Water Resources Reform and Development Act passes committee

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013, passed this week by the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, includes language added by Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) ensuring that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a clear, results-based strategy for mitigation on the Missouri River.

Graves was joined in his effort by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.).

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act authorizes the Corps to continues its mission to develop, maintain and support the needs of the nation’s port and waterways infrastructure, as well as support flood protection efforts.

“I am pleased that we were able to unanimously pass this bill in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today,” Graves said. “Last month, I held a Small Business Committee hearing in St. Joseph on management of the Missouri River, and one of the key concerns I heard was with the way the Corps currently acquires land. The Corps should not needlessly buy up land without having an express purpose for doing so. This is a longstanding problem that Congressman Luetkemeyer and I have worked together to solve for several years. I am pleased that this year’s water resources bill contains language to help fix this problem by making the Corps more accountable for its actions and decisions.”

The Corps would be required by the language included in the House WRRDA to submit to Congress through the president’s annual budget detailed information about its strategy to manage mitigation.

The Corps would be required to describe proposed federal actions and assess progress for each fiscal years. It would also be required to identify conservation acreage in the Missouri River Basin that could be incorporated into the mitigation project.