President signs nature-based water infrastructure package

The Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 passed the House on December 10, 2024, and the Senate on December 18, 2024.

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is typically passed every two years. The bill authorizes funding for water infrastructure projects carried out across the country by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The bill helps the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintain and improve the country’s inland waterways infrastructure, ports, harbors and flood and storm protections.

According to Congress’ website, the bill authorizes, deauthorizes and modifies various water resources feasibility studies and projects.

According to The Nature Conservancy, around 200 local projects received feasibility studies in the bill and 22 were authorized for construction.

WRDA projects

Studies and projects include:

• Make certain waterways more navigable
• Support water supply and storage projects
• Reduce flood and storm damage
• Restore aquatic ecosystems and conserve fish and wildlife
• Maintain ports and harbors
• Manage recreational sites and facilities
• Rehabilitate dams
• Construct water and wastewater infrastructure
• Support other water resource infrastructure

“Once again, Congress has demonstrated that nature can unite us,” said U.S. Federal Water Policy Team Lead for The Nature Conservancy Stephanie Bailenson in a press release. “WRDA is a biennial affirmation of what commonsense, practical investments in nature can benefit our communities, our economy and our natural world. Since 2016, Congess has directed the Corps to consider natural and nature-based solutions alongside or instead of traditional infrastructure. This latest act continues that trend.”

In the House, the bill was introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larson, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer, and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Grace Napolitano.

“This WRDA delivers critical water resource infrastructure improvements for communities across America – from ports to levees to navigation channels, and more,” said Chairman Graves in a press release. “The bill also makes reforms at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline processes, reduce cumbersome red tape and get projects done faster.”

The measure was approved in the House with a vote of 399 to 18.

The bill was then presented to the Senate and passed with a vote of 97-1.

The bill was presented to the President on December 26, 2024, and signed into law on January 4, 2025.