WRRDA Update
National Waterways Conference Release
16 May 2014
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the
long-awaited conference report on The Water Resources Reform and
Development Act of 2014 yesterday afternoon.
The 532-page report, along with a statement of the highlights and
a section-by-section review, can be found on the Committee’s
website at http://transportation.house.gov/wrrda/
At yesterday’s stakeholder briefing by the staff from both
committees, it was announced that the House will take up the
measure on Tuesday morning under a suspension of the rules.
Senate action is expected within a day or two following House
action. Both committees expect to win easy passage, but are
nonetheless seeking letters of support. Please send
any letters by noon on Monday to Beth Spivey at
beth.spivey@mail.house.gov and Ted Illston at
ted_illton@epw.senate.gov. In addition, please urge your
Congressional delegations to support WRRDA.
We continue to read through the report and will provide further
analysis, but a few highlights:
•
Authorizes full expenditure from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund
by 2025, including expanded uses at donor ports.
•
Provides for 10% of HMTF revenues to emerging ports and another 5%
for underserved ports. Considers all Great Lakes ports and
harbors as a single navigation system for funding purposes.
•
Adjusts the Olmsted cost share to 85%-15%, freeing up Inland
Waterways Trust Fund revenues for other projects, as well as
project delivery reforms as called for in the Capitol Development
Plan.
•
Calls for a report on authorized and operating purposes of Corps
of Engineers reservoirs in arid regions to determine the effects
on water supply during a drought, as well as a report to update
operations at all reservoirs.
•
Establishes a comprehensive levee safety program, which at first
glance causes some concern.
•
Makes section 214 permanent.
•
Authorizes the naming of the lock and dam at mile 357.5 on the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in honor of Don Waldon, a long-time
NWC member and true champion of the nation’s inland
waterways.
Further review and analysis will be provided after we have time to
review the entire report.
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