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Rahall Secures $1.5 Million for Greenbrier River Basin Flood Control Project
07/10/08Rahall (D-WV) secured approval by the full House Appropriations Committee of $3.26 million in the Fiscal Year 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for Army Corps of Engineers projects in southern West Virginia, including $1.5 million to continue construction on the Greenbrier River Basin flood control project in Marlinton, WV.
"Flooding is a serious concern in southern West Virginia, making water infrastructure projects one of my top priorities," Rahall said. "The funding in this bill, which I requested, will help to ensure that the Army Corps can move forward with construction projects that can help to protect our homes and families from dangerous flooding."
The Greenbrier River Basin routinely floods, causing serious harm to the residents in the Marlinton area. Rahall’s $1.5 million will allow the Army Corps to continue construction of a levee/flood wall along the banks of the Greenbrier River and to protect the Riverside and downtown areas of Marlinton from Greenbrier River and Knapp Creek flooding.
Rahall also secured $200,000 for the Upper Guyandotte River flood control project, $60,000 for the Spring Valley/Krouts Creek flood investigations, and $1.5 million for the Southern West Virginia Environmental Infrastructure Program.
“This funding will help to advance efforts needed to ensure protection of homes, businesses, and lives and provide peace of mind to families along the flood zones,” said Rahall.
The Fiscal Year 2009 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill must next receive approval of the full U.S. House of Representatives. It would then be sent to a conference committee to iron out differences between House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the bill. Once the conference report receives final approval of both bodies, it would be sent to the White House to be signed into law.
The bill also included $9.41 million in operations and management funding, supported by Congressman Rahall, for the following ongoing projects in southern West Virginia: $1.399 million for Beech Fork Lake, $1.433 million for Bluestone Lake, $1.942 million for East Lynn Lake, $2.694 million for RD Bailey Lake, and $1.942 million for Summersville Lake. Additionally, Rahall supported $12 million for the Bluestone Lake Dam safety measures that were included in the bill.