Hurricane Katrina, with nearly $150 billion in damages(!!!), ranks as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history and highlights key issues such as the vulnerability of development in the coastal zone, the false sense of security provided by levees and flood protection structures, and the inability of federal, state, and local governments to respond to large natural disaster. What lessons should we have learned from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath? What should residents and governments in coastal areas be doing differently now as a result?