Press Releases
Luetkemeyer Urges Federal Agencies to Ease Uncertainty Over Community Flood Assistance
Washington, DC,
June 3, 2009
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today called on FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to alleviate concerns raised by river communities that funding for flood assistance will be reduced under new federal rules.
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today called on FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to alleviate concerns raised by river communities that funding for flood assistance will be reduced under new federal rules. Luetkemeyer’s concerns came after meeting with farm groups last week about reports that FEMA was poised to stop flood aid in many communities. A St. Louis radio station, KMOX, has since done an exposé on this situation. The new FEMA rules approved in February state that local levee districts will no longer be allowed to tap into flood control money for the clean up and repair of levees. Instead, flooding assistance money for those purposes now fall under the Corps of Engineers but will require river communities to pay up to twice the level as before, which will put significant fiscal pressure on many of those communities. Based on concerns raised by local officials, Luetkemeyer said it also appears that the changes in flood assistance levels were not properly communicated to many of the financially strapped river communities. “I am extremely troubled that our river communities are going to be forced to pay additional local funds during times of disastrous flooding and I am also very disappointed that these communities weren’t informed of the changes during these tough economic times,” Luetkemeyer said. “It is my understanding that officials from FEMA and the Corps will be meeting later today to discuss this issue, and it is my hope that our river communities will not be set fiscally adrift by these federal agencies.” Luetkemeyer’s concerns about the impact of flooding in the 9th District is part of an ongoing commitment to river communities. Earlier this year, Luetkemeyer opposed the spring rises authorized by the Corps of Engineers that put signficnant stresses on our Missouri River communities. ###
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