WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today praised the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works’ approval of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act, which includes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018. Sen. Joni Ernst is a member of the EPW committee in the Senate.

This committee-passed bill addresses the civil works program of the Army Corps of Engineers and drinking water and wastewater funding programs through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It highlights the flood protection needs in Cedar Rapids, helps speed up the process for approval of alterations to local flood control projects and provides additional opportunities for projects or initiatives of regional, tribal or local significance to receive appropriations while increasing public participation, transparency and accountability.

“Passing this bipartisan legislation would give a hand up to communities in Iowa and throughout the country. Not only would it help provide necessary assistance to cities and towns vulnerable to flooding, but it would also improve inland waterways and ports that are critical to shippers and consumers who depend on them to operate their businesses,” Grassley said. “The America’s Water Infrastructure Act empowers states and communities to lead on projects important to them and use federal resources more efficiently. It’s good news for Iowa that Sen. Ernst has joined this committee, and I look forward to its full passage on the Senate floor.”

Specific Iowa-related provisions included in the bill are:

  • Cedar River, Iowa. The bill states that the Corps of Engineers shall expedite the project for flood risk management at the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cedar Rapids endured a 500-year flood in 2008 and faced near record flooding again in 2016.  After the 2008 floods, the City of Cedar Rapids worked with the Corps of Engineers to develop a project to address the flood risk. Congress authorized the project in the Water Resources and Reform Act of 2014. To date, no construction funds for this project have been budgeted. This provision clearly shows the intent of Senate authorizers that this project is to be a priority at the Army Corp of Engineers. 

Along with Sen. Joni Ernst, Grassley has continuously worked with the Environmental and Public Works Committee to address the flood reduction needs in Cedar Rapids since the 2008 floods and helped get this item authorized.

  • Corps Budgeting. The bill requires the Corps of Engineers headquarters and districts provide Congress with a work plan and four years projected budget on an annual basis. This will provide an additional opportunity for projects or initiatives of regional, tribal or local significance to receive appropriations. It also would amend the project qualification process by allowing the Corps to advance projects in a secondary process, increase public participation and increase transparency and accountability.

There have been a variety of projects in Iowa, and across the nation, where projects with low benefit-cost ratios struggle to receive funding through the current appropriations process. This new process could allow critical projects, like the Cedar Rapids flood reduction project, to start receiving funds. It’s only wise to spend money to mitigate the problem before we are faced with another flood and spend millions on temporary flood fighting measures that just have to be torn down.

  • Alterations to local flood control projects. The bill provides the District Engineer of each district of the Corps with the authority to implement existing authorities to approve alterations to local flood control projects in accordance to all applicable laws. 

Allowing the District Engineers to approve alterations to flood control projects will help accelerate the approval time for these needed permits. Unfortunately, too many communities, like Cedar Falls, had to spend years and a lot of money in a national process to get approval to enhance its own flood protection. This new process is intended to help cut down on the time and cost of receiving these permits.

  • Certain levee improvements. The bill states that where Corps-owned levees are tied hydraulically to community-owned levees, the Corps is encouraged to cooperate with non-federal sponsors on ways to implement necessary improvements to the federal project.

Community projects shouldn’t be held up because the Corps isn’t able to enhance its section of a flood protection system. This provision would be beneficial for places like Des Moines where the community is working on its flood protection system and the Corps owns a portion of the levee.

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