Dr. Coburn Releases Report Criticizing Congress’ Infrastructure Priorities
Source: U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK)
While Congress continues to invest billions beach projects that continually wash out to sea, at least 985 levees within the Corps of Engineer’s Levee Safety Program are still at significant risk of failure because of flooding.
This investigative report examines why federal funding of beach nourishment is a short-sighted and inefficient use of taxpayer dollars.
Specifically, this report finds that these costly beach projects:
- can divert scarce financial and human resources away from more vital infrastructure needs;
- are temporary and require perpetual upkeep;
- encourage risky coastal construction which in turn necessitates more beach nourishment and hinders implementing permanent solutions to coastal erosion;
- are primarily secured by Members of Congress on behalf of beach-front communities represented by influential lobbying firms;
- primarily benefit local and wealthy coastal property owners and businesses;
- often negatively impact the environment and certain species;
- are linked to human health problems; and
- can restrict private property rights.
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 29th, 2009 at 7:57 pm and is filed under Business and economics, Environment, Government and politics, Infrastructure.
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