WRRDA Conference Report Filed House of Representatives to Vote Next Week

Press Release

The conference committee report for the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA) has been filed, Congressman Kevin Cramer said today. The final language in the bill includes Congressional authorization for the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion and prevents the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from charging Upper Missouri River Basin reservoir users for surplus water. Congressman Cramer said he expects the bill to come up for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives next week.

"I am pleased with the outcome of the bill and expect it will receive strong support in the House when we bring it to the floor next week. It acknowledges the critical nature of flood protection in the Fargo-Moorhead area, and rejects an unprecedented and unjustified fee for usage of reservoir water from the Missouri River. Going forward, it is important we return to a two-year cycle for this critical water infrastructure bill. The last WRRDA was signed into law in 2007. Seven years is too long when federal resources are scarce and pressing infrastructure needs are at hand," said Cramer.

Cramer said another key reform in the bill makes it easier for states to use non-federal funding to expedite projects by lifting current restrictions on non-federal sponsors' ability to move projects forward. Non-federal entities are able to contribute funds to the Corps to expedite the processing of permits, the Corps is allowed to move to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design activities immediately after completing a feasibility study, and non-federal interests may carry out work at their own expense for a project where a feasibility report has been completed but has not received authorization from Congress. Taken together, the reforms in this bill will allow state and local entities or the private sector to move forward with critical water projects in the face of limited federal resources.

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