Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., a member of the conference committee on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), revealed a few details of the bill’s contents Friday when he announced that he had signed the conference report.

WRRDA, which authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding and policies for flood protection, ports, waterways, drinking water, environmental restoration and dam projects, is expected to come to the floor of the House and Senate soon.

“I am satisfied that this bipartisan water infrastructure bill will address problems in our district and across the nation,” Garamendi said.

Garamendi said WRRDA:

• Authorizes the Sutter Basin Flood Protection Project on the Feather River;
• Authorizes the Natomas Levee Project;
• Accelerates the process for water infrastructure projects, based on the expedited “3x3” system that has been used in California;
• Allows the Army Corps to make a decision on levee vegetation based on local circumstances, instead of indiscriminatingly clear cutting on the Sacramento River and elsewhere.
• Makes changes to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF), so that more money in the fund actually goes to ports. Garamendi added, “Almost half of the fund is taken out each year to address general fund needs rather than going back into our ports. California pays more than it gets back. California ports have less dredging needs than other parts of the country, so they support the expanded use of the HMTF for project needs dockside, which is in the bill.”