Senator Hogg hoping for Branstad flood flip-flop

Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS – State Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids), the Iowa Legislature’s leading advocate for flood damage prevention, will attending the flood forum hosted by Governor Branstad on Friday, September 9, from 1:00 to 3:45 p.m. in Looft Hall at Iowa Western Community College, 2700 College Road, in Council Bluffs.

Governor Branstad has announced that the forum will “discuss Missouri River flooding and overall river management,” look for suggestions for “flood prevention,” and “increase the focus on flood control.”

Senate Hogg is the former chair of the Senate’s Rebuild Iowa Committee, which was created to shape the state’s response to the devastating floods of 2008. During the most recent legislative session, Senator Hogg proposed a 10-year, $600 million investment in watershed management to prevent future flood damage.

“This year’s flooding in Council Bluffs and western Iowa seems to have grabbed Governor Branstad’s attention,” Hogg said. “That’s great. I hope the governor realizes that flooding is an ongoing problem for the entire state. For example, there’s the spring flooding on the Mississippi River this year, the flash flooding in Dubuque after an unprecedented rain event on July 27, and the 2010 floods in Cherokee, Colfax, Ames, Ottumwa, Des Moines, and Lake Delhi.

“If Governor Branstad is finally getting serious about preventing future flood damage, I am eager to help write a bipartisan proposal that will to safeguard Iowans and their property,” Hogg said.

Hogg noted that in the 2011 legislative session, Iowa’s watershed management programs were cut by another $8.1 million, after a $6.25 million cut in 2010, for a total cut of 40.3% since 2009.

This spring, Governor Branstad eliminated funding for the Watershed Improvement Review Board ($2 million) and cut the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program ($3 million), the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program ($500,000), the Conservation Reserve Program ($300,000), soil conservation cost share ($1.7 million), and the Watershed Protection Fund ($600,000).

“Because of Governor Branstad’s lack of leadership, we are actually doing less to prevent flood damage at a time when we obviously should be doing more,” said Hogg. “On Friday, I hope to hear Governor Branstad say he will reverse direction and start doing more to prevent future flood damage. He can’t keep saying he’s concerned about flooding at the same time that he’s reducing the state’s commitment to this problem.”