WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency refuses to release "gap analyses" on preparations for major storms on the U.S. coasts.
The agency says the reports cover critical infrastructure and are not available under the Freedom of Information Act, The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported. Louisiana officials refer questions to FEMA.
FEMA began the reviews after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The analyses are supposed to cover six areas of preparation: evacuation, medical services, debris removal, commodities, shelters and fuel supplies.
"FEMA agreed with the states not to release this data due to the potential release of critical infrastructure data," said spokesman James McIntyre. "In addition, we find the data to be of a sensitive nature that could be misused if widely available."
FEMA Director David Paulison has discussed the reviews in congressional testimony and news conferences without going into details, the newspaper said.
