Thursday,
April 19, 2007
House Approves Critical Flood
Damage Reduction, Navigation Improvement & Environmental Enhancement
Projects
Source: US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R. 1495, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), authorizes nearly 700 projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program. The bill passed the House by a vote of 394 to 25.
"This legislation represents a critical and necessary commitment to halt the deterioration of the nation's water infrastructure," said U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Republican leader on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a cosponsor of H.R. 1495.
"Because a WRDA bill has not been signed into law since 2000, the nation now has a tremendous backlog of infrastructure needs that we can begin to address in this bill. Due to the delay of many of these projects, construction cost increases mean that those same projects will now be more expensive to build.
"Corps projects prevent an estimated $20 billion in flood damages each year and this bill authorizes flood protection projects critical to the safety of a number of communities across the United States.
"Navigation projects in this bill are necessary to help ensure the nation can accommodate shipping traffic and remain economically competitive in the world.
"The bill also includes environmental restoration projects, including a historic program to revitalize the Florida Everglades, needed to improve water quality and protect these ecological treasures for generations to come.
"This bill means jobs, a stronger economy, a healthier environment, and a better quality of life for Americans everywhere," Mica said.
"The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has again produced a worthy product in this bill," said U.S. Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), Ranking Republican on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and H.R. 1495 cosponsor. "Since the last WRDA in 2000, America has experienced devastating floods, catastrophic hurricanes, enormous coastal loss, and serious impediments to navigation. It is worth asking how much of this could have been mitigated had we passed WRDA bills in 2002, 2004, and 2006. It is also worth asking how much more can we sustain before the next disaster. I'm pleased with the House's action, particularly the improvements to Louisiana coastal restoration, and urge the Senate to act as quickly as possible," Baker said.
"This bill contains many important navigation and environmental restoration projects and programs for the nation, including the Great Lakes, and I am thrilled that my colleagues recognize the economic and environmental importance of this natural resource," said Transportation Committee Member Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI), the co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force in the House.
"The bill notably includes a provision to provide greater protection against invasive species like the Asian carp, the spread of which would significantly disrupt the ecosystem and devastate the fisheries in the Lakes. We cannot let that happen," Ehlers said.
The bill includes a program of projects and studies to address the Louisiana Coastal Area, including improved flood protection for New Orleans and other communities, navigation lock improvements on the Upper Mississippi River, and the largest assistance package in U.S. history addressing restoration of the Everglades.
The bill requires independent peer review of costly or controversial Corps projects to ensure agency decision-making is based on current scientific knowledge and economic principles.
In addition, the bill authorizes the Corps to develop and implement a streamlined project review process to ensure all reviews, analyses, opinions, permits, licenses, and approvals are completed within a reasonable period of time.
H.R. 1495 also requires the Corps to provide for more robust planning for the mitigation of water resources development projects.
Contact:
Justin Harclerode (202) 226-8767