Durbin Urges OMB, Army Corps to Include Federal Funding to Address Chronic Flooding in Metro-East in Army Corps of Engineers FY24 Work Plan

04.09.24

Durbin Urges OMB, Army Corps to Include Federal Funding to Address Chronic Flooding in Metro-East in Army Corps of Engineers FY24 Work Plan

In the letter, Durbin leads his colleagues in asking the Army Corps to include $400,000 in the FY24 Work Plan to fund a General Reevaluation Report in St. Clair and Madison Counties

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), today sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army Michael Connor and Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young expressing their support for federal funding to support St. Clair and Madison counties in correcting chronic flooding issues in the Metro-East region.

"We are writing in support of a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) of the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties, Illinois, to evaluate approaches to address chronic flooding issues in these communities. To ensure the report moves forward, we request the inclusion of $400,000 in the Army Corps' Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Work Plan for the GRR," the lawmakers wrote.

In their letter, the lawmakers noted that the American Bottoms Comprehensive Plan was first authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1965 with hopes that it would help address flooding in East St. Louis and the surrounding area. Nearly six decades later, the 14 authorized flood control features were never implemented in the Metro-East because of low cost-benefit ratios.

Given the pervasive flooding, the lawmakers reminded Secretary Connor and Director Young that the issue necessitates a coordinated effort across all levels of government.

"Recent flooding has spurred coordination between the State of Illinois, local government entities, and the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate a GRR that will review flood risk reduction measures. This would include structural, non-structural, and nature-based approaches to recurring flood risk challenges in the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties," the lawmakers continued.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to allocate $400,000 in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Work Plan to fund a GRR on the flooding in St. Clair and Madison Counties.

"Given the continued flooding concerns for these communities and the commitment from the state of Illinois, we urge you to include $400,000 in the Army Corps' FY 2024 Work Plan for a GRR in the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties," the lawmakers concluded their letter.

Durbin increased the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) authorized funding limit for the Metro East in the Water Resources Development Act(WRDA) of 2022 and secured language in the FY24 government funding bill supporting the Corps' expansion of its ongoing study focusing on the Canal 1 Watershed to a broader area of Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis.

Durbin also led a letter with Duckworth and Budzinski to the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) urging the agency to conduct a public health assessment on the impact of decades of flooding in Cahokia Heights.

To date, Durbin has helped secure more than $30 million in federal funding to help Cahokia Heights finally address their historic and ongoing flooding and water infrastructure issues.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

April 9, 2024

Dear Assistant Secretary Connor and Director Young:

We are writing in support of a General Reevaluation Report (GRR) of the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties, Illinois, to evaluate approaches to address chronic flooding issues in these communities. To ensure the report moves forward, we request the inclusion of $400,000 in the Army Corps' Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Work Plan for the GRR.

The American Bottoms Comprehensive Plan was authorized by theFlood Control Act of 1965 (P.L. 89-298) to address flooding in East St. Louis and surrounding areas. However, the 14 authorized flood control features were never implemented due to low cost-benefit ratios, and the authorized construction project remains incomplete.

For decades, communities in this area have experienced frequent flooding and resulting sewage overflows. Recent flooding has spurred coordination between the State of Illinois, local government entities, and the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate a GRR that will review flood risk reduction measures. This would include structural, non-structural, and nature-based approaches to recurring flood risk challenges in the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties.

The State of Illinois, through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, has agreed to serve as the project's non-federal sponsor. Governor JB Pritzker's Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal includes $1.5 million for the State's cost-share.

Given the continued flooding concerns for these communities and the commitment from the state of Illinois, we urge you to include $400,000 in the Army Corps' FY 2024 Work Plan for a GRR in the American Bottoms area of St. Clair and Madison Counties.

Sincerely,

-30-

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