Murphy Fights for Millions to Help Home and Business Owners Along Neshaminy Creek, Critical Funds Will Save Taxpayers and Bring Repair Project Close to Completion

(Bristol, PA) – At a press conference near the Neshaminy Creek, in front of a home currently being elevated after flood damage, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8th District) announced more than $10 million in flood relief for Bucks County. Rep. Murphy stood with a flood-effected homeowner who is himself a general contractor working to repair flood-impacted homes. The $10,075,000 Murphy announced will create up to 200 jobs for purchasing and elevating 80 homes and businesses along the Neshaminy Creek Watershed in the 100 year flood plain. Last year, Murphy secured $2.5 million for this project, and today’s $10 million will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In addition to voting for the bill responsible for the $10 million, Murphy personally lobbied the Department of Agriculture for these critical funds to create jobs and help home and business owners rebuild their lives after catastrophic floods.

“This $10 million will create up to 200 jobs over the next two years – including jobs in construction and engineering. This money and these jobs come right in the nick of time and the work they do could save Bucks County taxpayers nearly a million dollars every year,” said Congressman Patrick Murphy. “I voted for the Recovery Act to create jobs, jump start our economy and improve our infrastructure. This project does all three. It puts people to work, it will help businesses stay open and it will prepare for and save taxpayers from costly repairs after the next major flood.”

“I personally lobbied the Department of Agriculture so that we can get this money here in Bucks County because along this part of the Neshaminy Creek, there are approximately 1,200 residents and 500 employees from local businesses affected by flooding,” added Murphy.

“This is exactly the kind of project the Recovery Act was intended to fund. It’s good for people who live there and it’s good for the environment,” said Dave White, Chief of the Natural Resources Conversation Services.

“The Neshaminy Creek Watershed project funding will be used to acquire, elevate and flood-protect approximately 80 homes and businesses in the 100-year flood plain,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

This money will create jobs and help local flood agencies remove, elevate and protect flood prone homes and businesses from the flood zone. According to the Bucks County Conservation District, there will be a reduction of approximately $900,000 in flood damage paid by Bucks County taxpayers every year. There are approximately 1,200 residents and 500 employees in the effected area. The $10 million Murphy fought for comes as part of an $84.8 million announcement by the USDA for projects that will relieve stress on local economies and create over 1,400 jobs nationwide. This $10 million is the largest part of the $84.8 million given to any one project and will bring the Neshaminy project close to completion.

Initially authorized in 1967, the Neshaminy watershed project came to renewed public attention with flooding from Hurricanes Floyd and Allison in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Eight of the originally planned 10 dams were built by 1982 and have operated as planned. A 9th dam was deleted from the project in 1996. After many public meetings, a supplemental plan was approved in December 2001 to replace the final dam with voluntary nonstructural measures, including buying out some homes, elevating others, flood-proofing businesses and some homes, as well as implementing a flood warning system.

For Immediate Release, April 16, 2009
Contact: Adam Abrams, (202) 225-4276