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Sen. Cornyn Urges Inclusion Of Dallas Floodway Improvements In Final Water Bill

Sends letter to Environment and Public Works Committee heads following meeting with local officials on Trinity River Project in Dallas on Saturday

AUSTIN—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn urged Senate committee leaders on Monday to include authorization of the Dallas Floodway improvements in the final Water Resources and Development (WRDA) bill, citing its importance for area public safety and flood prevention. Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif, and Ranking Member James Inhofe, R-Okla., as bill negotiators near finalization, which could come as early as this week.

Sen. Cornyn sent the letter following his meeting in Dallas on Saturday to discuss the Trinity River Project with Trinity Commons Foundation Board members, city and transportation officials, and representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers. Given the recent flooding in Texas, Sen. Cornyn highlighted the project’s importance to the region’s public safety and future flood prevention efforts. 

Sen. Cornyn has worked regularly with other members of the Texas Congressional delegation in support of the Dallas Floodway and Trinity River Project efforts.

--Below is Sen. Cornyn’s letter urging inclusion of the Dallas Floodway improvements in the final water bill—

Dear Chairman and Ranking Member:

This weekend I received an update from local officials on the Trinity Corridor Project, which was approved by Dallas voters in 1998. One of the most significant components to the project includes improvements to the existing Dallas Floodway and the interior drainage network which feeds into the levee system.

As you know, Section 5121 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) as passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would authorize construction of the Dallas Floodway according to the most recently approved plans by the local sponsors. The inclusion of this provision in the final bill is critical given Dallas’ vulnerability to severe flooding, which was dramatically demonstrated by the storms in the spring of 2006, and then again in recent weeks.

The improvements to the Dallas Floodway proposed in Section 5121 will provide much needed protection in the heart of the city from potential flood damage to properties and infrastructure estimated at $8 billion or more. The local commitment to the project is clear. The residents of Dallas approved the largest bond issue in the City’s history to help meet flood control needs.

My purpose in contacting you today is to reiterate my support for this vital project and join others in the Texas Delegation in encouraging the WRDA conference committee to include the House provision in the final bill. Also, please know that neither my spouse nor I have a pecuniary interest in this project.

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.

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