Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2022 passes
December 21, 2022
Two-year reauthorization bill heads to the President
Within the National Defense Authorization Act, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2022 has been passed by the U.S. Congress to provide significant support to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to maintain and improve waterways.
New provisions address flood risk and ecosystem health.
The WDRA bill is proposed every two years to fund USACE’s waterways projects. To date, WRDA 2022 is one of the largest of its kind.
This year’s bill includes the following highlights:
- Authorizing feasibility studies for water resources development projects
- Expediting of USACE’s ongoing feasibility studies
- Authorizing critical water and wastewater infrastructure assistance for community-driven projects associated with USACE
Major support for stormwater management also comes in the following forms:
- Authorizing USACE to rebuild and maintain breakwaters to address problems brought by climate change
- Authorizing USACE to rebuild and maintain storm damage reduction projects
- Clarifying USACE authority to study impacts of coastal storms on back-bay and riverine flooding
- Renewing Congressional support for water resource projects that promote sediment reuse for restoration or storm damage reduction