Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 412-4 in favor of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA).  The legislation now must be approved by the U.S. Senate which is anticipated by week’s end, allowing the President to sign it into law following Senate passage.
The legislation authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to undertake water resources projects – including flood control, navigation, ecosystem restoration, water supply and energy management – under their jurisdiction. It also contains innovative financing measures such as Public Private Partnerships and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) as pilot programs. WIFIA would make low-interest federal loans for large water infrastructure projects available in communities across the U.S.
For more detail on WRRDA’s provisions, see the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s press release on the legislation.