WASHIGNTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today announced that the Fiscal Year 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which passed the House of Representatives on May 24^th, contains $5 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue critical flood prevention and mitigation work that will benefit Des Plaines and its surrounding communities.

Schakowsky said, “These much needed funds will go a long way toward helping the Army Corps of Engineers do its job so that Des Plaines residents and those in surrounding communities do not have to spend another day or another dollar dealing with the damaging effects of river flooding.  I will continue working with my colleagues, with Mayor Arredia and with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that this project is completed, is fully funded, and is finished as soon as possible.  Des Plaines residents have waited long enough for this relief.”     

Schakowsky worked closely with Des Plaines Mayor Anthony Arredia and the Army Corps of Engineers to identify and secure federal dollars to support ongoing work on the Des Plaines flood control project.  The Administration’s FY 2006 budget request did not include any money for the Des Plaines Phase I project, which includes Levee 37, the Big Bend and Buffalo Creek reservoirs, and the Palatine Road Floodwall. When enacted, the funding Schakowsky secured will ensure that federal dollars will continue to flow to Des Plaines in the years to come. 

Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, a longtime champion of flood prevention and control efforts in Des Plaines and the surrounding communities, said:  

"This is something we have worked on for 7 years. It has been on the books for 20 years, and to find out we are likely to get the funding to support communities up and down the Des Plaines watershed that have been so unfortunately affected by flooding, is a real relief.  It will be a monumental task but we hope it will be completed in a short period of time. Once finished, this work will prevent future generations from suffering damage due to flooding and will hopefully spare them the ever spiraling cost of flood insurance and internal home flood prevention mechanisms.  Our Congresswoman fought this battle for us in Washington and won, and the entire city of Des Plaines and the surrounding communities will benefit as a result."

While the funding was included in the House Energy and Water Appropriations bill for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Des Plaines River Phase I plan implementation, the Senate has yet to consider the legislation. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is working to include similar language and funding in the Senate version of the bill.