[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 101 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S9225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   MITIGATION FROM DEVASTATING FLOODS IN WEST VIRGINIA AND THE UPPER 
                         PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, Senators Byrd, Stabenow, and I would like 
to engage in a colloquy with Senator Reid, the ranking member of the 
Energy and Water Development Subcommittee and Ted Stevens, Chairman of 
the Full Committee.
  Mr. BYRD. In West Virginia, torrential flooding is becoming an annual 
event--since 1993, the State has had 11 federally declared disasters. 
In this year alone, the State has had two federally declared disasters. 
In the latest round of devastating flooding in the State last month, 12 
counties were declared Federal disaster areas. Homes were damaged or 
destroyed, and the severe impact on the infrastructure in the southern 
part of the State--from roads, bridges, water and sewer, to power 
sources--has brought a normal way of life to a screeching halt once 
again.
  Ms. STABENOW. In May of this year, unusually heavy rainfall occurred 
in four countries of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan causing rivers and 
streams throughout the area to swell out of their banks, inflicting 
severe and widespread damages. The greatest damages occurred in 
Marquette County where an earthen dike at Silver Lake Basin failed, 
sending and estimated 8 billion gallons of water cascading downstream 
through the city of Marquette toward Lake Superior.
  The floodwaters destroyed or damaged numerous public and private 
structures and caused unprecedented environmental and ecological damage 
within the Dead River Basin and into Lake Superior in Marquette County. 
Two power generation facilities were damaged. One of the power 
generation facilities, the Presque Isle plant in the city of Marquette, 
resulted in shutdown for more than 30 days.
  Without power, two iron ore mines, which produce about 20 percent of 
our Nation's annual iron ore output, were shut down, idling 1,200 
workers. Dozens of other area businesses, institutions and private 
homeowners were also seriously impacted. Three of the four counties 
affected are impoverished, with a majority of the population over 65 
years of age. Local governments simply do not have the capital to pay 
for the public damages. Without an infusion of Federal aid, Marquette 
and the other three counties will have a difficult, if not impossible, 
task of recovering from this disaster.

  Mr. LEVIN. Normally, our States would be able to rely on the 
operations and maintenance account for the corps to help repair damages 
to public facilities, such as obstructive deposits in flood control 
streams, bank erosion threatening public facilities, damages to other 
public infrastructure such as water and sewer facilities. Additionally, 
funds provided will allow the Army Corps to repair weather-related 
damages that have occurred to Federal infrastructure. However, it is 
our understanding that the fund has been depleted for this year.
  Mr. REID. Unfortunately, your understanding is correct.
  Mr. BYRD. It is our hope that you and Senator Domenici, when drafting 
the Fiscal Year 04 Energy Water Development Act will be able to address 
these emergencies in these two States, as well as others that have 
experienced massive flooding in this exceptionally wet spring.
  Mr. REID. Senator Domenici and I will be marking up the Energy and 
Water Development Act for Fiscal Year 04 next week in both subcommittee 
and full committee. We recognize the needs of both States for flood 
mitigation, including stream and river restoration, bank stabilization, 
infrastructure repair and restoration, water and sewer repairs, and 
fresh drinking water in some areas. We will do everything we can to 
address these needs in the Fiscal Year 04 bill.
  Mr. STEVENS. I, too, will do everything I can to support this 
critical work as we draft the Fiscal Year 04 Energy and Water 
Development Act.
  Mr. LEVIN. We thank the Senator.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the amendment is agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 1210) was agreed to.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, at this time, I think that completes 
the amendments we know exist for this bill. And I ask the bill be 
temporarily set aside now so we may move to----
  Mr. REID. If the Senator will yield, the only amendment we know of--
--
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I do ask unanimous consent that no 
further amendments be in order to the pending bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be temporarily set aside so we may proceed to the consideration of the 
military construction bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. STEVENS. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.





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