Nov 6, 2013 3 min read

U.S. Rep Tim Murphy, local municipalities and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met Tuesday at the Cecil Township Municipal Building to discuss the next step for flood prevention in the Chartiers Creek Watershed.

Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, and, Leann Hawkins, Deputy for Programs and Project Management with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh Division, addressed local municipalities leaders from Bridgeville, Oakdale, North Fayette, Midway, Mt. Pleasant and Cecil townships about initiating an official flood-damage reduction study.

The municipalities all suffered damage during remnants of tropical storm Ivan in 2004 and heavy downpours in July.

The meeting follows a similar roundtable held in September in McDonald Borough.

In order to request a study, Hawkins said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering must receive a letter of intent from the municipalities. A letter is currently circulating around the affected municipalities.

Murphy recently submitted an amendment to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act’s reauthorization directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take action to fix the flooding in Washington and Allegheny counties. Hawkins said the amendment makes the project possible.

“We were looking to ‘clean up the books,'” Hawkins said. “There are 100s and 1,000s of unfunded projects sitting on the books. He wanted to make this project would not end upon the deauthorization list. Whether we eventually have a project or not is unseen, but this wouldn’t be an opportunity without him.”

Hawkins said in order for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pick up the watershed project, the benefits “must outweigh the costs.”

“Benefits would be what is being protected. If you are protecting farmlands, then the benefit would be lower than protecting manufacturing plants,” she said.

Hawkins said she could not provide a time line for events at this time.

“Certain things need to get done. We need to get the letter of intent before we can do any action,” she said. “Once that is done, we can sit down and prioritize. We need to talk with the local communities and look at the feasiblity for any projects.”

Murphy said if the project were given the go-ahead, the municipalities would be responsible for 35 percent of the final cost. Murphy, like others in attendance, seemed optimistic the project will progress. JR Mangan, supervisor for North Fayette, said this is an important topic for his community.

“This is the right direction,” he said. “People can’t afford another flood.”