I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2931
To direct the Secretary of the Army to conduct a study to assess the
adequacy of current flood control measures on the Upper Mississippi
River and its tributaries.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 6, 1993
Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. GEPHARDT, Mr. EVANS, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr.
EMERSON, Mr. LEACH, Mr. SMITH of Iowa, Ms. DANNER, Mr. VOLKMER,
Mr. POSHARD, Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. WHEAT, Mr. MINGE,
and Mr. CLAY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Army to conduct a study
to assess the adequacy of current flood control measures
on the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PURPOSES.
It is the purpose of this Act—
(1) to improve the flood protection on the
Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in order
to protect public health and safety, maintain com-
merce, and reduce economic losses due to flooding;
(2) to assess the adequacy of current flood con-
trol measures, both Federal and non-Federal, on the
Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries and rec-
ommend improvements to protect critical public fa-
cilities and prevent the release of hazardous mate-
rials into flood waters; and
(3) to examine the Federal and non-Federal
role in funding the construction and maintenance of
flood control measures on the Mississippi River and
its tributaries and recommend changes to improve
flood protection for high priority facilities.
SEC. 2. FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES ON UPPER MIS-
SISSIPPI RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES.
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of the Army shall con-
duct a study to assess the adequacy of current flood con-
trol measures on the Upper Mississippi River and its trib-
utaries.
(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall—
(1) identify critical water, sewer, transpor-
tation, and other essential public facilities which cur-
rently do not have adequate flood protection;
(2) identify high priority industrial, petrochemi-
cal, hazardous waste, and other facilities which re-
quire additional flood protection due to the special
health and safety risks caused by flooding;
(3) evaluate current Federal, State, and local
flood impact review requirements for infrastructure
improvements and other development in the flood
plain, and recommend changes to reduce the poten-
tial loss of life, property damage, economic losses,
and threats to health and safety caused by flooding;
(4) examine the differences in Federal cost-
sharing for construction and maintenance of flood
control projects on the Upper and Lower Mississippi
River systems and assess the effect of such dif-
ferences on the level of flood protection on the
Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries;
(5) assess the current Federal policy on pre-
event repair and maintenance of both Federal and
non-Federal levees and recommend actions to help
prevent the failure of these levees during flooding;
(6) assess the impact of the current system of
levees and flood control projects on the flood levels
experienced on the Upper Mississippi River and its
tributaries in 1993, and evaluate the cost-effective-
ness of alternative flood control measures such as
the preservation and restoration of wetlands;
(7) recommend flood control improvements,
changes in Federal cost-sharing, and other measures
to reduce economic losses, damage to critical public
facilities, and the release of hazardous materials
from industrial, petrochemical, hazardous waste, and
other facilities caused by flooding of the Upper Mis-
sissippi River and its tributaries; and
(8) assess the environmental impact of current
flood control measures and the flood control im-
provements recommended pursuant to this section.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than January 1, 1995, the
Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the re-
sults of the study conducted under subsection (a).
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