operational support for search, rescue and recovery efforts.
“New Orleans has a lot of very important events coming up,” Landry said in an interview with Fox News. “We could use a lot of help, not just for protective measures but also for the victims — those who are healing and the families who are mourning.”
Concerns over drone activity near critical infrastructure were also raised by Landry.
“We’ve been having drone activity over some very sensitive areas of Louisiana. Louisiana has about 23% of the refining capacity in the country,” Landry said, describing the situation as a pressing security threat. “We’re home to two nuclear reactors that produce electricity here in this state.”
During his address to the congregation at St. Louis Cathedral, Biden stated that he had instructed his team to provide state and local law enforcement with every available resource.
Landry requested federal assistance “to assist with the necessary protective measures as the state responds to this attack, and to provide necessary care for survivors, for the parish of Orleans,” as well as crisis counseling for those impacted.
The attack, Landry wrote, has caused significant harm to visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources, an unwelcome challenge given the upcoming Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras.
The governor’s request aligns with actions taken at the state and local levels. On Jan. 1, Landry issued a state of emergency in Orleans Parish, allowing for the utilization of available state resources ahead of the major events. Orleans Parish has also declared a state of emergency and is executing its emergency operations plan.
The Louisiana congressional delegation has also requested disaster recovery assistance following the attack. They have urged President Biden to approve Landry’s emergency disaster declaration and to grant a Small Business Administration Disaster Declaration for Orleans Parish. The SBA approved the request on Sunday.