A Congressman is upset that input about a Mississippi River flood control plan was not sought from residents of Northeast Missouri counties that would be heavily impacted.
A statement from U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-2, of Town and Country, blasts the federal government over its handling of Plan H.
The statement was part of testimony to the Mississippi River Commission during its bi-annual inspection trip Aug. 16.
The commission, which oversees development along the river, has backed Plan H, which calls for raising all but about 20 of the 140 levees along the upper part of the river to 500-year flood levels last seen in 1993.
Berms that wouldn't be upgraded generally protect parts of Pike, Lincoln and St. Charles counties, where significant development has taken place in the last two decades.
A copy of the Aug. 16 statement was obtained by the Courier-Post.
“For a plan of this importance and magnitude to have reached this stage of development without the full knowledge and input of the very stakeholders it would affect the most is disgraceful,” Akin wrote.
Akin cited what he called “the failure” of the Army Corps of Engineers “to seek participation” from businesses and people in the three counties and in St. Louis “very disturbing.”
“It also is disturbing because of the multiple billions of dollars of damage that would occur in the low-lying areas of the City of St. Louis and East St. Louis if the calculations prove incorrect or a flood event exceeds planning considerations and existing levees in these urban areas are overtopped,” the statement read.
Akin agreed with opponents by writing that he believes the proposal “would make the floodplain” of Pike, Lincoln and St. Charles counties “the flood storage reservoir” during periodic Mississippi flooding.
Akin, who has a bachelor’s degree in management engineering, offered suggestions on options that could be studied.
Corps spokesman Bob Anderson said the commission was far from a final decision.
“None of the plan is basically set in stone,” he said. “It’s a recommendation.”
Anderson agreed with opponents who say that development in Northeast Missouri warranted additional study on the impact of raising upstream levees.
Lincoln and St. Charles counties are among the fastest-growing places in Missouri, and Pike County’s population also has swelled by about 3,500 people since 1990.
However, Anderson sided with supporters of Plan H who say there is “clearly a need for a comprehensive flood-control plan” for the Upper Mississippi, similar to the one already in place for the river south of St. Louis.
“You can work from a blueprint and adopt a blueprint from changes that happen on the river over time,” he said. “There’s a way of engineering it.”
Critics point out that the river’s flow isn’t as restricted south of St. Louis as it is to the north, where there are more levees.
Opponents say they aren’t against flood control, but they want it to be equitable. The only way to do that, they say, is to raise every levee. Supporters have said revisions that address the concerns can be made, but that further delays will only leave the region vulnerable to another big flood.
The Corps has been asked to discuss Plan H at a public meeting, but a date has not been set. Anderson assured that “people will have more than a fair opportunity to state their opinion.”
Congress has not given the green light or approved funding, but supporters have sought money for flood easements in areas where levee improvements are not planned. Funding also might be available for berm repairs.
People with concerns about Plan H have scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Old Monroe.
Anderson said that in tight economic times, there’s always a chance that the proposal could be dropped.
“It’s kind of speculative at this point if it’s even going to be funded,” he said.
|
|
|
A Congressman is upset that input about a Mississippi River flood control plan was not sought from residents of Northeast Missouri counties that would be heavily impacted.
A statement from U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-2, of Town and Country, blasts the federal government over its handling of Plan H.
The statement was part of testimony to the Mississippi River Commission during its bi-annual inspection trip Aug. 16.
The commission, which oversees development along the river, has backed Plan H, which calls for raising all but about 20 of the 140 levees along the upper part of the river to 500-year flood levels last seen in 1993.
Berms that wouldn't be upgraded generally protect parts of Pike, Lincoln and St. Charles counties, where significant development has taken place in the last two decades.
A copy of the Aug. 16 statement was obtained by the Courier-Post.
“For a plan of this importance and magnitude to have reached this stage of development without the full knowledge and input of the very stakeholders it would affect the most is disgraceful,” Akin wrote.
Akin cited what he called “the failure” of the Army Corps of Engineers “to seek participation” from businesses and people in the three counties and in St. Louis “very disturbing.”
“It also is disturbing because of the multiple billions of dollars of damage that would occur in the low-lying areas of the City of St. Louis and East St. Louis if the calculations prove incorrect or a flood event exceeds planning considerations and existing levees in these urban areas are overtopped,” the statement read.
Akin agreed with opponents by writing that he believes the proposal “would make the floodplain” of Pike, Lincoln and St. Charles counties “the flood storage reservoir” during periodic Mississippi flooding.
Akin, who has a bachelor’s degree in management engineering, offered suggestions on options that could be studied.
Corps spokesman Bob Anderson said the commission was far from a final decision.
“None of the plan is basically set in stone,” he said. “It’s a recommendation.”
Anderson agreed with opponents who say that development in Northeast Missouri warranted additional study on the impact of raising upstream levees.
Lincoln and St. Charles counties are among the fastest-growing places in Missouri, and Pike County’s population also has swelled by about 3,500 people since 1990.
However, Anderson sided with supporters of Plan H who say there is “clearly a need for a comprehensive flood-control plan” for the Upper Mississippi, similar to the one already in place for the river south of St. Louis.
“You can work from a blueprint and adopt a blueprint from changes that happen on the river over time,” he said. “There’s a way of engineering it.”
Critics point out that the river’s flow isn’t as restricted south of St. Louis as it is to the north, where there are more levees.
Opponents say they aren’t against flood control, but they want it to be equitable. The only way to do that, they say, is to raise every levee. Supporters have said revisions that address the concerns can be made, but that further delays will only leave the region vulnerable to another big flood.
The Corps has been asked to discuss Plan H at a public meeting, but a date has not been set. Anderson assured that “people will have more than a fair opportunity to state their opinion.”
Congress has not given the green light or approved funding, but supporters have sought money for flood easements in areas where levee improvements are not planned. Funding also might be available for berm repairs.
People with concerns about Plan H have scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Old Monroe.
Anderson said that in tight economic times, there’s always a chance that the proposal could be dropped.
“It’s kind of speculative at this point if it’s even going to be funded,” he said.
