Durbin Urges OMB, Army Corps To Include $71.5 Million In Funding To Support Morgan Shoal Shoreline Restoration Project In Army Corps Of Engineers Fy24 Work Plan

04.15.24

Durbin Urges OMB, Army Corps To Include $71.5 Million In Funding To Support Morgan Shoal Shoreline Restoration Project In Army Corps Of Engineers Fy24 Work Plan

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-04), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Johnathan Jackson (D-IL-01) today sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army Michael Connor and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young calling for $71.5 million for the Chicago Shoreline Morgan Shoal Project to be included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Work Plan.

"We are writing in support of the rehabilitation of the Chicago shoreline at Morgan Shoal, a critical project that will address eroding shoreline and protect nearby areas from flooding," the lawmakers began their letter.

The Morgan Shoal Project, stretching from 45th Street to 51st street in Chicago, is part of the Corps efforts to rehabilitate the city's shoreline and better protect the area from the impacts of climate change. Involving the Corps, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, and the Chicago Department of Transportation, the collaborative project will help protect Lake Shore Drive from flooding and erosion.

"This existing stretch of shoreline is in significant need of repair. Portions of the lakefront trail are crumbling into the water, and high lake levels have caused damage to revetment stones and washed out areas of the lakeshore. Temporary measures have been implemented to protect the shoreline, including the use of riprap and sand bags, but a long-term solution is necessary," the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by reiterating their call for$71.5 million in funding for the project and its planned repairs.

"Given the deterioration of this portion of the Chicago shoreline and urgent need for repairs, we urge you to include $71.5 million in the Army Corps' FY 2024 Work Plan for the Morgan Shoal Chicago Shoreline Project," the lawmakers wrote.

In the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, Durbin secured language requiring the Corps to use the City of Chicago's locally preferred plan for the Morgan Shoal project. In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Durbin secured $1.5 million for the Chicago Shoreline Storm Damage Reduction Project, which includes the Morgan Shoal project.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

April 15, 2024

Dear Assistant Secretary Connor and Director Young:

We are writing in support of the rehabilitation of the Chicago shoreline at Morgan Shoal, a critical project that will address eroding shoreline and protect nearby areas from flooding. To ensure the project moves forward, we request the inclusion of $71.5 million in the Army Corps' Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Work Plan for the Chicago Shoreline Morgan Shoal Project.

This project runs along the Lake Michigan shoreline from approximately 45^th Street to 51^st Street in Chicago, Illinois. Once completed, this project will help protect nearby Lake Shore Drive from flooding and erosion. It is the most recent phase of the Chicago Shoreline Protection Project, a comprehensive effort to replace original shoreline structures built in the early 1900s. The City of Chicago and its partners have worked closely with the community, the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Park District, and the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure the project provides the greatest level of shoreline protection while preserving and celebrating the unique character of area.

This existing stretch of shoreline is in significant need of repair. Portions of the lakefront trail are crumbling into the water, and high lake levels have caused damage to revetment stones and washed out areas of the lakeshore. Temporary measures have been implemented to protect the shoreline, including the use of riprap and sand bags, but a long-term solution is necessary.

Given the deterioration of this portion of the Chicago shoreline and urgent need for repairs, we urge you to include $71.5 million in the Army Corps' FY 2024 Work Plan for the Morgan Shoal Chicago Shoreline Project.

Sincerely,

-30-

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