[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 112 (Friday, August 12, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                            MORNING BUSINESS

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         FISCAL YEAR 1995 ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, the forces of nature are both awesome 
and horrible. Every year America suffers natural disasters: lethal 
tornados, devastating earthquakes, scarring wildfires like those 
plaguing our western forests, savage hurricanes along our southern 
coasts, bone-dry droughts, and wrenching floods like those experienced 
last month in south Georgia and last summer in my state of Minnesota, 
Iowa, and Missouri.
  The cost of these disasters cannot be measured in dollars only; lives 
are lost, crops and livelihoods are wiped out, treasured memories 
destroyed, and lands are scarred.
  While government cannot control Mother Nature, wise planning and 
engineering can lessen her threat. This is what the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers does: it plans, constructs and manages flood control measures 
throughout the country. And, this is why this Energy and Appropriations 
bill is so important: it funds the Corps of Engineers.
  The committee has funded projects on numerous Minnesota streams and 
lakes: on the Zumbro River through Rochester, on Basset Creek through 
Golden Valley, on the Mississippi River in St. Paul, on the reservoir 
lakes in northern Minnesota, on the St. Croix River by Stillwater, and 
on the Minnesota River in Chaska. All these projects have saved 
property and just as importantly, withstood the test of time.
  Also, Mr. President, coming from Minnesota, one cannot overlook the 
great value of keeping America's internal shipping lanes open to 
oceangoing traffic. Minnesota serves as both the starting point of the 
Mighty Mississippi and the St. Lawrence Seaway of the Great Lakes. 
Billions of dollars of goods use both passage-ways each year.
  Thus, the funds made available by the Committee for such projects as 
upgrading Lock and Dam number 26 on the Mississippi River allows barge 
traffic from the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis to flow 
unhindered southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Likewise the harbor 
dredging and lock maintenance on the St. Lawrence Seaway preserves 
Duluth as a great shipping port.
  So, Mr. President, since the bill before the Senate today is the last 
Energy and Water appropriations bills that I will have the privilege to 
be a part of, I want to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their 
assistance in making Minnesota a better and safer state.


                         flood control projects

  Mr. President, in my 16 years in the Senate, eight flood control 
projects have been either finished or started. These projects are 
bringing more than just flood control to Minnesotans, they are bringing 
peace of mind. Although there are so many, let me just remark on 
several of the most important:

  In 1976, the City of Rochester was ravaged by flood waters from the 
Zumbro River, killing 5 people, and destroying homes and croplands. In 
response, my first legislative action in the Senate was to introduce an 
amendment to the Water Resource Development Act to authorize the Army 
Corps of Engineers to construct a series of levees on the South Fork of 
Zumbro River, Bear Creek, and Cascade Creek. The project was designated 
to provide protection from the 200 year flood event--and was even put 
to the test during last summer's floods. Since then, the Federal 
Government has provided over $76 million in funding, and the project is 
not scheduled for completion next year.
  The Bassett Creek flood control project is currently scheduled for 
completion in 1995. This project began after severe floods damaged 
property in such towns as Golden Valley, New Hope, and Crystal in 1974, 
1975, 1978, and 1987. With a Federal share of $29 million, flood 
storage in recreational areas and open spaces will be created 
throughout the watershed, with a new tunnel in the outlet reach under a 
highly urbanized area of Minneapolis. Finally, we will be able to 
provide the necessary flood protection to the people of these cities.
  The City of Chaska, on the Minnesota River now has 1.1 miles of 
upgraded levee and 1.5 miles of new levee as well as new drainage and 
pumping facilities. This construction is designed to protect residents 
from flooding of the River, and the Chaska and East Creeks. Thanks to 
assistance from this Committee, the project will be completed in 1996.
  In Marshall, levees from the 1960s were already in place to protect 
the town from the smaller floods which occurred from the Redwood River 
with such regularity. However, during particularly high waters, the 
Redwood has been known to escape the boundaries of its banks, and flow 
out over the county highway and into the city. The funding provided by 
this Committee beginning in 1986 was used to improve the existing levee 
system and drainage facilities, and implement channel improvements. The 
first stage of construction was completed in 1993.
  Our capitol city of St. Paul lies on the upper reaches of the 
Mississippi River, and has been ravaged by record-breaking floods. 
After floods in 1952 1965 and 1969, a flood barrier was constructed to 
protect 448 floodprone acres. But, with the threat of future floods and 
the potential for over $270 million in damages if the project were to 
fail, the Crops determined that protection must be increased. 
Improvements were authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 
1986 and 1990 to raise the existing flood barrier by 4 feet, thus 
protecting the area from a 588-year flood. The project also includes 
raising the height of existing floodwalls, and improving levees, 
closures and dumping stations. I am pleased to say that the Corps plans 
to complete this project within the next few months.
  The historic city of Stillwater's retaining wall system was built in 
1937-38 as a Works Progress Administration project to protect the 
fragile riverfront from flooding and erosion when the locks and dams 
were built on the Mississippi River at Red Wing, MN. Unfortunately, 
over the years the structural integrity of the wall had seriously 
degenerated. But last year, this Committee awarded $2.4 million to 
expand the existing flood wall system to protect the local residents, 
fragile riverbank and surrounding property--much of which is listed on 
the National Register of Historic sites. Construction of this project 
is well under way, thanks to the efforts of Mayor Hooley of Stillwater, 
and Ed Cain.
  The city of Houston, located in the flood plain of the Root River, 
has been hit by major flooding 10 times since 1960. Improvements to the 
existing flood system were authorized in the Water Resources Act of 
1986, but it was not until this year that the Senate was finally able 
to designate funding to construct a new dike system to enlarge the 
channel and reduce the danger of flash flooding. While this worthy 
project was removed by the conference committee, I am hopeful that the 
Army Corps will continue to support this project by providing funding 
under the Section 205 authority. For a Federal promise of $140,000, 
local and State interests will contribute matching funds upwards of 
$1.1 million.
  In beautiful northwestern Minnesota lies the Sauk Lake, and several 
tributaries. This area is hailed as one of Minnesota's finest vacation 
spots--boasting such recreational activities as fishing, boating, 
swimming, and camping. However, in the mid 1980s, the area was plagued 
with major aquatic plant growth and algae problems. Currently, the 
Corps is working under a Local Cooperative Agreement to plan a weed 
harvesting program. This success story is a wonderful example of how 
Federal, State and local representatives can work together, sharing 
cost and equipment, to restore the natural beauty to this recreation 
area.
  Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior is the most dangerous on the 
Great Lakes because of its rocky coastline, frequent unexpected and 
violent storms, and extremely cold waters. For small craft operators, 
the best protection available are the few commercial boat harbors or 
natural cove areas. However, these are still dangerous because of the 
rough waters within the bay during storms. Last year, for the first 
time, this Committee recognized the danger of having no safe havens on 
Lake Superior by appropriating funds for construction of a harbor of 
refuge at Silver Bay. Finally, small boat operators will have somewhere 
they can go to escape the tempestuous moods of the Great Lake. I am 
hopeful that the importance of such havens will continue to receive 
recognition long after I leave this chamber.


                         navigation maintenance

  In the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, I authored 
legislation that led to the expansion of the twin locks at Lock and Dam 
26 on the Mississippi River. This expansion significantly improved the 
transportation capabilities of this great waterway. During discussion 
of this bill, I worked hard to break the deadlock on how to finance the 
cost of improving and expanding the capacity of our Nation's waterways. 
In the end, we developed a barge tax which enabled America's farmers to 
continue using the waterways to transport most agricultural products.

  Rivaling the Lock and Dam in the quest for Federal dollars is the 
Upper Mississippi Environmental Management Plan, also created in the 
1986 Water Resources Development Act, and then extended in 1990. This 
effort began with the formation of GREAT--the Great River Environmental 
Action Team--which consisted of Minnesota as well as Illinois, Iowa, 
Missouri, and Wisconsin. Our goal was the implement a coordinated plan 
which addressed commercial navigation and ecosystem management on the 
Upper Mississippi River.
  In other areas, we eliminated unfair tolls on the St. Lawrence 
Seaway. Instead of tolls we pursued the more fair funding method of 
imposing an ad valorem-based fee to cover the Army Corps operations and 
maintenance at the ports on Duluth--the westernmost port to the 
Atlantic in the country. At first, tolls were paid to the Harbor 
Maintenance Trust Fund, and later rebated. This year, for the first 
time, we have done away with the rebates. Now shippers using the Seaway 
no longer pay any tolls. And the ad valorem tax is perfect for the type 
of cargo shipped from the Great Lakes. The tax is paid on the value of 
the cargo, rather than on the size of the vessel. And most of the 
exports from Duluth are items like grains and taconite--products whose 
value rests in bulk.


                               CONCLUSION

  In conclusion, Mr. President, the funds that the Chairman and Ranking 
Member of the Energy and Water Appropriations Committee have provided 
to projects in my State of Minnesota are greatly appreciated by me and 
by millions of Minnesotans whose property has been protected.
  In addition, I cannot conclude without thanking the tireless work of 
Lou Kowalski of the Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District. Lou is the 
fountain of knowledge and hardwork. He has spent a career shepherding 
these complex projects through the often tortuous process from drawing 
board to ribbon cutting.

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