Sen. Durbin presses agencies for info about Ill. levees

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin wants a meeting with two federal agencies to seek information about efforts to certify five levee systems in three southwestern Illinois counties.

Durbin and other overseers of the levees in Madison, St. Clair and Monroe counties are worried that the Federal Emergency Management Agency may decertify the levees early next year, essentially making them functionally useless. That would require many property owners in the flood plain to buy often-expensive flood insurance.

Durbin wants to meet with top administrators with FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers to get information about any supposed structural problems with the levees.

Durbin said the Army Corps will hold public meetings with FEMA in coming months.