The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee approved a new “Water Resources Reform and Development Act” (WRRDA) by voice vote last week, setting up the bipartisan measure for consideration by the full House of Representatives early next month.
Only relatively minor amendments were added to the legislation (H.R. 3080) during the markup, including a “sense of the Congress” statement encouraging states to resolve water rights disputes through interstate compacts. This amendment, which is similar to language included in the Senate Water Resources Development Act approved in May, was added in place of another amendment that would have required congressional approval for major modifications of reservoir projects that Congress previously approved. The issue traces to a multistate dispute over access to water from Georgia’s Lake Lanier, but broad new restrictions on reservoir modifications could have disrupted communities’ access to water in other parts of the country as well. The narrower language will avoid these problems.
A proposed “Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act” (WIFIA) was not discussed during last week’s markup, as House leaders have chosen to leave the proposal out of their water resources legislation for the time being. But the proposal will likely be a topic of conversation during the House-Senate conference committee that must produce a final WRDA bill, as it still enjoys strong support from key senators. House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) has also indicated he may introduce a stand-alone WIFIA bill in the coming weeks, though no formal plans have been announced.