WHAT'S NEW? Corps Reform Legislation Introduced in Congress Corps Budget Released Major Flooding on Upper Mississippi River CORPS REFORM LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS Last month, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced Army Corps of Engineers Reform legislation in both the House and Senate. These companion bills would overhaul the process that the scandal-plagued Army Corps uses to plan and build the nation's water projects. The bills would require costly or controversial Corps projects to be reviewed by independent panels of experts, ensure that projects meet both economic and environmental goals, and engage local interests in project planning. The bills would also direct the Corps to fully replace wildlife habitat destroyed by Corps projects. To view the text of these bills and a summary, visit http://www.amrivers.org/armycorpsreform/reformupdate.htm or go to thomas.loc.gov and view H.R. 1310 and S. 646 TAKE ACTION! To contact your member of Congress to support this legislation, visit www.americanrivers.org/takeaction CORPS BUDGET RELEASED President Bush released his detailed budget earlier this month, calling for a 14% overall cut the to Army Corps of Engineers funding. According to Claudia L. Tornblom, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Management and Budget, the Corps' Civil Works Program focuses on completing ongoing projects rather than funding "new starts", which would only add to the growing backlog of Corps projects and further delay construction of projects in progress, she added. On the environmental of the Corps' mission, national restoration programs like Section 1135 (funding to modify navigation and flood control projects to enhance the environment) and Section 206 (funding to restore aquatic ecosystems) were funded at levels similar to last year. River specific restoration funding, such as the Upper Mississippi River Environmental Management Program and the Missouri River Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Program received funding at or near last year's levels as well. Funding for non-structural flood control (Challenge 21 Program, Sec 212 of WRDA 1999), which funds alternatives to levees and dikes such as relocation of frequently flooded homes, and wetlands and floodplain habitat restoration, did not receive any funding in the President's budget. Currently, 28 projects are authorized, but have not received funding. To view an analysis of the Corps' budget, visit www.taxpayer.net and see which states and programs have received the largest amounts of funding. To see the Corps' budget online, visit www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/cw/cecwb/budget/ TAKE ACTION! Urge your members to support funding now! Visit www.americanrivers.org/takeaction or call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-2243121 to contact your member of Congress and urge them to support increased funding for these programs. MAJOR FLOODING IN UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER Communities from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois continue their efforts to fight back major flooding on the Upper Mississippi River. The National Weather Service has predicted flood levels will approach records set in the Great Flood of 1993 in many riverside communities; however, unlike 1993, communities have had weeks to prepare for what will probably be a much shorter lived flood. This major flood on the Upper Mississippi raises questions about land management decisions that affect the height and duration of floods. As is the case in most flood events, rainfall, snowmelt and other weather factors are the primary reasons for flooding. However, decisions to build in the floodplain, drain, fill and destroy wetlands, and urban sprawl effectively turn a natural phenomenon that helps promote a healthy river system into a human disaster. Relocation of frequently flooded homes, restoration of floodplain wetlands, and other steps to combat urban sprawl have the potential to significantly reduce the impacts of flooding on communities while promoting a healthy river. For more information on Mississippi floodplain issues, visit http://www.amrivers.org/mississippiriver/default.htm If you have any questions, call Kelly Miller at 202-347-7550 x3008 or email kmiller@amrivers.org.
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