On August 12, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin joined the
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) along with local, state, and federal officials to formally break ground on a transformative stormwater project in Robbins, Illinois. The Village of Robbins project will create a naturalized stormwater retention facility to divert water overflows from Midlothian Creek, and is a part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fiscal Year '22 Work Plan which includes $12 million in funding for MWRD.
Following his visit to Robbins, Senator Durbin made his way to SSMMA where he was joined by Congresswoman Robin Kelly and more than 20 local mayors and officials for lunch. During the meeting, the Senator and Congresswoman presented the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and what it means for struggling families, reducing the deficit, energy independence and addressing climate change. Open dialog followed, with mayors and SSMMA thanking our federal guests for their support of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other laws that helped address COVID impacts and provided funding for much needed local community projects and vital infrastructure.
Other subjects raised by mayors included economic recovery and municipal revenue challenges; police, fire, and EMT personnel shortages; and prioritizing important infrastructure investments like the South Suburban Airport which could serve as a cargo airport that would expand Illinois’ and the Chicago region’s e-commerce capacities. The lunch meeting concluded with a pledge to maintain frequent dialog and a request that SSMMA follow up with the Senator’s Office on personnel shortages and severely impacted sectors.
