Richardson Campaign Press Release - Governor Bill Richardson to Meet with Louisiana Governor and Homeland Security Officials; Deliver Keynote Speech to Conference of Black Mayors

SANTA FE – Governor Bill Richardson will be in Louisiana Thursday to deliver a keynote address to the National Conference of Black Mayors, followed by a meeting to exchange ideas with Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and homeland security and emergency preparedness officials.

"While the tragedy of Katrina is something Louisiana will never forget, we in New Mexico should work hard to learn as many lessons as possible from their experiences," said Governor Richardson. "By sharing plans and ideas in Louisiana, we can be better prepared in New Mexico when a natural disaster strikes."

Accompanying Governor Richardson will be Tim Manning, director for New Mexico's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. New Mexico, like Louisiana, is one of a handful of states to establish its own stand-alone agency to address disaster response and preparedness issues, while working in conjunction with federal emergency response efforts.

Governors Richardson and Blanco are also expected to meet with ranking FEMA officials to discuss preparedness planning and response strategies in a post-Katrina environment. New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas are all administered under FEMA's Region VI.

Governor Richardson's keynote speech to the National Conference of Black Mayors will also address emergency management issues, shared priorities, and the vital relationships mayors and governors have in making government run smoothly.