Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Army Corps FY18 Work Plan & Funding For Completion Of McCook Reservoir
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced their Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Work Plan, which includes $44.352 million for McCook Reservoir to complete construction, $10 million for LaGrange Lock and Dam to move forward on a major rehabilitation, and $1.2 million for various Cook County infrastructure projects:
The Army Corps of Engineers’ work is critically important for water quality in our rivers and waterways, and for the thousands of residents and businesses who are in areas prone to flooding. Today’s announcement of funding for various projects across Illinois is welcome news, especially the new, innovative, and cost-effective approach for the completion of the McCook Reservoir Project, which will deliver critical benefits for Illinois and the five million citizens of the region who will be protected by this project. We will continue to support and advocate for projects in Illinois and across the country that are key to our competitiveness in the global economy.
Last year, Durbin, Duckworth, and members of the Illinois Congressional delegation requested $34.7 million in construction funds for the McCook Reservoir Project be included in the Corps FY18 Work Plan.
The McCook Reservoir Project, which was authorized by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1988, is a flood damage reduction project that is currently 91 percent complete. This project will provide $114 million in annual flood damage reduction benefits to five million residents of Chicago and 36 surrounding suburban communities.
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