Last week, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) reached a final agreement on the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA).
The Water Resources Development Act is biennial legislation that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works Program to carry out projects to improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of water resources infrastructure. These are locally-driven projects that also deliver regional and national benefits to strengthen global competitiveness and supply chain, grow the economy, move goods throughout the country, protect communities from flooding and more.
The final version of WRDA follows negotiations over recent months to reconcile House- and Senate-passed versions of the legislation. This is the sixth consecutive Congress that has considered a WRDA bill since 2014.
“The timely passage of the Water Resources Development Act every two years is essential to ensuring the Army Corps of Engineers can continue to address the diverse water resource needs of our nation. And today, I’m pleased to say we are one step closer to getting this bill across the finish line. This legislation will advance projects that invest in our waterways and improve our quality of life. It also reauthorizes the Economic Development Administration for the first time in 20 years,” said EPW Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.)., for who the bill was named.
“WRDA regularly delivers critical water resources infrastructure improvements for communities across America. This bill will lead to improved ports, levees, navigation channels, flood protection, and more. WRDA also makes policy and programmatic reforms to streamline Corps processes, reduce cumbersome red tape, and get projects done faster,” said T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.).
Previously, Congress has advanced water priorities through WRDA legislation, but this year’s reauthorization of the bill focuses more on Army Corps of Engineers policies.
According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies in a news brief, the 2024 version of WRDA will authorize more than 200 feasibility studies for the Corps to assess local water project proposals and begin the process of approving them. It will also authorize 21 projects for construction. Some of these projects include a $2.7 billion storm risk reduction effort in Miami, a $26.7 million stormwater management initiative outside Memphis, a $5.9 billion for coastal storm and flood risk management in Louisiana, and $2.1 billion toward restoration of the Everglades, AMWA said.
The association added that it applauds the legislation for funding necessary water infrastructure upgrades across the country and for its emphasis on water system resiliency, adding that the bill is expected to be passed into law before the end of the year.
Sources: T&I, EPW, AMWA
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