The Water Resources Development Act of 2007
On November 6, 2007, the House voted to pass the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), H.R. 1495, over the President’s veto. On November 8, the Senate voted to pass the legislation over the President's veto, and the bill became law on November 11, 2007. The Water Resources Development Act authorizes several projects and studies for the United States Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its major missions of flood control to protect our lives and livelihoods, viable navigation corridors for the movement of goods and services, and ecosystem restoration projects to improve the health of our nation’s environment. It is a vital infrastructure bill that authorizes hundreds of critical projects, including those to protect lives and livelihoods in communities across the country from natural disasters such as hurricanes, storm surge and flooding.
Following are highlights of the bill:
Provides wetlands and coastal restoration of Louisiana, protecting Gulf Coast residents from future hurricanes. The bill authorizes $1.9 billion for the Corps of Engineers to carry out a comprehensive program for wetlands and coastal restoration in Louisiana, which will help protect the Gulf Coast from future hurricanes and storm surge. This restoration program will slow the continuing land loss and replenish the coastal marshes of southern Louisiana – which serve as a protective barrier against storms.
Provides for ensuring 100-year level of flood protection for New Orleans. This bill is essential for fulfilling the President’s pledge to rebuild New Orleans “even better and stronger than before the storm.” It contains the authority for the Corps of Engineers to raise and enhance flood protection levees surrounding New Orleans to achieve a 100-year level of protection, improves the drainage canals that contributed to the flooding of New Orleans, and directs the Corps to physically close the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet – a step essential to the protection of the Lower Ninth Ward and other neighborhoods.
Continues restoration of the Florida Everglades. The Florida Everglades, which are one of the world’s largest wetlands areas, protect Florida from hurricanes and provide wildlife habitat to thousands of plant and animal species. This bill authorizes the first three projects of the wide-ranging Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which is critical to enhancing this vital wetlands area.
Improves flood control across the country. The bill provides the Corps of Engineers with the essential tools it needs to evaluate the adequacy of existing flood control projects, and to take swift action to protect these cities and their inhabitants. Sacramento, California stands out as particularly vulnerable; many of its levees were built as long as 150 years ago and have rarely been repaired since.
Ensures levee safety across the country. There are several thousand miles of levees across the country that provide critical flood protection to communities. This bill creates a new National Levee Safety Program with an authorization of $20 million per year for six years. The Corps would be required to create a public database with an inventory of all levees in the United States and the safety standards they meet. The Corps would also be required to inspect all federally constructed levees across the country, whether they are federally or locally managed.
Improves shipping on the Upper Mississippi. The Mississippi River and its tributaries are vital waterways that are used to ship goods across the country, especially agricultural products from the heartland. This river system is badly in need of improvements. The bill authorizes $3.6 billion for a system of new locks and dams, as well as environmental restoration, for the vital Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterways System – critical to our economy.
Re-nourishes and restores beaches. Hurricanes and tropical storms can erode beaches, which eliminates key natural defenses and, in time, can cause loss of life and extensive property damage. The bill includes dozens of beach erosion control projects that are designed to restore damaged beaches across the country.
Includes key reforms – including an independent review of many Corps of Engineers projects. The bill calls for a new independent peer review process for Corps of Engineers projects that have an estimated cost of $45 million or more. Independent peer review would also be required for any projects, regardless of cost, if the Corps’ Chief of Engineers deems them “controversial” or if a governor in a relevant state requests a review.
Increases oversight of the Corps of Engineers. The bill includes various provisions to increase oversight of the Corps of Engineers, including ensuring public access to water resources data and requiring the Secretary of the Army to prepare a set of wide-ranging accountability reports.
Learn more from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee>>