I frankly don't care if New Orleans NEVER gets rebuilt.
All that matters is the port and the refineries.
Not only that -- if we pay to rebuild residential neighborhoods below sea level again, then the American taxpayers really are getting shafted.
I agree. Any rebuilding (including the port and refineries) should be conducted on specially piled hills, so that the important facilities are onthe ground which is, say, 50-70 feet above sea level. West Virginia suffers from poor infrastructure - let them blow up a few mountains there and ship the rock downriver for the purpose. Everyone would win.