Momentum for Water Resources Bill Builds; 30 Republican Senators Urge Floor Time
June 30, 2016
While gun control and a Puerto Rico debt restructuring package were the central focus of the Senate in the last 10 legislative days, momentum for bringing a major, bipartisan water resources bill to the Senate floor before summer recess is growing in the halls of Congress. Efforts to bring S.2848 the Water Resources Development Act......
Infrastructure in the News: Summer Infrastructure Priorities
June 24, 2016
With the start of summer, Congress is eyeing a long recess and construction season is in full swing, drawing increased attention to our surface transportation and water infrastructure needs. It is no secret to the American public that our infrastructure greatly needs TLC. That is why states like New Jersey are fighting so hard to......
National Dam Safety Awareness Day 2016: Safety of Dams and Safety at Dams
May 31, 2016
By Lori C. Spragens, Executive Director, Association of State Dam Safety Officials Today, May 31, is National Dam Safety Awareness Day. The day commemorates when the South Fork Dam failed on May 31, 1889, sending a deadly rush of water and debris into the city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Commonly known as the Johnstown Flood, the......
House Transportation Committee Passes Water Resources Bill
May 26, 2016
The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee advanced a $5.5 billion Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) this week. A path forward for H.R. 5303 will require support from the full chamber, a commitment by House leadership to give the bill floor time, and ultimately a compromise with the much more expansive Senate bill that advanced out......
Water Resources Bill Passes Senate Committee
May 05, 2016
On April 28 the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) advanced a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a vote of 19-1. The $9 billion bill authorizes new projects and studies at the Army Corps of Engineers, adds a dam rehabilitation component to the National Dam Safety Program, establishes a new Water......
Dam Rehab Bill Introduced in Senate
April 26, 2016
Late last week, Senators Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced S. 2835, a bill that, if enacted, would provide funding assistance to rehabilitate, repair, or remove nonfederal high hazard deficient dams. This is a promising step in the effort to improve the nation’s aging dams, which received a “D” grade in the......
Water Week Highlights Diverse Needs Across the Country
April 13, 2016
Over 100 water and wastewater utility managers, operators and engineers visited Washington, D.C. this week to advocate for more federal investment in water infrastructure. Lead by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and several other sponsoring organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) the week provided an opportunity for water industries......
Senate Takes Turn Preparing for New Water Resources Bill
February 11, 2016
Just a week after the House held a discussion on what a new Water Resources Develop Act (WRDA) should look like, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing Wednesday to kick off that chambers work on the legislation. Opting for a more formal setting than the House roundtable approach, the Senate......
House Committee Convenes Roundtable Discussion on Next Federal Water Resources Bill
February 04, 2016
The House Subcommittee on Water Resources held a round table this week as Congress gears up to pass a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in 2016. Back in November the committee held a similar discussion in New Orleans. During each roundtable – a less formal setting than a traditional hearing – committee members heard......
Congress Takes First Step to Develop New Water Resources Bill
November 23, 2015
Several members of Congress from the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee gathered in New Orleans earlier this month to listen to stakeholders offer their wishes for a new water resources bill the Committee has pledged to introduce in 2016. Spearheaded by freshman Congressman Garrett Graves (R-LA), T&I Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Water Resources......