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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Pete Visclosky today announced that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development approved $40.1 million for water infrastructure projects in Northwest Indiana. The funding, which supports projects to be executed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with local sponsors, is included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.
“These projects are about improving our quality of life, fostering economic activity in our communities, and ensuring the health and safety of Northwest Indiana’s residents,” said Visclosky. “By reducing our risk of flooding, improving our water supply, and enhancing our natural environment, these projects will benefit people across Northwest Indiana.”
The Little Calumet River Flood Control and Recreation Project is slated to receive $20 million. Once complete, the project will include 22 miles of levees and flood walls that protect the citizens and businesses of Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Highland, and Munster. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that flooding on the Little Calumet River causes $11 million in damages annually. Flooding last fall caused considerably more damage in those communities and the completion of the flood control project will protect homes and businesses to minimize the costs associated with flooding. Other project components include the installation of a control structure at Hart Ditch, building almost 17 miles of hiking trails, and preserving over 550 acres of wetlands. Visclosky secured $24 million for the project in fiscal year 2009 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided an additional $3 million for it this year.
“It is imperative that we complete the Little Cal project as quickly as possible in order to reduce the threat of floods for thousands of families and businesses,” said Visclosky. “I am proud to have secured another ample installment of federal funding and will continue to do everything I can to make the needed resources available to get the levees built by the December 2010 target completion date.”
“I am very excited for Northwest Indiana now that the federal funding for the Little Calumet levee project is in place,” said Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. “Fully funding the levee project is essential to the security of our communities. I have been a strong advocate for this funding at the local, state, and federal level so that our residents and their homes are protected and economic development around the levee area is put on the fast track. It’s a great day for Northwest Indiana.”
Indiana Harbor is slated to receive $13.5 million for the construction of a confined dredged material disposal facility (CDF) on a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) site located in East Chicago. The project will dredge the federal channel to authorized navigation depths, and will also include the removal of sediment in adjacent berthing and docking areas at non-federal expense.
Additionally, Indiana Harbor is slated to receive $1 million to complete the feasibility phase and begin preliminary engineering and design to improve water quality and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitat along the Grand Calumet River.
The Marquette Plan is slated to receive $4 million to be used to begin design and implementation efforts for ecosystem restoration and management of contaminants for ecological and economic purposes for sites along the Lake Michigan waterfront in Lake and Porter Counties.
“The City of Whiting is eager to implement our Marquette Plan project to improve access to our Lake Michigan shoreline and public parks,” said Whiting Mayor Joe Stahura. “I greatly appreciate Congressman Visclosky’s leadership on the Marquette Plan and his work to secure federal funds for Marquette Plan projects. Improving our shoreline will be a boon to the residents of Whiting and people in communities across Northwest Indiana.”
The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is slated to receive $1.6 million for the shoreline erosion project to support additional sand placement along Lake Michigan. The movement of sand along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has been interrupted by nearby Michigan City harbor structures, causing accelerated erosion of the beach and dunes.
The Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill is scheduled for consideration in the full Appropriations Committee on July 7 and on the floor of the House of Representatives on July 16. Subsequent to House passage it must be approved by the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President. |
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