ASCE Legislative Victory: Passage of WRDA 2020
December 21, 2020
Today, Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 – a major legislative victory for ASCE! The House and Senate passed WRDA 2020 with bipartisan support as a part of the massive end of the year appropriations and stimulus package. Throughout 2020, ASCE members and staff advocated for improvement in all 16 infrastructure......
House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure Advances Water Resources Development Act of 2020
July 15, 2020
This week, the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure introduced and passed the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, H.R. 7575. The bill is expected to receive a full House vote the week of July 27. Earlier this spring, the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works passed their WRDA bill, the bipartisan......
Dams Infrastructure Needs in the Spotlight
May 22, 2020
The need for investment in our nation’s dams was in the spotlight this week as record rainfall caused two dam failures in Michigan and one potential dam failure in Virginia, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of residents. The two dams that failed in Michigan were high hazard potential dams, or dams whose failure is......
May 06, 2020
In a markup this week, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee unanimously passed their bipartisan Water Resources Development Act legislation, S. 3591 entitled America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2020, as well their Drinking Water Act of 2020, S. 3590. The substitute amendment to the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 included proposed changes......
Will the South Carolina Legislature Make a Dam Mistake?
February 08, 2019
Dams in South Carolina are facing a serious threat. In the last five years, severe flooding as well as Hurricanes Matthew and Florence have caused nearly 80 dams to fail in South Carolina. Despite the recent history of costly dam failures in the Palmetto State, state legislators are considering two proposals that would significantly rollback......
October 25, 2018
This week, President Trump signed S. 3021 (Public Law No: 115-270), the America’s Water Infrastructure Now Act of 2018, or the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, into law. The Senate passed this bill by a vote of 99-1, while the House passed it by voice vote. Read ASCE’s official statement on the House’s September passage of WRDA,......
ASCE Celebrates the Passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018
October 11, 2018
Yesterday, the Senate passed S. 3021, the America’s Water Infrastructure Now Act of 2018, or the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018 by a vote of 99-1. Earlier this year, ASCE President Kristina Swallow testified before the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee about the importance of long-term, strategic investment in America’s water resources......
Minnesota Earns a “C” in First Infrastructure Report Card
October 10, 2018
On Tuesday, October 9, civil engineers gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol for the release of the first-ever Report Card for Minnesota’s Infrastructure. The Report Card gave the state’s infrastructure an overall GPA of “C” and evaluated and graded nine individual infrastructure categories: aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, ports, roads, transit, and wastewater.......
September 14, 2018
Today, the House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, S. 3021. The passage of this bill authorizes key programs and projects that are critical to improving our nation’s water-related infrastructure categories. The 2017 Infrastructure Report Card graded each of these categories; ports received a grade of “C+,” while dams, levees,......
Senate Appropriators Fund High Hazard Dam Rehab Program
June 22, 2018
This week, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed its Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The $48.334 billion bill, which is an increase of $611 million compared to the FY18 enacted level, includes $250 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis, which is a $12.5 million decrease......