Senate environment committee easily advances water infrastructure package
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The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously to advance the 2022 Water Resources Development Act on Wednesday, setting up the bipartisan climate-focused package for swift passage in the full Senate. The package authorizes a host of waterway, coastal resiliency and Western water projects, with a greater focus on environmental justice than in past iterations of the bill.
During Wednesday's markup, members said the package would complement the $55 billion in water investments included in last year's bipartisan infrastructure law. That measure devoted $8 billion to Western water priorities and authorized nearly $35 billion for EPA water infrastructure projects, including clean water programs and lead removal funds.
Details: The current bill includes a litany of provisions for local coastal resiliency and other environmental projects dealing with the immediate impacts of climate change, including 36 new feasibility studies and 21 projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It also creates advisory committees for the Corps on environmental justice issues and mandates prioritizing disadvantaged communities. Those provisions align with the Biden administration's climate and environmental justice goals. But unlike other legislative vehicles tackling similar priorities, WRDA has wide bipartisan support, including from climate-skeptic Republicans. Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who famously brought a snowball to the Senate chamber to cast doubt on climate change, said Wednesday he was proud to support the legislation.
What's next: The package now heads to the full Senate, where it is likely to find a largely friendly reception. Chair Tom Carper said the committee worked with all 100 members of the Senate on the package. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is also working on its draft text after holding a number of hearings for members to raise their priorities for the package. |
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The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted unanimously to advance the 2022 Water Resources Development Act on Wednesday, setting up the bipartisan climate-focused package for swift passage in the full Senate. The package authorizes a host of waterway, coastal resiliency and Western water projects, with a greater focus on environmental justice than in past iterations of the bill.
During Wednesday's markup, members said the package would complement the $55 billion in water investments included in last year's bipartisan infrastructure law. That measure devoted $8 billion to Western water priorities and authorized nearly $35 billion for EPA water infrastructure projects, including clean water programs and lead removal funds.
Details: The current bill includes a litany of provisions for local coastal resiliency and other environmental projects dealing with the immediate impacts of climate change, including 36 new feasibility studies and 21 projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It also creates advisory committees for the Corps on environmental justice issues and mandates prioritizing disadvantaged communities. Those provisions align with the Biden administration's climate and environmental justice goals. But unlike other legislative vehicles tackling similar priorities, WRDA has wide bipartisan support, including from climate-skeptic Republicans. Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who famously brought a snowball to the Senate chamber to cast doubt on climate change, said Wednesday he was proud to support the legislation.
What's next: The package now heads to the full Senate, where it is likely to find a largely friendly reception. Chair Tom Carper said the committee worked with all 100 members of the Senate on the package.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is also working on its draft text after holding a number of hearings for members to raise their priorities for the package. |
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You received this POLITICO Pro content because your customized settings include: U.S. Senate. You can customize all of your alert criteria on your settings page. |
