HOUSE APPROVES WATER PROJECTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. Several water projects in Southeast Missouri won overwhelming House approval late Wednesday, according to Rep. Bill Emerson. The vote, 399-32, now sends the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to be considered within a few days.

Included in the legislation was $10.3 million for general construction of the Cape LaCroix-Walker Creek Flood Control Project in Cape Girardeau.

Other projects approved as part of the Energy and Water Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1991 include:

- $389,000 for navigational uses in the Caruthersville Harbor in Pemiscot County.

- $2 million for Clearwater Lake in Reynolds County.

- $93,000 for harbor maintenance at the Southeast Missouri Port Authority.

- $3.2 million for Wappapello Lake in Wayne County.

- $353.4 million for the Mississippi River and tributaries for flood control and river bank stabilization efforts.

After the overwhelming passage of this legislation, Emerson said, "I am pleased that this funding proposal is now on its way to the Senate, where I expect favorable results so it can be sent to the White House for the President's signature."

The congressman said that the federal funding for these water projects is "a necessity and cannot be ignored."

Said Emerson: "The folks in the Eighth District know all too well the devastating affects flooding waters can have. This legislation is on the right track to help minimize the damage to our farms, our businesses, and our homes."