WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 with Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
WRDA 2024 authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to continue implementation of key projects and studies that address water resources challenges in communities across the country, including several in West Virginia. The EPW Committee will consider the legislation at a business meeting on May 22, 2024.
“The Army Corps of Engineers conducts critical work in communities across the United States by building out water resources infrastructure, including projects that manage risks posed by flooding. Every two years, the Environment and Public Works Committee supports the Corps in carrying out its civil works mission through the Water Resources Development Act. This year’s WRDA 2024 contains significant wins for West Virginia and I’m proud of the EPW committee’s bipartisan work once again on this important legislation,” Ranking Member Capito said.
Click here to view bill text.
Click here to view the one-pager of West Virginia 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:
o Upper Guyandotte River Basin: feasibility study for food risk management
o Kanawha River Basin: feasibility study for flood risk management
o Milton, W.Va.: project for flood control
o 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 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:
o Efforts to accelerate feasibility studies by implementing the environmental review provisions in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and other existing USACE authorities.
o 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.
o Project cost estimates for completed and ongoing water resources development projects to improve fiscal responsibility and transparency in cost estimates for non-federal interests.
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