Posted on August 4, 2020
Washington, D.C.—The U.S. House approved the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 authorizing projects for the Army Corps of Engineers and supporting the critical role of inland waterways, ports, locks and dams.
In a show of just how much support WRDA enjoys, H.R. 7575 passed by voice vote on the so-called suspension calendar that is reserved for bills that face little or no opposition. It now heads to the Senate, where a committee-passed bill still waits for a floor vote.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the chairman and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led the bipartisan debate and noted they are continuing a years-long tradition of passing a WRDA bill every two years.
A WRDA 2020 fact sheet states the bill authorizes the construction of all pending Corps Chief’s Reports received since WRDA 2018 and 35 feasibility studies. It also directs the Corps to complete five comprehensive river basin studies for the Great Lakes, the Upper Mississippi River, the Lower Mississippi River, the Lower Missouri River Basin and the Sacramento River, and expedite completion of the 41 feasibility studies currently underway.
DeFazio also singled out language that fully unlocks the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to allow its estimated $10 billion balance to be spent on harbor maintenance needs and directs maintenance expenditures to be allocated equitably in addressing needs for large ports, the Great Lakes harbors and emerging harbors.
A summary sheet says the bill authorizes a modification to the cost share of construction of inland waterways projects from a 50-50 split to 65 percent from the general fund and 35 percent from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund until fiscal year 2027.
Source: coastalnewstoday
