Rep. Bonamici Touts Local Benefits of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici today emphasized the benefits of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which passed the House today with her support.

“The nation’s waterways are integral to the movement of goods,” Bonamici said. “This legislation will benefit thousands of Oregonians who rely on our waterways for their livelihood, and it will protect our vital ecosystem while putting us on a path toward more sustainability.”

The bill includes several provisions that directly benefit Oregon, including: invasive species prevention in the Columbia Basin; ecosystem restoration in the Columbia and Willamette River systems; a new land ownership designation for the City of Warrenton’s marina at Hammond Basin; and a pilot project to provide low-cost financing to local governments and others for water infrastructure improvement projects.

“Oregon’s waterway infrastructure network must be supported for our economy to thrive,” Bonamici said. “This legislation includes provisions for small ports and emerging harbors, which will especially benefit communities that are still struggling to recover from the economic recession. Often these ports can’t compete for harbor maintenance funding, but this legislation takes steps to address that.”

This is the first time in seven years Congress has passed a water infrastructure bill. Bonamici supported the bill, but not necessarily all of its provisions.

“The original report attributed a backlog of permits to the environmental review process. I supported a clarification to recognize that budget challenges faced by the Army Corps of Engineers have contributed to the backlog,” Bonamici said. “Nevertheless, the compromise language in the conference report is an improvement from the original version and will help Oregon maintain its thriving waterways and delicate environmental ecosystems.”

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