Gonzalez Bill To Address Tuscarawas River Flooding

Press release from Rep. Gonzalez's Office:

Dec. 13, 2020

Legislation introduced by U.S. Congressman Anthony Gonzalez to address flooding along the Tuscarawas River again passed the House of Representatives this week as part of the House and Senate negotiated Water Resources Development Act of 2020. This legislation is now being sent to the United States Senate. The bill, known as the Tuscarawas River Flooding Study Act, will expedite an Army Corps of Engineers’ assessment of needs of the Tuscarawas River Basin.

“I am pleased to see my bill to address the re-occurring flooding problems along the Tuscarawas River pass Congress with bipartisan support,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “This is an important step towards identifying and funding long-term solutions that will protect our communities and preserve the heritage of the Ohio and Erie Canal corridor.”

“Congressman Gonzalez has worked with the village of Clinton for almost two years on the flooding issues in the area. We are pleased to see Congress recognize the urgent need for the Tuscarawas River Flooding Study Act as part of this important legislation” said Clinton Mayor Clarissa Allega.

The Tuscarawas River Flooding Study Act requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the completion of an assessment of the Tuscarawas River Basin. The feasibility study is the next step in on-going efforts to address flooding in southwest Summit County. In June, Congressman Gonzalez helped secure $390,000 in federal funding for floodplain management studies in the area to help provide updated data to support mitigation efforts through the Army Corps, FEMA, and other state and local entities. The Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps started the process in the fall, and the reports are targeted for completion in September of 2021. Read the full text of the Tuscarawas River Flooding Study Act here.

This press release was produced by Rep. Gonzalez's Office. The views expressed here are the author's own.