Senator Blunt (R) and Senator McCaskill (D) are frustrated and disappointed over the missed March 15 deadline by three government agencies. The federal agencies failed to meet their own deadline to report on the progress on the St. Johns Bayou- a Southeast Missouri flood control project.
Senator McCaskill says delay is not an option. “They are telling us now that they will have a decision on the environmental impact study in the next 7 to 10 days,” McCaskill said. “Everyone is aware that both of us are beyond upset at the way this has been handled.”
Senator Blunt agrees. He says its a case of the government arguing with the government about things that should easily be worked out and they have failed to do so. “This project deserves to be out for public comment on the environmental impact study. The draft study should have been completed months ago,” Blunt said.
McCaskill is calling the government mishandling ridiculous and unacceptable. Blunt says it’s an unreasonable way for the Corps of Engineers, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency to act and wants to block the EPA administrator’s nomination. Blunt says he hopes the agencies will come around sooner rather than later to get progress made on the flood project.
AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (1:04)
