With the tragic consequences of the government’s inaction still so fresh, it’s hard to believe that New Orleans’ mayor is prepared to throw caution to the wind by allowing the city’s residents a premature return.

The danger has not passed in New Orleans. The toxic floodwaters that ravaged an estimated 80 percent of the city have left a dangerous environment filled with damaged buildings and poisonous sludge.

We understand Mayor Ray Nagin’s desire to get his city running again, but President George W. Bush and the federal officials on the ground in Louisiana are correct. There are too many hurdles and obstacles remaining at this point for the safe return of thousands of displaced residents.

Consider Tropical Storm Rita, which threatens the Florida Keys. Some computer modeling suggests the storm poses some risk to the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Perhaps the storm will fizzle out, but why take the chance when the city remains in such a fragile state?

If we were displaced, we’d make every effort to return home as soon as possible. That’s the very reason the judgment on when it’s best for people to return to New Orleans is better made on a level a few steps removed from local. Nagin, we’re sure, has the best interest of his neighbors in mind, but his close connection might obscure the hazards that still exist.

Before any mass return is authorized, there needs to be safe drinking water, reliable electricity, organized security and a new evacuation plan. There are only a few businesses open, which limits the availability of food and fuel, and medical and emergency support is questionable.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the federal government’s slow and bungled response cost people their lives. Haste in letting people return could do the same thing.