Bill Text: MO HCR30 | 2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Strongly urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to re-examine the flood plan, manage the rivers to avoid devastating flooding, and rebuild damaged levies

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-04-03 - Referred: Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics (S) [HCR30 Detail]

Download: Missouri-2012-HCR30-Comm_Sub.html

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SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

House Concurrent Resolution No. 30

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

4445H.03C

            WHEREAS, over the course of the Spring and Summer of 2011, unprecedented releases of water upstream by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have caused extensive pressure on the river levees in the state of Missouri that protect many communities, businesses, and prime agricultural lands; and

 

            WHEREAS, in the face of this tremendous pressure some of Missouri's levees have been intentionally and unintentionally breached, resulting in widespread flooding, which has proved devastating to many Missouri homes, farms, families, and livelihoods; and

 

            WHEREAS, last summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intentionally breached the Birds Point levee in southeast Missouri which resulted in the flooding of 130,000 acres of mostly agricultural land; and

 

            WHEREAS, Missouri families have suffered unprecedented losses as a result of this situation and many Missouri farmers have experienced a complete and total loss of agricultural production, resulting in decimated farm incomes and ravaged local economies; and

 

            WHEREAS, according to a June 2011 report drafted by the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute of the University of Missouri, the breach of the levee and subsequent flooding of crop lands in Southeast Missouri has resulted in economic losses totaling $60.6 million, a combination of forgone net returns and incurred production expenses in the affected area; and

 

            WHEREAS, according to the University of Missouri Extension, the southeast Missouri region produced the following shares of the state's total production of specific agricultural commodities in 2010:

            1) 100% of total cotton production in Missouri;

            2) 99.6% of total rice production in Missouri;

            3) 52.9% of total wheat production in Missouri;

            4) 21.4% of total grain sorghum production in Missouri;

 

            5) 18.1% of total soybean production in Missouri;

            6) 15.4% of total corn production in Missouri; and

 

            WHEREAS, with the agricultural production of southeast Missouri accounting for approximately one-third of the state's total economy, the catastrophic results of the flooding of agricultural land due to the intentional breach of the Birds Point levee in southeast Missouri has a significant economic impact for the entire state. This complete and total loss of agricultural production at a time when our state's economy is experiencing recession can only exacerbate the state's current economic hardships; and

 

            WHEREAS, the flood waters have not yet receded in some parts of Missouri and continue to disrupt the lives of hard-working Missourians; and

 

            WHEREAS, even after the flood waters recede, much work will need to be done to restore the productivity of the damaged agricultural land and repair the ruined homes and businesses; and

 

            WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is charged with management of the nation's rivers and flood control is one of the primary purposes for which the rivers are to be managed; and

 

            WHEREAS, the original flood plan was authorized in 1928 in response to severe flooding of the Mississippi River in 1927. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is obligated to re-examine the flood plan in light of the devastating losses, both short-term and long-term, suffered in this state as a result of the unprecedented releases of water upstream and the intentional breach of the Birds Point levee by the U.S. Army Corps of engineers during the Spring and Summer of 2011:

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-sixth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to:

            1) Re-examine the flood control operations for the Missouri and Mississippi rivers; and

            2) Manage the rivers in such a way as to avoid the devastating flooding disasters that have occurred this year; and

            3) Rebuild the damaged levees to at least their previous heights as expediently as possible; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri General Assembly encourage communities, families and other stakeholders to work together to restore the prime agricultural lands that have been damaged by the recent flooding so that the productive value of these lands is not irrevocably lost; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri General Assembly strongly encourage the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation to actively support policies for the management of the Missouri River that minimize devastating flood events such as those that have been experienced by so many Missourians this summer; and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the Secretary of the U.S. Army and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.

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