Napolitano Hails Final Passage of WRDA for SoCal & Nation

Press Release

Today, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte), coauthor of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020--which was included in the FY2021 Omnibus Appropriations bill--hailed final passage of the critical water infrastructure and jobs bill for Southern California and the nation.

"Our bipartisan Water Resources Development Act will create much needed American jobs and boost our economic recovery, while upgrading our nation's water infrastructure and safeguarding our environment," Napolitano said. "The big accomplishment in this bill is the provision I drafted that will provide a six-fold increase in funding to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach for dredging, cleanup, and maintenance, something for which I have fought for many years. All of Southern California, including my San Gabriel Valley district, is reliant on the economic productivity flowing through the ports that benefits inland manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, and goods movement. The improvements this bill makes to our Southern California ports will benefit businesses and jobs throughout our region. We included this important provision after the Subcommittee visited the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach earlier this year to learn about ongoing needs there. I want to thank Los Angeles Port Executive Director Gene Seroka and Long Beach Port Executive Director Mario Cordero for their advocacy and assistance on this vital harbor improvement provision."

"This bill also includes the language necessary for my district and other wildfire prone regions of the country to improve efforts by the Army Corps of Engineers to remove unauthorized, human-made flammable equipment and materials from Corps property," Napolitano continued. "This will help prevent forest fires from starting on Army Corps lands such as the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers."

"As we in the West are in a continuous fight against drought, I am proud to have secured provisions to give the Corps more ability to focus on long-term water reliability of arid communities and local water supply," Napolitano added. "This will further focus the Corps on using Whittier Narrows, Santa Fe, and other dams in our region for water supply with local water agencies."

WRDA is a bipartisan agreement between the House and Senate, and authorizes $10 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to carry out water resources development projects and studies, as well as policy direction to the Corps for implementation of its Civil Works missions.

As Chairwoman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and the highest-ranking California member of the full Committee, Napolitano successfully included in the bill the following new funding and other key provisions:

Currently, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and 4 of the other largest ports in the nation receive only $25 million per year in federal assistance yet provide critical funding to smaller ports up and down the west coast and eastern seaboard; this bill increases the amount to $175 million annually to the largest ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach. Napolitano has long been a staunch proponent of ensuring LA County gets back more of its fair share and fought to secure this additional equity and funding for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Expands the maintenance activities that the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach can use this funding for to include harbor dredging, environmental cleanup, seismic retrofits, and berth maintenance. These items were specifically requested by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
This additional maintenance will improve operations at these ports which will allow more ships to call on Los Angeles and Long Beach and have a ripple effect on the Southern California economy. 1 out of every 9 jobs in Southern California is related to these ports, according to the Port of Los Angeles. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle a combined 348 Million Metric Revenue Tons (MMRT) of products annually, including everyday items such as electronics, cars, commercial/residential equipment, and food.
Directs the Corps to prioritize the removal of flammable, human-made materials that are unauthorized to be present on certain Corps lands and pose a fire risk that is a threat to public safety. This will help prevent forest fires from starting on Corps property.
Requires a comprehensive study on adding water supply to the primary mission areas of the Corps. Corps dams and projects were primarily built for flood control, but in the West we have been gradually changing reservoir operations to improve water supply for local communities. This provision will move the Corps to making water supply a primary responsibility to address water shortage issues felt around the country.
Addresses affordability and improved coordination with economically disadvantaged communities. Requires the Corps to provide flexibility in addressing water resource needs of low-income communities and communities of color. Provides technical assistance to these communities with resiliency planning. Requires the Corps to review its process for consultation with minority and tribal communities, and updates the Corps' environmental justice considerations for Corps projects.
Requires the Corps to use more nature-based construction and develop projects in a sustainable manner to reduce environmental impacts, improve long-term resiliency, and create additional benefits for local communities with recreation, improved water quality, and water supply.
Since being elected Subcommittee Chair in January 2019, Napolitano has worked diligently, always on a bipartisan basis, toward enactment of a biennial WRDA. Her Subcommittee held seven hearings and roundtables which offered Members, stakeholders, and the general public numerous opportunities to provide valuable testimony and input, which ultimately helped produce WRDA 2020:

On April 10, 2019, the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment (Subcommittee) held a hearing entitled, "The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Investment in our Nation's Waterways Matter." The Subcommittee received testimony on the role that ports, harbors, and inland waterways play in our communities and their economies.
On July 10, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Water Resources Development Acts: Status of Implementation and Assessing Future Needs," at which several witnesses discussed the Corps' implementation of the congressionally authorized WRDAs. The hearing also began the process to inform the development of WRDA 2020.
On October 19, 2019, the Subcommittee held a roundtable in Islamorada, Florida. The purpose of this roundtable was to define the challenges states and communities face in rebuilding and to determine possible solutions to address America's water infrastructure needs. Participants included representatives from several public and private stakeholder groups with an interest in water resources infrastructure.
On November 19, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act: Promoting Resiliency of our Nation's Water Resources Infrastructure." The Subcommittee received testimony related to the role of resiliency in the construction, and operation and maintenance of projects carried out by the Corps.
On January 9, 2020, the Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2020." This hearing provided Members with an opportunity to review these reports, review the process the Corps undertakes for developing its projects, and identify future needs to inform the development of WRDA 2020.
On February 27, 2020 the Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2020: Members' Day Hearing." The purpose of this hearing was to provide Members of Congress with an opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee on their priorities in relation to the Corps.
On March 6, 2020, the Subcommittee held a field roundtable in Baldwin Park, California in Napolitano's district, for a policy discussion on "America's Water Resources Infrastructure: Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act." Participants included several local elected officials from the Los Angeles region, as well as local experts on regional water resources issues.

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