NWC FEDERAL WATERWAYS SPOTLIGHT (June 9, 2022 edition) Good afternoon NWC members! There are a quite a few things on our plate this week! First off, Congress is back after the Memorial Day recess for most of the month. While focus is on gun legislation and nominations this week, on June 8 the House of Representatives did pass their version [...]

NWC Update WRDA 2022/2022 Legislative Summit (May 4, 2022) Good afternoon NWC members, It is a busy week in our Nation’s capital. Congress is back in session and first out of the gate is the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 2022) which was marked up today in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (more below). Additionally, NWC [...]

NWC Hot-Off-The-Presses News April 29, 2022 Senate releases draft text for WRDA 2022—EPW action next week Good morning NWC members, We’ve been hearing about it and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released their draft Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 22) text this morning with an expected markup next Wednesday in the committee. According to committee staff, [...]

On Friday, January 31, NWC hosted a packed “WRDA 101” briefing for U.S. House of Representatives (House) staff, in partnership with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Speaking to a record number of attendees, our expert panel gave their insights about the mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), how the Corps studies water resources projects and the [...]

NWC scheduled to testify tomorrow on next WRDA authorization package On Tuesday, November 19 at 10:00am, NWC President Julie Ufner is scheduled to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment on the “Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act: Promoting Resiliency of Our Nation’s Water Resources Infrastructure.” The [...]

USACE Issues Updated 408 Guidance The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued Engineer Circular 1165-2-220, updating the process and criteria used to review requests to alter civil works projects.  Section 408, named for its U.S. Code citation at 33 USC 408, was enacted as section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.   As expressed by the Corps [...]

In response to the Administration’s proposal today to consolidate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program with the Departments of Transportation and Interior, the National Waterways Conference urges that before any reorganization takes place, the Administration must conduct an open and transparent process, taking into consideration the input of local governments, states and other water resources stakeholders. Under [...]

WRDA 16 Signed Into Law In one of the last acts by the 114th Congress, both the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the comprehensive Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, which includes the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, and the President signed the bill into law.  In addition to the WRDA provisions, the WIIN Act includes authorizations [...]

Congress Working Towards WRDA 16 Efforts to pass a water resources bill in 2016 are moving full steam ahead, with a flurry of activity in both the House and Senate.  Both the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have introduced their versions of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, known as “WRDA [...]

WRRDA 14 Section 7001 Annual Report – Request for Proposals The Corps of Engineers has published a notice in the Federal Register seeking proposals for its report to Congress on future water resources development. Proposals must be submitted to the Corps by September 19, 2016. According to the Corps’ notice, the proposals, for potential Congressional authorization in a future WRDA, [...]

NWC held a webinar for its members with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss Engineer Circular (EC) 1165-2-216, Policy and Procedural Guidance for Processing Requests to Alter U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Projects Pursuant to 33 USC 408. Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, codified at 33 USC 408 (commonly referred to [...]

NWC Submits Comments on WRRDA Webinars The National Waterways Conference submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in response to a series of webinars held by the Corps to receive input from its water resources partners and stakeholders to consider as it develops guidance to implement the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA). The first [...]

On June 10, 2014, President Obama signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 into law.  The final conference report -- the first comprehensive water resources legislation since 2007 -- was adopted in an overwhelming fashion by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.  The National Waterways Conference commends Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara [...]

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R.3080), to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, and for other purposes, having met, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend [...]

EXCERPT: Introduction  Chairman Gibbs, Ranking Member Bishop, and distinguished members of the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to be here today to discuss the “Foundations for a New Water Resources Development Act.” My name is Amy Larson and I am the President of the National Waterways Conference. The Conference would like to thank Chairman [...]

Support Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Reauthorization  The National Waterways Conference supports timely consideration and enactment of a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA legislation must recognize the vital importance of America’s water resources infrastructure to our nation’s well-being and quality of life, and balance economic and human needs with environmental and ecological considerations while ensuring public safety. The Water [...]

Excerpt: Questions from Senator Barbara Boxer 1. In your testimony, you discuss the significant and careful review that projects undergo in development of a Chief’s Report. a. Can you elaborate on the process and criteria for a project with a completed Chief’s Report? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) planning process, set forth in its Planning Guidance Notebook, ER [...]

EXCERPT: Introduction  Chairman Boxer, Ranking Member Inhofe, and distinguished members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, thank you for the opportunity to be here today to discuss the “Water Resources Development Act of 2012.” My name is Amy Larson and I am the President of the National Waterways Conference. The Conference would like to thank Chairman Boxer [...]