Koster files suit against Army Corps of Engineers

Missouri’s attorney general is filing suit in federal court to prevent the U-S Army Corps of Engineers from detonating a levee.

The Army Corps was to decide Tuesday afternoon whether it would blow the Birds Point levee near New Madrid.

The Associated Press is reporting the Corps has chosen to delay that decision.

Attorney General Chris Koster says he wants a federal court to review the Corps’ proposal to detonate the levee before it can move forward.

"There are no good options at this point, I understand that, but before we create a manmade detonation that is going flood 130,000 acres of Missouri farmland, we want to make sure the Corps can legitimize in federal court its decision," Koster said.

The Corps believes breaking the levee will take a significant amount of water out of the river and relieve upstream pressure on the levee protecting the Illinois town of Cairo.

The Corps plans to meet again today to discuss how to move forward.

Resident of Cairo were advised to flee the city yesterday.

Maria Altman, St. Louis Public Radio

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