News

Governors emphasize flood control and more state involvement in meeting with Corps

The governors of Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri met with officials of the Army Corps of Engineers Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs, Iowa to discuss Missouri River flooding.

At a news conference following that meeting, the governors said they emphasized two main points: that flood control needs to be a top priority for the Corps, and that states need to be more involved in how the Missouri River is being managed.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts said that may mean changes in federal statutes.

“If there’s things where we need to engage our federal delegation to be able to change laws, we need to know what those are,” Ricketts said

Missouri Governor Mike Parson agreed.

“If it means going to Washington, D.C., that’s where we’re all headed,” Parson said. “Because I guarantee we’re all of the same mind—that this is a priority for our states right now.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said the first step is addressing current flooding issues. “In the short term, we’re going to concentrate on really dealing with the four major breaches and figure out a way that we can stop the inflow,” Reynolds said. “And then, long-term, we’re going to sit down and talk about what that strategy looks like.”

AUDIO: News conference with Governors Reynolds, Ricketts and Parson.