WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) yesterday commended Senate passage of the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA), legislation authorizing critical investments in water infrastructure projects. Blunt voted in favor of the legislation, which passed by a vote of 93-1.
“As a national transportation hub, Missouri’s waterways play an important role in moving goods around the country,” said Blunt. “Making sure our waterways and surrounding infrastructure are maintained and improved is essential for our economic competitiveness. While our waterways do provide a huge advantage to our economy, they also present a flood risk that impacts families and farms throughout our state. This bill authorizes funding for critical projects to help to protect Missouri communities from dangerous and costly flooding. I’m encouraged by the overwhelming, bipartisan support for this bill and hope we can get it to the president’s desk soon.”
WRDA authorizes key projects and studies to tackle water resources challenges across the country, including Missouri. The bill also makes important revisions to the Civil Works policies and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase the agency’s responsiveness to national and local priorities.
Blunt-backed priorities in the WRDA bill:
Inland Waterways: The bill reduces the share of costs derived from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to construct an inland waterways project to 25%, and makes the new cost share permanent.
Environmental Review Process Reforms: The bill directs the Corps to track, and annually submit to Congress, a report on the time to complete the environmental review process for projects as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.
Expanding Water Resource Projects: The bill authorizes 17 new projects, modifies four existing projects, and authorizes 36 feasibility studies nationwide.
Help Protect Communities from Dangerous Flooding: The bill enables critical investments in the protection and restoration of shorelines and riverbanks from erosion and other damaging forces.