The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in May approved its version of biennial water resources legislation to authorize a series of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects.
Like a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) measure advanced earlier this month by a Senate committee, the House version includes language to address rising sea levels and increase outreach to underserved communities. But it similarly lacks any new drinking water or wastewater policy provisions, an expected development this year after several recent WRDA packages had carried a bevy of drinking water and wastewater items.
The House’s bipartisan 2022 WRDA proposal would authorize 72 new Army Corps feasibility studies, eight studies for the modification of existing Corps projects, and construction of 16 pending proposed projects with final Chief’s Reports within the Corps Civil Works mission areas, including navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration. In contrast, the Senate’s version would authorize 36 new Army Corps project feasibility studies and approve or modify another 21 projects for construction.
The full House could consider the WRDA package as early as next month as Congress is expected to negotiate a final compromise version before the end of the year.
Source: AMWA
