Moolenaar works to aid local governments affected by flooding

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) continued efforts to improve dam and hydropower safety with the recent introduction of a bill that would increase the federal cost-share amount in 2020 and 2021 for disaster relief and emergency assistance for local governments serving populations of less than 50,000.

“This legislation will help local governments affected by last year’s flooding save millions of dollars,” said Rep. Moolenaar, who introduced the Rural Disaster Support and Relief Act, H.R. 3349, on May 19.

“This has been a difficult year and local communities in our region are still coping with the overall costs of the damage,” he added. “This bill will alleviate the financial burden for communities and their residents.”

May 19 marked the one-year anniversary of the Edenville Dam and Sanford Dam failures in the congressman’s home state and H.R. 3349 is another legislative effort on his part to help residents and communities recover from the tragedy, according to his office.

For instance, Rep. Moolenaar in April sent four letters to U.S. House appropriators requesting federal funding for specific community projects in Michigan’s Fourth District, such as funds for public safety booms on the Secord and Smallwood dams, as well as funding to help the City of Midland, Mich., with a sewer system that was overwhelmed last year with water coming downstream.

Rep. Moolenaar is also working across the aisle with U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) to pass their bipartisan National Dam and Hydropower Safety Improvements Act of 2021, H.R. 2309, which they introduced on April 1 to increase accountability and help prevent future tragedies. 

H.R. 2309 is under review by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, while H.R. 3349 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.