The Water Resources Development Act: A roadmap to common ground

OPINION:

North Carolina’s Seventh Congressional District, which I’m honored to represent, is known for its beautiful waterways and beaches as well as the rich agricultural fields that dominate the landscape in Southeastern North Carolina. Not unlike many parts of the country, this abundance provides significant recreational and economic benefits. Running through this part of the state are important bodies of water that interlink rural and urban areas. Investing in our water resources infrastructure is not only key to preserving our local way of life, but also critical for our nation’s economy, strengthening U.S. and international commerce, and protecting our communities, farm families, and businesses during natural disasters.

This is why the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is one of the most important pieces of legislation the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee produces. As chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, I work with my colleagues to craft solutions to protect our economy and maintain our quality of life. In this year’s bill, more than 1,900 total requests were submitted for consideration from 348 members of Congress.

Whether urban or rural, inland or coastal, meeting our water resources needs is vital to our security, safety, and economic stability. With the nation continuing to deal with supply chain challenges, well-functioning and reliable waterways enable the movement of more than two billion tons of cargo each year. The authorized partnerships between the Army Corps of Engineers and our ports make our supply chain more resilient. Improvement of our nation’s levees and dams help protect communities and critical industries from flooding. Coastal storm damage reduction projects address erosion and minimize the impacts of storm damage to seaside communities, which is particularly important for many that live and work on the coast.

To achieve the best possible legislation for the entire country, it is important that these WRDA bills remain bipartisan. Because of the commitment of Republican and Democratic leadership on this committee, regardless of which party is in the majority, bipartisanship has ruled the day. During the past decade, the consistency of passing this legislation every two years on a bipartisan basis has allowed Congress to respond to local water resource needs more effectively. It has also allowed non-federal sponsors to more adequately plan infrastructure needs for the future. Additionally, it imparts confidence that we can address water infrastructure needs regardless of any partisan discord in Washington.

With these bipartisan, biennial bills, Congress has authorized new projects and studies across the country. This Congress, we’ve increased permitting transparency at the Corps by requiring the status of environmental permits to be accessible online. We’ve clarified the ability of non-federal sponsors to conduct feasibility studies and invested in ways to help non-federal interests access the right federal resources for their respective projects. Further, we’ve expanded opportunities to help our fellow citizens, local governments, and state governments develop and execute water resource projects, and enhanced the Corps’ ability to respond to emergencies and disasters, among other initiatives.

This year’s bill also expands on a provision I worked hard to secure in WRDA 2022: the mapping of inland and coastal waterways in North Carolina. In doing so, the Corps can identify potential hazards, such as debris and sedimentation, which often lead to increased flood risk. WRDA 2024 broadens this authority to put in place a National Coastal Mapping Program to better improve flood resilience nationwide.

Too often in Congress, partisan gridlock gives the impression we are too divided to find common ground on tangible solutions for all Americans. The truth is, there are plenty of bipartisan solutions to the challenges our communities face today. WRDA is a reinvigorating example of what can be achieved when Republicans and Democrats have the common goal of crafting pragmatic, commonsense, bipartisan solutions. Assuming the provisions of the House version are included in the final language after House and Senate negotiations, WRDA 2024 will make our nation’s water infrastructure and resiliency much stronger and improve our supply chains and competitiveness worldwide.

• Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he currently serves as chairman of the subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.