The Durham, N.C.-based Institute for Southern Studies released a report giving the Obama administration a D+ for its actions in rebuilding the Gulf Coast, just marginally better than the Bush administration’s D-. Based on responses from 50 community leaders in four gulf states, Obama scored lowest on revitalizing infrastructure, increasing coastal hurricane protection, helping displaced families return home and creating jobs and promoting local businesses. Congress also fared poorly, earning a D for its overall grade.

The Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a handful of major contracts for levee construction. But Louisiana's coastal restoration czar, Garret Graves, says red tape on project approvals is dooming the 2011 goal. "Armed with a carefully crafted list of suggestions of how to cut through that red tape, Graves gathered comments from selected politicos, scientists, engineers and the general public to refine and build support for his proposals when they're presented to the state's congressional delegation in September," the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

The administration says stimulus money has been helping. "Two of the largest road projects are repairing hurricane damage [and] slated to begin this fall, likely November," Vice President Joe Biden said. "Twelve million bucks for Fleur de Lis Drive, near the levee breach at the 17th Street Canal -- I've been stuck in traffic there -- and $9.6 million for Earhart Boulevard... actual real-life dollars going to projects that have been stalled since the hurricane."

On the first day of their Gulf Coast trip, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced new funding for hurricane recovery efforts. HUD will provide $511 million for long-term recovery (coastal restoration, rental housing, businesses), rental assistance vouchers and permanent housing of about 1,000 homeless people with disabilities and their families. FEMA will fund replacements of damaged police and fire stations and extend the Relocation Assistance Program for displaced residents to May 1. It will also partner with state personnel to create two joint teams for conflict resolution under the Public Assistance program.

Obama signed an executive order extending the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding to operate until the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. The office was planned to expire on Feb. 28. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan were also asked to tour the Gulf Coast on March 5-6 to assess progress. Obama called the executive order "a first step of a sustained commitment by my administration to rebuild now, stronger than ever."

While Gulf Coast states will receive their share of almost $90 billion in infrastructure funding in the stimulus package, the states that suffered from Katrina don't receive any extra support. The stimulus  includes $290 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service's flood control program and $220 million for the International Boundary and Water Commission to pay for flood control and other projects along the U.S.-Mexico border.