NE Missouri News

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) with a decisive 399 to 18 vote. The legislation, which will now move to the Senate for approval, aims to enhance various aspects of the nation's water resources infrastructure including ports, harbors, inland waterways, and flood protection.

Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06) stated that "this WRDA delivers critical water resource infrastructure improvements for communities across America – from ports to levees to navigation channels, and more." He highlighted reforms at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intended to streamline processes and reduce bureaucratic delays.

Graves also noted provisions specific to North Missouri, emphasizing flood control and navigation as top priorities on the Missouri River. These include protections for levee districts and navigators, an Upper Mississippi River Flood Risk and Resiliency Study, reforms in broadband project permitting on Corps' property, beneficial uses for dredged material, and improved permitting processes.

WRDA authorizes over 200 new feasibility studies for locally proposed projects alongside 22 thoroughly reviewed projects. It aims to empower non-federal project sponsors by increasing transparency and improving delivery methods.

The act also includes measures for efficient use of federally-owned office space and addresses concerns raised by state departments of transportation through redistributing unobligated balances under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.

The agreement seeks to modernize the Economic Development Administration along with other regional commissions focused on economic development in distressed areas.