by Carla Klein, Ozark Chapter Director
Here we go again with another ill-advised waste of tax payer money brought to you courtesy of the Army Corp of Engineers. L-142 an 1100 year levee proposed to be built on the north bank of the Missouri river located across form Jefferson City adds a new twist to the mismanagement of our river systems. It is not only a bad idea, it’s illegal.
The Federal buyout of Cedar City, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) absolutely precludes future development or any protection of the area by levees. The purpose of the buyout – at taxpayers expense – was to move businesses and residents out of the floodplain. The proposed construction of this levee over FEMA’s deed to restricted land would not only be in violation of federal laws and regulations, it also sets a bad precedent for future river management.
Recent studies have confirmed that the building of levees and dams are the major reason we have seen an increase of frequency and severity of flooding.