ST. LOUIS — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers arrived in St. Louis over the weekend to help the city craft a cleanup plan for post-tornado debris still littering the north side, kicking off long-awaited federal help.
Advisers from the Corps started their work Saturday, officials said, and held meetings with city officials Monday morning.
“Essentially, they’ll help the city understand the scope of what they’re dealing with in terms of debris cleanup,†Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson John Mills said, adding that the Corps’ involvement doesn’t extend beyond “technical support.â€
“It’s not like the Army Corps of Engineers is going out and picking up debris,†Mills said.
Piles of construction materials, personal possessions and tree limbs are still a common sight in some of the worst-hit areas of St. Louis, despite nearly a month of city- and community-led cleanup.
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Mayor Cara Spencer has urged federal officials in the month since the tornado to act quickly in coming to the city’s aid, pointing to a slow federal response as the main reason that cleanup was taking so long in the north of the city.
“We are the poster child for why we need federal assistance when it comes to natural disasters because we cannot shoulder this alone,†she said at a press conference last week. The White House approved millions of dollars in FEMA aid for St. Louis on June 10.
City officials didn’t immediately respond Monday when asked what plans St. Louis and the Corps are putting together, or if there are yet any hints at the scope of the cleanup required.
It’s also unclear if the Corps’ involvement will extend beyond establishing debris collection sites similar to the Missouri National Guard’s, which closed June 8.
Video edited and provided by the St. Louis police department shows their officers responding during the May 16, 2025 tornado that tore through central and north parts of the city.
