WASHINGTON – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), successfully included an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 that requires the Army Corp of Engineers to expedite the completion of Stage 2 of the McCook Reservoir construction project. Rep. Quigley’s remarks on the House Floor during debate of his amendment are available here. The amendment passed by voice vote.
“Finishing the construction of the McCook Reservoir is vital to defending the homes, businesses, and livelihoods of millions of Chicagoans from the devastating impacts of urban flooding,” said Rep. Quigley. “My amendment to the Water Resources Development Act will guarantee that the Army Corps of Engineers continue to carry out funding for this critical project though completion. As the only Illinois member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue to be a stalwart supporter of the McCook Reservoir project and other critical infrastructure projects that protect families from destructive floods and strengthens the local economy.”
Stage 1 of the McCook Reservoir project will be completed in 2017 and Stage 2 is expected to be completed in 2027. The reservoir will prevent overflows that cause flooding and watercourse contamination in the Chicagoland area, as well as prevent untreated sewage from entering Lake Michigan. The reservoir is also expected to provide more than $114 million per year in flood damage reduction benefits to 5 million people in Chicago and 36 suburbs.
With portions of Illinois’ 5th Congressional District devastated by flooding three times in the past few years, Rep. Quigley has partnered with Senator Durbin to introduce the bicameral Urban Flooding Awareness Act. He and Senator Durbin have also met with victims of Chicago’s urban flooding to discuss solutions. Rep. Quigley has been an outspoken advocate for the completion of flood control measures such as the McCook and Thornton Reservoirs. Through his position on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Quigley worked to secure $2.57 million in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund a critical flood prevention project for the Graue Mill area. He has also actively called for revising the process of awarding federal aid to disaster-afflicted communities. In 2013, Rep. Quigley and Sen. Durbin secured $29 million in federal grants to help the Chicagoland area and the state of Illinois recover from spring flooding.
