Senate unanimously passes biannual water projects bill

The Senate on Thursday unanimously reauthorized the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), the biennial legislation authorizing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects.

The 2024 WRDA is named after Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.), who is set to retire next year. It follows the July 22 passage of the House version of the bill. The most recent version includes authorization for 13 new infrastructure projects or modifications to existing ones.

Specific authorizations in the 2024 WRDA include a requirement directing the Secretary of the Army to establish a pilot project for drought emergencies in California and Arizona, as well as a coastal erosion project in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, formerly called Barrow, and the replacement of canal bridges in Cape Cod, Mass.

In a statement, Carper credited Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) for the passage of the bill as well as Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the committee’s subcommittee on transportation and infrastructure.

“Today, the U.S. Senate passed crucial bipartisan legislation to invest in our nation’s water infrastructure, protect our communities and support good-paying jobs,” Carper said in a statement. “This bill addresses the diverse water resources needs of our nation and directs the Army Corps of Engineers to continue its work to make our communities more resilient in the face of extreme weather. I am grateful to Senators Capito, Kelly and Cramer for their partnership in crafting this legislation and look forward to seeing it across the finish line.”

“By passing this legislation, the Senate took a significant step toward strengthening our water infrastructure, supporting our national economy, better protecting communities from flood risks, and helping the Corps carry out its mission now and in the future,” Capito said. “I appreciate Chairman Carper and Senators Cramer and Kelly for working together as we advanced the 2024 WRDA today.”