Chambana Sun

The House passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 last night, incorporating key levee safety priorities for the Upper Mississippi River region and Adams County as proposed by Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL). The legislation aims to provide local levee sponsors along the Upper Mississippi River with more flexibility in maintaining their systems and preparing for future floods by addressing federal regulatory challenges that complicate levee improvements.

“This legislation is a critical step to ensure that levee operators have the tools and flexibility they need to do essential maintenance along the Mississippi River. The Mississippi levees protect countless homes and thousands of acres of farmland, and I’m proud that the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 included my priorities to protect Illinois communities from future flood threats. I will always be a strong advocate for Mississippi levee safety, and I urge the Senate to act on this important legislation,” stated Congresswoman Miller.

Key elements of Miller’s priorities included in WRDA 2024 feature an authorization for a new Upper Mississippi River System Flood Risk Study aimed at enhancing flood resiliency and reducing future flood risks. Additionally, the bill establishes a new office within the US Army Corps of Engineers dedicated to streamlining Section 408 permitting processes, offering greater flexibility for collaboration with local levee systems on system-wide flood risk management.

Congresswoman Miller’s initial proposal, known as the Upper Mississippi River Levee Safety Act, has garnered support from regional stakeholders such as the Upper Mississippi, Illinois & Missouri Rivers Association (UMIMRA), based in Quincy, IL.

“The Upper Mississippi, Illinois & Missouri Rivers Association (UMIMRA) wants to thank Congresswomen Mary Miller for her leadership in making improving flood protection for the Upper Mississippi River a priority,” said Mike Klinger, UMIMRA Chair. “The current House version of WRDA 2024 is a step in the right direction to reduce flood damages and improve resiliency in the Upper Mississippi River flood control system by streamlining the permitting process and providing a long-range planning approach with the Upper Mississippi River. UMIMRA will continue efforts to allow levee districts to maintain their original level of protection, for both FEMA accredited and non-accredited federal levees, as flood frequencies are updated along the Upper Mississippi River.”