The Water Resources Coalition would like to welcome the Missouri Corn Growers Association, which has just become our newest member. The group was established in 1978 and is a grassroots organization of farmer-members, dedicated to increasing the profitability of corn production by developing and expanding corn markets.

 

We are happy to have the Missouri Corn Growers join our ever expanding association!

 

For more information on how to join the Water Resource Coalition can be found at our website or email us at info@waterresourcescoalition.org.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced on October 16 a major shift in its Senior Leadership team. Major General Merdith W.B. (Bo) Temple will become the Deputy Commanding General (DCG) in January 2010. MG Temple has served as the DCG for Civil and Emergency Operations since 2008. MG Temple will succeed Major General Don Riley, who has served and the DCG since April 1, 2008. MG William T. Grisoli, who has been serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Army, was named DGC for Civil and Emergency Operations.

MG Grisoli previously held senior positions with the Corps, including commander of its Northwestern and North Atlantic divisions. Prior to his appointment at the Civil Works, MG Temple was DCG for military and international programs. Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp remains Commander and Chief of Engineers. MG Jeffrey J. Dorko continues as the DCG for military and international operations.

The Water Resources Coalition thanks MG Riley for his friendship and his years of service to our nation. We also congratulate MG Temple and MG Grisoli on their new positions as we look forward to continue working with them to ensure the USACE mission is a success.

House leaders have began the lengthy process of putting together a new Water Resources Development Act ("WRDA") for consideration in 2010. WRDA a is biennial comprehensive water resources law that authorizes studies and projects within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mission areas, including navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection and environmental restoration.

 

On November 8, 2007, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-114) was last enacted into law. This law addressed a backlog of project authorizations, modifications and studies that had accumulated since the law's previous authorization in 2000. WRC has long advocated for timely passage of new WRDA bills to address new project studies and authorizations that have come up over the past two years.
 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will be holding a hearing on November 18, to discuss Member requests for the Water Resources Development Act of 2010.

 

Any projects submitted to the 110th Congress will have to be resubmitted and it is recommended that you contact your local US Army Corps of Engineers office regarding any potential requests.

 

The information necessary to submit a completed and valid WRDA project request includes:

The Lake Ponchartrain Basin Foundation recently released the "Coastal Lines of Defense Report Card" outlining the lack of progress on several critical restoration projects east and west of New Orleans. The report provides a look at restoration projects that could significantly reduce hurricane storm surge for the city and points out that many of the most crucial projects are either still awaiting federal funding or have not yet been designed.

 

The report assigned grades A through F to nine priority projects that would provide flood protection in the Pontchartrain Basin. It was sent to the Council on Environmental Quality and the group will update the report on a quarterly basis.

Conference committees from the House and Senate completed work on the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill for the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior this week.

The bill includes $32.2 billion in discretionary budget authority for the EPA and Interior. The bulk of the increase goes to wastewater and drinking-water infrastructure ($2 billion), restoration of the Great Lakes ($415 million), and climate change ($155 million).

EPA will receive $10.3 billion, $2.7 billion above the FY 2009 level. Of that amount, $3.6 billion will go to nearly 1,500 communities to upgrade their drinking-water and wastewater systems. This is an increase of $2 billion above 2009. EPA estimates a $662 billion construction need by 2019 for clean and safe drinking water infrastructure, the House Appropriations Committee said in its summary of the bill.

The bill directs $2.1 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance local sewer improvements and help communities meet the goals of the Clean Water Act. Another $1.38 billion for the drinking-water SRF was allocated to protect public health. Another $157 million was earmarked by House and Senate members for direct grants to communities for water infrastructure.

In addition, a substantial portion of the State Revolving Funds will be available as grants and subsidized loans to communities that cannot afford to pay back conventional loans.

On October 28, President Obama signed into law a $33.5 billion spending bill to fund government energy and water programs for teh 2010 fiscal year. The Senate cleared the final version of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill this past month, adopting the conference report by a vote of 80 - 17.

 

The final piece of legislation includes funding for the Corps of Engineers of $5.4 billion, $43 million above FY 2009 and $320 million above the administration's 2010 request. The agreement includes $2.4 billion, $198 million above 2009, to address more than $1 billion in the backlog of operations and maintenance for navigation infrastructure that is critical to the U.S. economy.

The bill also includes $2 billion for construction projects, $313 million above the request, and $160 million for investigations, $60 million above the request, "to plan and design America's next generation of water resource infrastructure."

Finally, the bill provides $1.13 billion to the Interior Department, $67 million above the request and $12 million above 2009, to continue to support and improve the nation's water infrastructure, including $1.1 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation for dams, canals, water treatment and conservation, and rural water projects.

 

The full text of the law can be accessed at:  http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3183enr.txt.pdf

Further details are included in the Conference Report: 

The Water Infrastructure Network, which many WRC members are also a part of, have been meeting with Members of Congress from the Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Science and Technology Committees seeking out co-sponsors to H.R. 3202, the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act. The bill would establish a federal trust fund supported by new taxes and fees on water users to finance the reconstruction of the nation's aging wastewater and drinking-water infrastructure.

 

The bill currently has 21 co-sponsors, 5 Republicans and 16 Democrats, with five of the co-sponsors signing on in just the past month.