Facilitating Construction of a Bridge on Certain Property in Christian County, Missouri

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 810. This bill authorizes construction of a bridge on property acquired for open space under section 404 of the Stafford Act. Riverside Bridge in Christian County, Missouri, is a 100-year-old one-lane bridge that currently frequently closes due to flooding. Local transportation officials have agreed on a plan to replace the existing one-lane bridge with a wider bridge that has a larger footprint.

However, expanding the bridge involves building on land that has received FEMA disaster mitigation funds in the past. After repeated flooding, FEMA provided funding to Christian County in 2009 to demolish a structure adjacent to the bridge, the Riverside Inn, and to purchase the land. As a condition of providing the funding, FEMA required that the land be maintained for open space, recreation, or wetland management. Unless Congress removes the restriction on construction on that site, the county cannot replace Riverside Bridge.

S. 810 provides that Christian County must ensure the bridge replacement project does not result in flood damage and is liable for any flood damage that occurs. No further disaster assistance from any Federal source may be provided for the property or the structure.

This bill provides a narrow exemption from existing FEMA rules that will allow Christian County, Missouri, to solve a transportation problem. I am not aware of any opposition to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source