Luetkemeyer, Graves Continue Efforts to Improve Management of Missouri River

Statement

Furthering their commitment to improve management of the Missouri River, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (MO-6) successfully included language in the House Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) ensuring the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has a clear, results-based strategy for mitigation on the Missouri River.

"For entirely too long the Corps has lacked a clear strategy for mitigation on the Missouri River, simply operating on the assumption that more private land acquisition is better irrespective of actual benefits to fish and wildlife," Luetkemeyer said. "This language is a step in the right direction because it requires the Corps to come up with a results-based strategy for mitigation, and I commend the Corps for working with us throughout this process. Congressman Graves and I are pleased to have this common-sense language included in WRRDA and we will not tire in our ongoing efforts to improve the management of this vital river."

"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." Graves said. "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 language included in the House WRRDA requires the Corps to submit detailed information regarding its strategy for managing mitigation to Congress through the president's annual budget. Specifically, the Corps must describe proposed federal actions and assess progress for each fiscal year. It also requires the Corps to identify conservation acreage in the Missouri River Basin that could be incorporated into the mitigation project.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to mark-up WRRDA next week with consideration by the full House in the coming weeks. The Senate passed its version of the legislation earlier this year.

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