Press Releases
Senator Roberts: Senate Passes Water Resources Act Contains Critical Kansas Projects
Includes Atchison Sewer Project
May 17 2007
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today announced that the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act containing projects critical to Kansas communities including the combined sewage overflow (CSO) project in Atchison.
"In all of my years of public service," Senator Roberts said, "Atchison is facing one of the most comprehensive and formidable challenges I have ever seen with the combined sewage overflow project. I am pleased the Environment and Public Works Committee included my request for a solution for Atchison in the bill by providing an authorization for funding. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the conference committee and the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure this project remains a priority.
"In discussions with community leaders in Atchison and Colonel Rossi of the Army Corps of Engineers in the Kansas City District, it is clear we must address the CSO issue because it not only affects the quality of the water in the area, but it could also have a serious impact on future economic growth for the City of Atchison."
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is the main vehicle to authorize Army Corps of Engineers Civil works projects.
The projects for Kansas include:
- Atchison: a project to eliminate or control combined sewer overflows in the city of Atchison, and to prevent wet weather discharge into the Missouri river, which is the drinking water source for downstream communities including Leavenworth and Kansas City.
- Strawn Cemetary, Pleasant Township, Coffey County: transfers three acres of land from the John Redmond Reservoir to Pleasant Township in Coffee County to expand the Strawn Cemetery,
- Geary County Fire Department: a conveyance of 7.4 acres of land located in Geary County, to the Geary County Fire Department for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a fire station.
- Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri Levee Project: feasability study on the protection and capabilities of seven levees along the banks of the Missouri and Kansas River. The levees protect the Kansas City Metropolitan area, including several square miles of urban industrial and commercial and residential areas.
WRDA also authorizes funds to improve the Missouri River locks and dams systems to improve grain transportation up and down the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
The bill now goes to a conference committee to resolve the differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill.
