House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Considers New Water Resources Development Act

The Water Resources Development Act of 2010 was introduced July 28, 2010 by Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. The legislation authorizes approximately $6 billion for critical navigation, flood damage reduction, and environmental restoration projects, as well as studies carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. Among the projects included in the legislation are three concerning storm mitigation and ecosystem restoration, 31 for aquatic ecosystem restoration, 31 small flood damage reduction projects and 160 studies for potential future water projects, according to a news release. The package is much smaller than the WRDA 2007 legislation, which totaled $23 billion, however that bill was nearly eight years late. Another factor impacting the total authorized amount is the fact that the package does not include Republican project designations at this time. Other language in the bill would clarify the way expenditures are credited, increase transparency of reviews and improve mitigation of environmental impacts associated with Army Corps projects.  AGC notes three provisions in the bill. The first, which causes some concern, would classify Operations and Maintenance work as "inherently governmental." This could put this type of work, which is normally done by contractors, in-house within the Corps. A second provision that will require further examination would increase opportunities for the Corps to facilitate watershed planning and carry out watershed and river basin assessments. Another provision, one that AGC strongly advocated for, would create a "firewall" to ensure all funds contributed to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund will be spent out on an annual basis. This will ensure as much as a 50 percent increase in funding for projects financed by the Fund. AGC was a key leader in getting the WRDA 2007 bill passed and we are working to provide a full analysis of the complete bill as soon as possible. To view a copy of the bill, click here. To view a summary of the bill click here. To view a copy of Chairman Oberstar's statement of introduction, click here. To view AGC's policy on WRDA 2010 passage, click here.