WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), ranking member of the Senate Environment
and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
issued the following statement on Senate passage of the Water Resources
Development Act (WRDA) of 2022:
“Every
two years, the Water Resources Development Act offers an opportunity for
Congress to provide the Army Corps of Engineers direction to set up our
nation’s water resources for long-term success. Receiving overwhelming
bipartisan support, this bill embraces states’ water rights, improves
recreational access, supports flood mitigation initiatives, and establishes
policies to better utilize Corps projects while creating jobs and improving our
economy. I appreciate the leadership and cooperation Senators Carper, Capito,
and Cardin throughout this process. There are a lot of wins for North Dakota in
this year’s WRDA bill and I look forward to working with the House to get it
signed into law.”
Earlier
today, Senator Cramer spoke on the Senate floor in support of this legislation. Watch his floor remarks here.
WRDA
is biennial legislation that authorizes flood control, navigation, and
ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). It
passed
unanimously out of the EPW Committee in May.
Through
his leadership in crafting WRDA, Senator Cramer has secured the inclusion of
North Dakota water priorities.
North
Dakota priorities secured by Senator Cramer include:
- Creation of the Western Water Cooperative
Committee to ensure USACE flood control
projects in Western States are operated consistent with congressional
directives and adhere to state water rights and water laws. The
committee establishes a platform for Western states to work out water
appropriation and other issues with the USCACE.
- Permanent Elimination of Surplus Water Fees in the Upper Missouri Mainstem Reservoirs. Since
coming to Congress Senator Cramer worked to enact temporary prohibitions
on these potential fees.
- Section 594 Program Funding Authority Increased by $100 million to assist public entities to
design and construct water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Encourages the Army Corps to Retain Recreation Fees at the point of collection so USACE facilities
can use the funds for the operations and maintenance of the site. This
would align the USACE with other federal land management agencies’
practices, allowing USACE districts to plan local maintenance and repair
projects without Washington approval.
- Expedited Public Recreation Facility Restoration to enable the USACE the ability to accept and use
materials, services, and funds from non-federal interest to repair,
restore, or rehabilitate a public recreation facility, such as boat ramps,
and reimburse the non-federal interest for the federal share during
periods of low water.
- Updated Hydrology in the Souris River Basin authorizes the USACE to assess hydrologic changes
affecting the “1989 Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the
United States of America for Water Supply and Flood Control in The Souris
River Basin and its operations” due to increased flood risk.
- Red River Valley Water Supply Project Agreement authorizes the USACE to enter into a memorandum of
understanding with the Red River Valley Water Supply Project manager to
ensure water passes through Baldhill dam, as needed, for downstream users.
- Water Control Manual Updates directs the USACE, at the request of a governor, to
update water manuals for waters of a state in which the governor declared
a statewide drought disaster in 2021 with priority given to those waters
that accommodate a water supply project.
- Red River Basin Operation and Maintenance Authorization
Extension, which extends existing
authorization allowing the USACE to provide assistance for the operation
and maintenance of a flood risk reduction project in the Red River Basin
of the North for four more years.
Other
Key Initiatives Include:
- Increased Federal Cost Share Funding Levels for the
Tribal Partnership Program to
plan, design, and construct authorized water resource activities.
- Increased Invasive Species Management Funding by $25 million for invasive species partnerships
and extends an Upper Missouri River Basin invasive species management
pilot program by two years.
- NEPA Tracking requires
the establishment of a process to track and report on the number of
studies and the length of time it takes the USACE to complete them.
- Funding to Process Permits by allowing a mitigation bank sponsor to
contribute funds to expedite permit processing.
- Non-Federal Interest Advisory Committee to develop and make recommendations to the USACE
on activities and actions to ensure more effective and efficient delivery
of water resources development projects, programs, and other assistance.
- Government Accountability Office Review of USACE compensatory mitigation regulations and
practices.
- Report on Investments for Recreation Areas requires USACE to outline its deferred
maintenance projects, a plan to fund the projects, a description of
efforts to coordinate investments in recreational facilities, and an
assessment of federal contracting requirements.
- USACE Military Personnel Augmentation expands the types of U.S. Army personnel entitled
to receive certain pay and allowances while assigned to the USACE on
nonmilitary public works projects. Senator Cramer cosponsored Senator
Round’s bipartisan legislation mirroring the provision in WRDA, the USACE
Military Personnel Augmentation Act of 2021.
Click here for
bill text.
Background:
Senator
Cramer holds jurisdiction over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a member of
both the Senate EPW and Armed Services Committee.
Last
Congress, Senator Cramer wrote and secured numerous
North Dakota water infrastructure projects in the year-end spending bill.
