Accessibility menu
State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
Press/News Releases
Rep. Poppe's effort to prevent flooding meets with success at the Capitol
Legislation proposed by Representative Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) that could possibly alleviate future flooding problems for the city of Austin has been included in the Agriculture, Environment and Jobs Bill.
The funding will pay for the construction of two or three ponds in the Upper Cedar Watershed, located above Austin. During periods of heavy rainfall, the ponds will retain water for a couple of days, helping to avoid the rapid surge of water into the city.
"I originally heard about this idea from former Rep. Leo Reding when he visited me at the State Capitol," said Poppe. "Finding multiple solutions to flooding in our region is a high priority for me and I'm very pleased that this project was included in the final budget."
Poppe introduced this bill last spring, but was not able to move it through the committee process in time for a full vote on the floor. Fortunately, Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) was able to offer it as an amendment in the final stages of crafting the environmental bill
"Rep. Dill recognized the value of this project, not just to our area, but to areas across the state that are plagued by flooding," said Poppe. "With his support, we were able to pass this innovative project that may benefit other towns in the future."
The city of Austin has already received the $15,000 allocation from the state and is looking for an additional $5,000 match, according to Project Manager Bev Nordby, who is with the Mower Soil and Water Conservation District. Nordby said she will most likely be applying for a local grant to cover that cost, avoiding any expense for the property owners.
According to Nordby, they are presently looking for sites for the ponds and expect to begin construction in 2006.
"None of us want to experience the devastation we saw with the last floods in our area," said Poppe. "Everyone on the project is very optimistic that ponds such as these can be part of the solution to preventing that from happening again."
For more information, contact Bev Nordby at 507-434-2603 or by email at Bev.nordby@mn.nacdnet.net.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.