The Senate still has yet to debate and vote on the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S. 2800) despite efforts to bring it to the floor before its August recess. This bill is the Senate version of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives June 8 in an overwhelming 408-2 vote. S. 2800 passed unanimously in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on May 22 . BPC has been actively advocating over the last year and beyond to increase federal funding for dredging and beneficial reuse; especially in a way that allows the San Francisco District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to increase its dredging activity and address the growing threat to the regional economy that has resulted from its inability to annually dredge the Richmond Outer Harbor and Pinole Shoal. BPC will continue to monitor this legislation closely.
Additionally, this month BPC received a copy of a report by the Corps entitled, “Hopper Dredge Recapitalization Analysis, Examination of the Corps and Industry Hopper Dredge Capacity: the Need, Composition, Location and Recapitalization of the Corps Hopper Dredge Fleet”. The report focuses on four of the Corps’ hopper dredges, which includes the Essayons, to better understand the need and options for recapitalizing them in light of current and anticipated industry hopper fleet capability and other factors.
Click here to read the full report.
Tags: army corps, army corps of engineers, US Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, WRDA
