California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
President Donald Trump signed the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 into law Oct. 23 at the White House as lawmakers who played roles in crafting the bipartisan bill looked on.
The legislation is the second important federal infrastructure bill to become law in less than three weeks.
The new water infrastructure authorizing $3.7 billion for Army Corps of Engineers projects and $4.4 billion for drinking-water projects, but funds are subject to annual appropriations.
According to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the law will invest in water infrastructure improvements related to harbors, waterways and flood protection.
“I am proud of the fact that our Committee, the House, and the Senate have worked together to send bipartisan WRDA legislation to the president in each of the last three congresses,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA). “These laws are essential federal commitments to improving the harbors, ports, waterways, locks, dams, and other water infrastructure that makes our transportation network more efficient, the country competitively stronger, and our communities safer from flooding.”
The House passed the bill on Sept. 13 by a voice vote and the Senate passed it on Oct. 10 by a 99-1 vote.
“This law builds on the work we have begun in previous WRDAs at focusing the Army Corps of Engineers on water supply in arid regions, such as Southern California. It also improves EPA programs for storm water, water recycling, and sewer overflow projects, increases water workforce training to address new technologies and a retiring workforce, and it creates a national standard for water-efficient products,” said Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Grace Napolitano (D-CA). “I am proud to have worked with Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and Chairman Graves, as well as our Senate counterparts, in a true bipartisan manner to meet the water infrastructure needs of communities throughout America.”
