Bush's Budget Doesn't Hold Water
BUSH'S BUDGET DOESN'T HOLD WATER
FY 2007 Budget Ignores Flood Risks in Texas
02/09/06
Washington, DC-Congressman Gene Green (TX-29), today released the following statement concerning his utter dismay at the lack of funding of crucial Houston flood control project in the Bush Administration FiscalYear 2007 Budget.
"Houston is currently serving as a refuge for over 100,000 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina flooding, and in 2005 the City conducted the largest evacuation in U.S. history in front of Hurricane Rita, only to be spared at the last moment. In response, the Bush Administration placed a very low priority on protecting Texans from flooding.
"When we fail to fund federal flood control projects, we are gambling with people's property and their lives. We always had trouble in the past funding these projects, but after Katrina and Rita, I thought the Administration got a wake up call. I guess they went back to sleep.
Greens Bayou: The 2007 Bush budget provides no funds for Greens Bayou, a Congressionally-authorized federal flood control project. If they were funded, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has the capability of finishing the Greens Bayou Flood Control Project Study for $488,000 and beginning construction for $1.6 million.
In Tropical Storm Allison, 15,500 residences flooded in the Greens Bayou watershed, more than any other watershed. The benefit-to-cost ratio for this project is 3.7 to 1, so each dollar spent saves $3.70 in future estimated damages.
Hunting Bayou: The 2007 Bush budget provides no funds for Hunting Bayou. This authorized federal project is managed by Harris County Flood Control District, which has begun construction, but without federal reimbursements, the project will go slowly.
In Tropical Storm Allison, 8,800 residences flooded in the Hunting Bayou watershed. This federal flood control project would reduce the risk of flooding for 6,200 homes and businesses and has a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.9 to 1.
Halls Bayou: The 2007 Bush budget provides no funds for Halls Bayou. This authorized project has not even started the study phase because of repeated refusals to fund it by the Bush Administration. In fact, the Bush budget provides no funding to study future flood control projects in the entire state of Texas.
In Tropical Storm Allison, 12,800 residences flooded in the Halls Bayou watershed, the most of any watershed except Greens Bayou.
The 2007 Bush Budget only funds two federal flood control projects in the entire stateSims Bayou and Brays Bayou. Sims and Brays Bayou projects are mature projects nearing completion and receive $20 million each, but this is only half of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (manages Sims) and Harris County Flood Control District (manages Brays) capability for these projects. Sims Bayou and Brays Bayou had 2,800 and 6,200 residences flood in Tropical Storm Allison.
"If the levees in New Orleans had been properly built and maintained, that city wouldn't have been devastated. Flood control projects save taxpayers money in the long runwe don't want to have to rebuild Houston too. I would hate to think about what will happen if the Big One' does hit Houston during the next hurricane season, but obviously we have to since the Administration did not.
"Overall, commercial navigation projects fare better statewide and in the Houston area, although the Houston Ship Channel project's environmental work and its operations and maintenance are both funded at approximately 60% of their FY 2007 capability."
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx29_green/nr020906.html