HOUSE, SENATE AGREED ON WATER PROJECTS FUNDING

WASHINGTON -- Senate and House negotiators have reached agreement on a federal funding plan for flood control, river transportation and environmental projects.

U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the agreement increases the construction budget for water programs and projects under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers to $1.43 billion, $623 million above President's Clinton budget request.

The bill now goes to the president for his signature. Included in the funding package are millions of dollars in funding for projects in Missouri.

Those include $6.2 million for flood protection for Ste. Genevieve, $2 million for flood control work in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson area, $6 million for the St. Johns Bayou-New Madrid Floodway project, $9.3 million for the St. Francis River basin, and $6.85 million for operations and maintenance for Wappapello Lake.