Miss. Senator: $153 million for Army Corps would support water infrastructure projects in Mississippi
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) praised committee passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA), a biennial legislation that authorizes flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The bill passed by a vote of 20-0 and includes provisions that would authorize at least $153.6 million in various Army Corps infrastructure projects throughout the state of Mississippi.
Senator Wicker said that he looks forward to the Senate’s consideration of the legislation and is excited to see what it could do to improve infrastructure and advance economic development in Mississippi.
“I was pleased to join my colleagues on the committee in advancing this important bill,” Wicker said. “The Water Resources Development Act would deliver needed funds to vital Army Corps projects across Mississippi.”
Among other policies that would benefit Mississippi, WRDA would:
- Increase authorized funding for the Section 592 Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure account from $200 million to $300 million.
- Expand eligible uses for these account dollars to include stormwater management, drainage systems, and water quality enhancement.
- Authorize Section 219 funding for environmental infrastructure in five Mississippi Communities. Those funds and communities include $13.6 million for Clinton, $10 million for Meridian, $10 million for Oxford, and $10 million for Madison County.
- Expedite an Army Corps study to construct a future flood control project in DeSoto County.
- Include language expediting Army Corps environmental infrastructure projects.
- Authorize the Army Corps to cooperate with industry on Civil Works research and development projects.
- Expand the pilot program for controlling Asian Carp to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
- Remind the Army Corps that addressing shoreline sloughing and erosion is an eligible Operations and Maintenance activity for Okatibbee Lake.
- Lower the non-federal sponsor match to 10% for a Lower Mississippi River study.
- Establish a pilot program to allow localities and private entities to apply for funding assistance for conservation projects in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.
You can view the full text of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 below.
Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 by yallpolitics on Scribd
Anne Summerhays
