In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it was blasphemy -- downright unpatriotic -- to suggest it was economically irrational or patently unsafe for Americans to live below-sea level in a time of global warming, rising tides, erosion, and increased numbers of ever-stronger storms. The mantra was "rebuild, rebuild, rebuild." But quietly, the Army Corps of Engineers is considering buying out 17,000 coastal homes on the St. Louis Bay in Mississippi and turning the area into public wetlands. The entire population of one small town, Pecan, has already agreed to sell its property en masse. But some residents, many of whom invested heavily in repairing damanged houses, are understandably distraught. The buyout would be voluntary, but they worry about being pressured to leave their homes. And after the trauma of Katrina, many can't imagine beginning anew all over again. Still, this is good policy. The buyout is voluntary, it creates more green space, and it's in the interest of public safety. When I visited the Florida Panhandle last spring, I was shocked by the number of new, luxury stilted homes going up along the Gulf Coast. The price tags were high and the insurance costs would be downright astronomical, but none of that seemed to discourage a post-Katrina construction boom. Individuals may want to take on the risk of living on inhospitable land in return for owning a slice of seaside paradise. But our government should have more foresight than to encourage it. --Dana Goldstein
