Kane will apply for 2008 hurricane relief money

In what is perhaps a final gift from President George W. Bush to Kane County, local officials will seek as large a chunk of $48 million of hurricane relief money they can get.

The cash comes to Illinois as a result of 2008's Hurricane Ike. The storm caused severe flooding in several areas of Kane County. Bush eventually declared the flooding a “major disaster,” triggering the release of federal dollars for flood hazard mitigation.

Kane County has identified 16 projects it believes qualify for the flood dollars. County officials believe that if the projects were in place before the hurricane, the flood damage would not have been as serious.

“We're looking to apply for as many projects as might qualify,” said Scott Berger, director of the Kane County Office of Community Reinvestment. Berger will lead the application for the funds.

The projects identified for potential funding are:

1. Algonquin Shores stormwater detention and outfall, phase 2.

2. Big Rock combined sewer separation.

3. County Line Road/UP culvert (Maple Park).

4. Crescent Drive ditch and flood route repair (Dundee Township).

5. Exposition View stormwater and flood route improvements (Aurora Township).

6. Golfview flood conveyance (Aurora Township).

7. John Street/Raymond Road drainage improvements (Big Rock).

8. Johnson-Lindenwood Subdivision storm sewer (Aurora Township).

9. Kelly Road flood route construction (Hampshire Township).

10. North Side storm sewer (Maple Park).

11. Ogden Gardens Subdivision backyard and storm sewer outlet construction (Aurora Township).

12. Pasadena Drive flood routing storm sewer construction (Aurora Township).

13. Shady Court stormwater improvements (Campton Township).

14. South Side storm sewer (Maple Park).

15. Tenerelli flood route improvements (Big Rock).

16. Williams Avenue/Edwards Avenue stormwater improvements (Dundee Township).