Plummer, Davis Pledge to Help Maintain Local Levees

Press Release

Jason Plummer and Rodney Davis, Congressional candidates for Illinois' 12th and 13th Congressional Districts, held a press conference Wednesday afternoon in front of a Metro East Sanitary District Levee in East St. Louis to discuss the importance of fixing and maintaining the region's levee system.

The Metro East is protected from flooding by a 74-mile mainline stretch of levees that spans from northern Madison County all the way to Monroe County. Since the flood of 1993, these levees have been deemed "deficient," yet little has been done to protect the residents and jobs that would be impacted by a major flood.

"A bipartisan plan was developed by local leaders that provided a solution and funding source to fix our levees," Plummer, nominee for the 12th District, said. "Federal regulators have gotten in the way and impeded progress that would protect our homeowners and businesses.

"Congressmen Shimkus and Costello have been working to get regulators out of the way when the fix is at home, and I look forward to building off their efforts," Plummer added.

Davis, the 13th District nominee, said that maintaining infrastructure is important to protect Illinois residents and businesses.

"Levees provide vital protection to the citizens and communities of the 13th District," said Davis. "Throughout my years of service, I worked closely with levee districts throughout the area, such as the Sny Island district in Calhoun County. I know the importance of these essential infrastructure needs. I also know Congress needs to be forward-thinking and have strong reauthorizations of the Water Resources Development Act to ensure our communities are protected from flooding."

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