WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) voted to pass the final version of the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that authorizes critical steps forward to address flooding in the Metro East. The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
At Budzinski’s request, the 2024 WRDA includes an increase in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget cap and allows the Corps to address stormwater management issues in their future response efforts in Madison and St. Clair Counties.
The legislation also authorizes a General Reevaluation Report for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ activities in the Metro East, including a feasibility study to determine if the Spring Lake Project can be moved from the Planning Phase to the Preconstruction Engineering Design Phase.
The project was recommended in the East St. Louis and Vicinity Ecosystem Restoration and Flood Damage Reduction Project Report in 2009 to help communities with flood resilience and protect homes. Senator Dick Durbin has requested $500,000 to fund the General Reevaluation Report through the Senate’s Congressionally Directed Spending program. Additionally, the legislation boosts the federal cost share for inland navigation projects, speeding up their completion and enhancing the efficiency of inland waterways, which is vital for getting our region’s agricultural goods to market.
“For decades, Metro East communities like Cahokia Heights have been plagued by regular flooding without an end in sight. The provisions in this bill finally bring us closer to the solutions we need, like the Spring Lake Project,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “With input from community leaders, I was able to request and secure a feasibility study that will help us expedite this project. By raising the budget cap, we’re also making it easier for the Army Corps to respond to flooding and improve stormwater management in the Metro East. I was proud to vote to pass this important legislation and I’m committed to making our flood mitigation plans a reality for communities in the Metro East.”
The Spring Lake Project would expand an existing detention pond near Caseyville to increase the volume of excess stormwater the pond can hold. The expansion of Spring Lake is anticipated by community leaders to relieve flooding and drainage issues across the Metro East region.
