House and Senate Committee leaders yesterday announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on comprehensive water resources infrastructure legislation, which could be considered on the House floor later this week.
The announced text of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 includes four titles.
Title I authorizes proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works activities for port, waterway, flood protection and other water infrastructure improvements for the country.
This title incorporates much of H.R. 8, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, which overwhelmingly passed the House in June, as well as key provisions from the America’s Water Infrastructure Act that was unanimously approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in May.
Title II seeks to bring greater investment in and modernization of the country’s aging drinking water infrastructure.
Title III encourages the use of clean, baseload hydropower by streamlining the burdensome regulatory approval process.
Title IV addresses stormwater and wastewater infrastructure improvements, and reauthorizes and strengthens the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program.
Agreement on the legislation, the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, was announced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY), Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-DE), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ).