|
WHEREAS, following the
new engineering and science data from the levee failures during Hurricane
Katrina, cities across America have embarked on a massive national initiative
to strengthen their flood control systems based on the state-of-the-art
standards; and
WHEREAS, in order to
minimize risk to millions of Americans and their property and jobs, cities and
their partners are proceeding with levee projects in advance of federal
congressional authorization and with the expectation that the non-federal cost
share will be significantly higher than in prior decades; and
WHEREAS, advance
funding by non-federal partners like cities and states allows for flood protection
improvements to be in place far faster, but it depends on an assured, certain
crediting of non-federal investments so that the advance expenditures are
deducted from future non-federal cost-share requirements; and
WHEREAS,
in
2011, the Assistant Secretary of the Army withdrew all crediting for advance
flood risk reduction projects under Section 104 of the Water Resources
Development Act, resulting in the delay or cancellation of levee projects
throughout the nation and dramatically increasing risk to people and property;
and
WHEREAS, due to the
congressional earmark ban, there is now no procedural path for flood risk
reduction projects to be authorized, even after completion of all necessary
technical studies, engineering evaluations, alternatives analyses, and
recommendation by the Corps,
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls upon the President
to restore crediting eligibility under Section 104 of the Water Resources
Development Act or extend eligibility under Section 221 to cover (1) flood risk
management projects which were underway at the time of the 2011 withdrawal by
the Assistant Secretary of the Army and (2) projects at milestones earlier than
the draft feasibility report, such as completion of the reconnaissance study,
and to authorize the Corps of Engineers to grant other exceptions, as
appropriate, when in the public interest; and be it further; and
BE
IT RESOLVED
that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges Congress to enact legislation
authorizing projects for which the Army Corps of Engineers has submitted a
favorable Chief’s Report, without the need for a specific earmark
appropriation.
| 