House Committee Clears Water Resources Measure, But Senate Bill Stalls
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has approved a measure that would authorize construction, studies or changes for dozens of Corps of Engineers water projects and lower the matching share that local authorities have to put up to finance harbor dredging projects. The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which the panel cleared on Sept. 25 by a unanimous voice vote, now heads to the House floor. But getting a WRDA bill enacted this year looks like a long shot, because the legislation seems dead in the Senate.
The House committee bill authorizes about $607 million in federal funds for four major Corps projects, whose total cost is $992 million. It also authorizes more than 20 smaller Corps projects and modifies 80 others that were authorized in earlier WRDA measures.