WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tuesday evening, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), along with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.-6), and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.-2) announced a final agreement on the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA).

“WRDA is the result of bipartisan cooperation and our shared desire to address the water resource challenges that our nation faces,” Ranking Member Capito said. “It provides the tools that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs to further enable their work across the country and supports vital projects in West Virginia’s communities. Additionally, this bill reauthorizes the Economic Development Administration’s authorities and programs for the first time since 2004, as well as regional commissions which will bolster economic growth and job creation in the areas that need it the most. It also facilitates the responsible use of federal public buildings and unlocks a significant backlog of transportation funding for state departments of transportation. This bill will move our country forward by bolstering our infrastructure and strengthening our economy. I’m proud of the agreement that we reached with our House colleagues and I look forward to voting for this bill in the following weeks.”

DETAILS:

WRDA is biennial legislation that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure. These are locally-driven projects that also deliver regional and national benefits for strengthening our global competitiveness and supply chain, growing the economy, moving goods throughout the country, protecting 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 WRDA legislative agreement also includes additional provisions to increase the efficient use of federally-owned office space, including setting occupancy standards, strengthening congressional oversight and public accountability of federal real estate projects, selling certain unused federal properties, and saving money for the taxpayers.

Additionally, the agreement includes the Fiscally Responsible Highway Funding Act of 2024. This bipartisan legislation, authored by Ranking Member Capito and Chairman Carper, would make unspent Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program funding eligible to states via formula, allowing states to utilize this funding towards priority transportation infrastructure projects.

Finally, the agreement reauthorizes and modernizes the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and other regional commissions whose mission is to spur economic development in distressed communities across the country. Click here for a one-pager on West Virginia wins in the EDA reauthorization, and here for a one-pager on national wins.  

Click here to view bill text.

Click here to view a section-by-section of the bill. 

Click here to view the one-pager of West Virginia WRDA wins.

Click here to view the one-pager of national WRDA wins.


WEST VIRGINIA WINS SECURED BY CAPITO:

Supporting Flood Control and Prevention Efforts, Ecosystem Restoration:

  • Addresses the needs of areas harmed by the 2016 flood: adjusts the cost-share for any future projects in West Virginia that are identified by the feasibility study for flood risk management in the Kanawha River Basin.
  • Increases the maximum amount of funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may contribute to small projects for emergency streambank and shoreline protection, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and the removal of obstructions or debris to rivers and channels.
  • Urges the USACE to expedite completion of studies/projects in:
    • Upper Guyandotte River Basin: feasibility study for food risk management
    • Kanawha River Basin: feasibility study for flood risk management
    • Milton, W.Va.: project for flood control
    • Hinton, W.Va. – Bluestone Dam: project for dam safety modifications

Enhancing Assistance for Environmental Infrastructure Projects:

  • Increases the authorized funding level for the USACE’s Section 340 and Section 571 environmental infrastructure programs, which support drinking water and wastewater projects across the state of West Virginia, and adjusts the cost-share for projects in certain West Virginia communities that are carried out under these programs.
  • Establishes a new authority for the USACE to partner with communities in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to restore rivers and streams that have been impacted by acid mine drainage.

Strengthening the Corps’ Authorities to Address Water Resources Needs:

  • Improves the USACE’s outreach and education efforts to communities, including those in West Virginia, that are facing water resources challenges.
  • Expands the USACE’s ability to partner with West Virginia University to conduct academic research on water resources issues critical to West Virginia.
  • Modernizes the USACE’s ability to pay authority to account for the different needs of communities across West Virginia and the nation.
  • Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review of and prepare a report to Congress on the USACE’s:
    • Efforts to accelerate feasibility studies by implementing the environmental review provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and other existing USACE authorities.
    • Project partnership agreements for water resources development projects, emphasizing the indemnification clause and long-term Operations, Maintenance, Repair, Replacement, and Rehabilitation Responsibilities of the non-federal interest included in those agreements.
    • Project cost estimates for completed and ongoing water resources development projects to improve fiscal responsibility and transparency in cost estimates for non-federal interests.

Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2024:

  • Includes consideration of coal communities in the process of assigning Economic Development Representatives.
  • Expands eligibility for travel and tourism and outdoor recreation projects to spur economic growth in distressed communities.
  • Authorizes dedicated funding for the Assistance of Coal Communities within the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program.
  • Increases funding for economic development districts and creates eligibilities for project predevelopment and administrative expenses within existing programs.
  • Addresses hurdles for certain broadband projects that seek to use EDA funding.
  • Modernizes the federal cost-share requirements for EDA programs and activities so distressed communities can have better access to EDA funding.
  • Authorizes dedicated funding for site development and expansion projects so sites can be ready for manufacturing projects.

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