Rooney secures federal funds to repair failing Florida dam

U.S. Rep. Thomas J. Rooney (R-FL), who serves on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, successfully advocated for federal funds to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike, a 143-mile earthen dam surrounding Florida’s Lake Okeechobee.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced on July 5 it would use supplemental disaster relief funds to repair the dike allocated from the nearly $17.4 billion in total federal funding provided under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which became law on Feb. 9.

“In my own backyard, I’ve seen the desperate need for repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike, but getting the money for those repairs hasn’t been an easy task,” said Rep. Rooney, whose district covers part of Lake Okeechobee.

The dike, which sits at the heart of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades water system, has been among the congressman’s top priorities in Congress over the last decade. And while an estimate isn’t provided on of the exact amount that will be targeted to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike, the location is among six that will share in the almost $11 billion the Corps has set aside in a construction fund for projects in districts that were impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria as part of the disaster relief package.

“For years, all of South Florida has advocated for Washington to take our water issues seriously and it was extremely discouraging when repairs moved at a snail’s pace due to lack of funding,” Rep. Rooney said. “Now Floridians finally have the assurance our waterways can be clean and safe with an end date for repairs finally on the horizon.”

The federal funds for the dam’s repairs will allow the Corps to complete the Herbert Hoover Dike’s rehabilitation by 2022-2023, according to a statement from the congressman’s staff, which noted the pivotal timing of the Corps’ announced plans.

Currently, the dam is rated by the Corps as “critically near failure” and in any given year the chance of a dike failure is one in six, according to the statement.

“Floridians have a unique understanding and appreciation for our waterways, and all of us in south Florida know how critical the dike is to our daily lives,” added Rep. Rooney. “Compelling the Army Corps to prioritize funding for the Herbert Hoover Dike shouldn’t have to be a constant battle, which is why I am grateful they’ll be using this funding to fast-track repairs to the dike. A decade-long battle is finally over and our work has finally paid off.”