WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, on Friday introduced the bipartisan Flood Resiliency and Land Stewardship Act with U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Illinois. They state that the bipartisan legislation will improve flood and drought mitigation through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs.
The bill precedes the 15-year anniversary of the floods of 2008 that impacted communities across the state causing approximately $6 billion in damages.
“With the upcoming anniversary of the Flood of 2008, flood mitigation and prevention solutions are top of mind for Iowans,” Hinson said in a released statement. “While we can’t predict the weather, we can take commonsense steps to prepare and prevent damage to property, crops, and homes during a flood event. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation will expand prevention measures and ensure communities can secure the resources to protect themselves from flooding.”
“As a local TV meteorologist for over two decades, I took pride in helping keep people and homes safe from floods and severe weather,” Sorenson stated. “With this bipartisan effort to ensure flooding and drought are prioritized in the Driftless Region, we’re taking big steps to strengthen the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program to improve resilience, water quality and soil health in the region.”
Flood mitigation advocates expressed support for the bill.
“We applaud Representatives Hinson and Sorensen for introducing the Flood Resiliency and Land Stewardship Act, which will enhance flood resilience among agricultural communities,” said Brandon Renz, Senior Government Relations Director at the American Flood Coalition Action. “By explicitly adding flood prevention as a purpose of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, the bill offers greater flexibility and support for partners to address regional flooding challenges together.”
