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 Washington, DC- Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) today applauded House passage of the conference report to the Water Resources Reform & Development Act (WRRDA) by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 412-4.

“I am proud to support this long-overdue water resources legislation,” Palazzo stated. “Over the past year, I worked closely with Chairman Shuster and the Transportation Committee to ensure this legislation supports investments in local infrastructure. Serious reforms to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund will give ports the ability to expedite much-needed dredging and deepening of channels and attract new business to South Mississippi. Finally, we worked to prevent this legislation from being used as a blank check for Louisiana’s Land Bridge Project, which has raised flooding concerns in Hancock County, Mississippi.”  

In March 2013, Palazzo hosted House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster to meet with local officials and survey the area’s water resources needs in anticipation of The Water Resources Reform & Development Act (WRRDA). The bill authorizes Army Corps of Engineers development projects and programs and includes a wide variety of projects, including ports, channels, harbors, beach management, levee repair, flood emergency and water infrastructure. Historically, the bill was reauthorized every two years, but this year’s bill is the first to be enacted since 2007.

The bill contains historic reforms to the environmental review and authorization process and would streamline projects without utilizing earmarks. It authorizes several Mississippi projects that have been in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers plans since 2009 as part of the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Plan.  Palazzo also worked to prevent the bill from authorizing the Louisiana Lake Pontchartrain land bridge project, which had the potential to increase flooding in Hancock County.  The legislation fully offsets new projects by de-authorizing old projects and includes sunset provisions that prevent future project backlogs.  The bill maximizes the flexibility of non-federal entities to contribute funds to projects in order to get them completed. 

On Monday, Palazzo praised the water resources bill as he welcomed McDermott International and 100 new jobs to the Port of Gulfport.

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