The Warren Sun

This week, Representative John James of Michigan's 10th district has called on Congress to focus on flood mitigation efforts in Southeast Michigan. In a letter addressed to leaders in both the House and Senate, Rep. James advocated for $40 million from the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) to be allocated towards projects such as the Chapaton pump station.

Rep. James, who is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was instrumental in securing the original $40 million authorization in 2023. He worked across party lines to ensure WRDA's passage through the House and maintained the funding in the Senate version. The House passed the final version of WRDA on December 10th, with Rep. James' backing. Now that these funds are authorized, he is urging for their immediate use to prevent future disasters.

The urgency of this request is underscored by recent natural disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have shown significant human and financial impacts due to severe weather events. A similar disaster in Southeast Michigan could threaten key regional assets including the Great Lakes—considered vital freshwater resources—and critical defense installations like Selfridge Air National Guard Base and Detroit Arsenal. Flooding poses risks not only to national security but also to local and national economies and international relations.

In his statement regarding his letter, Rep. James emphasized: “Southeast Michigan, our economy, our critical defense assets, and natural resources are too essential to be neglected. A major flooding event here would jeopardize homeland security, disrupt the economy, and harm our fresh waters. I will continue to lead these efforts to prevent flooding in Michigan and ensure that we are prepared to deal with any potential future natural disasters.”

For more details or to view Rep. James' full letter, interested parties can follow up via available channels.