We were back in St. Bernard Parish today. We were chased away from both the Murphy and Chalmette oil refineries by security guards as we documented activities there. At Chalmette (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil) a security guard in a white pickup truck with "Homeland Security" in orange spray paint on the side told us, "Exxon doesn't allow any photos of the refinery to be taken, even if it's in the background." At least he was honest about who calls the shots in Louisiana.

Around New Orleans, one can drive for ten or 15 miles and see great swathes of urban America desecrated, deserted and debris-strewn. At night, the darkened skyline is barely visible by the light of the stars. A few Katrina refugees are filtering back. Many will be dispersing again, heading for higher ground, hoping to never go through this again.

Everyone we've met has been eager to tell his or her story, to have someone bear witness to what they've been through. In St. Bernard Parish, working class people of all races live between the two huge refineries. We spoke with Raymond Blazio in what remained of the trailer park in Meraux where 16 members of his extended family lived. He was waiting for his parents to arrive to see what had become of their home.

"I told them not to come. I was here a week ago and saw there was nothing to salvage, but they want to come, for closure," he said. "I'm worried about my mom's heart. She's strong, she's a persistent little lady, but I worry about her heart."

Gesturing toward the Murphy Oil tank farm adjacent to the ruins, he said, "There used to be woods back there. They protected us from the wind, from the storms. Then Murphy expanded. They cut down the woods and put in the tanks. We had no protection after that."

Raymond's brother's trailer was wrecked, his sister's trailer was wrecked, his aunt's trailer was wrecked. Raymond and his brother remodeled their parents' trailer last spring. "It looked like a trailer on the outside, but inside, it was a home. That was going to be for their retirement. Now it's gone." At his feet lay someone's sequined dress, a memory from a happier time.

A tank at the Murphy Oil refinery was knocked from its base by the flood. According to the U.S. Coast Guard 19,500 barrels, or 1,072,500 gallons of oil flooded into Meraux.

On Walkers Lane, George Harrison said the Murphy refinery seemed to have an explosion every year. Smoke and soot from the plant were a constant presence. "There are all kinds of lawsuits against Murphy. We're part of one of the lawsuits," he said. He does not have high hopes for the suit.

The Emerys on Walkers Lane have a big family, too. They too are scattered around the country, but Carol Emery is planning now to gather everyone together for Thanksgiving. "We are together every year and we will be together this year. We all got out safe, so we have so much to be thankful for."

"This is just material," she said, indicating her house with a hand gloved in latex. She wore heavy rubber boots, a protective suit and a particle mask. The first floor of her house was, weeks later, still sopping wet. Mold - and other things - were growing from her leather sofa.

Ms. Emery is a social worker, she and her family have taken in children to care for, have been a strong foundation for their community. "People have taken us in, have given us money," she said. "We've always given to other people. I can tell you, it does feel good to receive."

Danny Duchmann, on Livaccari Drive, was angry. "This neighborhood was fine the day after Katrina. People were out raking the leaves. Then the levee broke. The water came up fast; people were trapped. We gave these politicians our tax money to build up those levees. They promised, 'Vote for me, I'll strengthen the levees.' What happened? Pfft, the money went right into their pockets. Now look at us."

Most of the people of Meraux are moving on. Some will have to move on. A million gallons of oil spilled from the Murphy Oil refinery, the soil in some areas is so contaminated, people will never live there again.

Lawyers for Murphy are contacting some of the residents of Meraux, offering to buy up homes for another expansion of the refinery, another tank farm. For the people of St. Bernard Parish, Katrina was a disaster. For the corporations, it's a business opportunity.