Senate and House leaders have come to an agreement regarding legislation that will provide funding for waterway, harbor, and port infrastructure projects across the country.
The Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 is the re-authorization of legislation that every two years delegates billions of dollars on water infrastructure efforts.
This year’s version of the legislation will particularly target water infrastructure needs in Native American communities nationally.
The legislation also delegates some $4.4 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for safe drinking water projects, a program that has not been implemented since the early 1990s.
In a statement, Delaware Senator Tom Carper, the ranking member of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, lauded the Water Infrastructure Act for expanding “our investment in drinking water for the first time in more than two decades.”
This year’s legislation also moves to take away money from authorized feasibility studies no longer regarded as viable. That part of the bill, according to its sponsors, will free up around $7.5 billion in available funding.
Supporter of the legislation also say it will place a larger emphasis on local community input regarding which projects should ultimately be funded.
The Water Infrastructure Act is one of three large appropriations bills that lawmakers hope to pass ahead of a threatened government shutdown in October.
The measure still needs to win the final approval of both the full Senate and House before being sent to President Trump for his signature.
By Garry Boulard
