WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, issued the following statement after EPW passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 unanimously out of committee today:
“The Water Resources Development Act and this committee is an example of the diversity of our great country. This bill serves as an exemplary example of what can be done when we work together, when we collaborate, and when we care about our nation’s water infrastructure,” said Senator Cramer. “This legislation, for those of us in the West, prioritizes Western states’ water rights and works toward better cooperative federalism with the Army Corps of Engineers that was envisioned by our nation’s founders and the authors of the Flood Control Act of 1944. It also focuses on recreation, you know the Army Corps doesn’t oftentimes get credit for this, but they are a significant federal land management agency often overlooked to provide greater recreational opportunities for our constituents. This bill gives flexibility to the local jurisdictions for the Army Corps to make repairs quicker and provide improved recreational access while requiring the Army Corps to outline a plan for future use of these resources.”
“It provides increased funding levels for water and wastewater programs utilized and sought after by the small towns throughout North Dakota and throughout the entire country. In a number of instances, I along with a number of my colleagues take this once every two years opportunity to provide the Army congressional direction on matters that are important to our constituents, including entering into an agreement with the Red River Valley Water Supply project manager to ensure water supply from the project reaches its beneficial users and providing the necessary hydrologic analysis to protect our flood control interests in the Souris River Basin,” continued Senator Cramer.
“I want to extend my gratitude to the North Dakota Attorney General’s office, North Dakota Department of Water Resources, and other stakeholders for their invaluable input throughout this process, helping deliver wins for our state,” concluded Senator Cramer.
WRDA is biennial legislation that authorizes flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Through his leadership in crafting WRDA he has secured the inclusion of North Dakota water priorities.