The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ process for managing flood prevention projects along the lower Missouri River would be overhauled under newly proposed legislation introduced by several United States Republican senators from the Midwest.
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) on March 5 sponsored the Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act, S. 3403, with seven original GOP cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Pat Roberts (R-KS).
“This bill will give the Army Corps of Engineers the ability to develop a comprehensive system plan to design and build critical flood control projects that will do a better job of protecting people and property,” Sen. Blunt said. “We can’t just sit by and wait for the next major flood event.”
If enacted, S. 3403 would establish a new program to require the Corps to implement a system-wide approach to water development projects toward reducing flood risk and improving flood protection along the lower Missouri River.
“Rather than taking ineffective reactionary measures after severe flooding occurs, this legislation would provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the necessary tools to create a comprehensive, long-term solution instead of another temporary fix,” said Sen. Moran. He added that S. 3403 also “would streamline the process of flood control project construction within the lower Missouri River Basin, empowering the Army Corps to mitigate flooding along the river to make certain Kansans’ homes and businesses are better protected in the future.”
Sen. Ernst noted that “the current approach is not working.”
“At the federal level,” she said, “we need to work toward a long-term solution to our region’s flood control challenges. I’m glad that all of my Senate colleagues representing the lower basin states are making this issue a priority and will continue to work with them.”
Sen. Fischer pointed out that much of her home state’s critical flood control infrastructure still requires repair following severe flooding in 2019. “The federal government can do a better job of protecting our communities from these extreme weather events,” said Sen. Fischer.
Sen. Roberts added that it’s time for the federal government to “take a system-wide approach” to protect communities from future flooding.
Toward that goal, S. 3403 would require the U.S. Secretary of the Army to administer a program to study, design and construct water resources development projects, and modify completed water projects, to provide flood protection to affected communities, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
Additionally, among numerous provisions, the bill would provide authority, after development of a project feasibility report, for the Secretary of the Army to construct projects where the federal share does not exceed $75 million, according to the summary, essentially streamlining and facilitating the Corp’s ability to initiate feasibility studies and planning for projects within a certain funding threshold.
The Missouri River Levee and Drainage District Association, the Missouri Farm Bureau, and the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River last week endorsed the bill.