Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC-07) joined Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders in announcing a Committee markup of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), legislation they will introduce when the House of Representatives is next in session on Tuesday.  As Chairman of the Subcommittee, Rouzer played a key role in drafting this legislation and securing priorities specific to Southeastern North Carolina such as flood resiliency and beach renourishment projects.

The markup of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.

This legislation provides authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to carry out critical water resources development projects and studies.  Regular consideration of locally-driven, rigorously-studied, and nationally-significant water resources infrastructure is key to preserving our nation’s economy, strengthening U.S. and international commerce, protecting our communities and businesses during natural disasters, and maintaining our quality of life.

“The Water Resources Development Act is very important legislation necessary to ensure that the country’s water resources needs are addressed on a consistent bi-partisan basis," said Chairman Rouzer.  "Whether urban or rural, inland or coastal, this bill is critical to ensuring solutions to these challenges are achieved in our communities nationwide.  Of particular importance to my constituents in North Carolina’s Seventh Congressional District are the coastal restoration and nourishment projects, which mitigate damage from frequent coastal storms, as well as the projects addressing inland and coastal flooding to help protect property and families from flood risk.  Since 2014, Congress has enacted a WRDA bill every two years with strong bipartisan support.  As chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment, I’m honored to have helped lead the effort in crafting a very good bill that keeps with our institutional bi-partisan tradition."

“Congress’ regular passage of WRDA legislation provides economic benefits throughout the United States, and this bill includes provisions to deliver infrastructure projects faster, strengthen our supply chain, and increase accountability at the Corps,”said Chairman Graves.  “This important bill will make our ports more competitive globally, allow our inland waterways to more efficiently move products and commodities to markets, and better protect our communities from flooding – something that’s particularly important for the people of North Missouri, where we’re bordered by the mighty Mississippi River and the muddy Missouri River.  Thankfully, this bill takes a big step forward in advancing flood control and navigation on both of these rivers, which are a lifeline for our communities and the country.  I want to thank Representatives Larsen, Rouzer, and Napolitano for working with me to gather over 1,900 requests from Members of Congress and the stakeholder community, and developing this bipartisan legislation to deliver water resources improvements throughout the nation."

“The sixth consecutive bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) will invest in ports, harbors, and inland waterways across the country to create and sustain jobs and boost the U.S. economy,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “It will build on a decade of consistent work to strengthen flood control, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, keeping people healthy and communities protected. Critically, WRDA 2024 will help communities increase resiliency amid emerging challenges including prolonged droughts and more severe storms. The bill also bolsters early engagement with disadvantaged, rural, and Tribal communities, ensuring access to the Corps’ expertise for often-overlooked communities. I thank Chairman Sam Graves, Subcommittee Ranking Member Napolitano, and Subcommittee Chairman Rouzer for their leadership advancing this legislation to make our infrastructure cleaner, greener, and more resilient."

“I am so grateful to have spent the past 10 years working with leaders such as Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, and Chairman Rouzer to draft bipartisan WRDA legislation,” said Ranking Member Napolitano.  “We thank the many Members who brought important ideas to our Committee that provided the foundation for this instrumental water infrastructure bill.  WRDA again sets the policies and creates the programs that provide our nation with flood control, environmental improvements, and maritime transportation.  I am particularly pleased that WRDA 2024 will make water supply a primary mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in order to use existing and new Corps resources more effectively to provide water to local communities."

WRDA 2024 authorizes 159 new feasibility studies for locally proposed projects and 12 projects that have been thoroughly reviewed by the Corps and have culminated in a final report to Congress with approval by the Chief of Engineers or the Director of Civil Works

WRDA 2024 North Carolina priorities championed by Congressman Rouzer include:

• Advancing the National Coastal Mapping Program and North Carolina Pilot Program: In WRDA 2022, Congressman Rouzer secured authorization to establish an innovative program for North Carolina to map inland and coastal waterways to identify potential hazards, such as debris and sedimentation, leading to increased flood risk.
  
  
  • In WRDA 2024, Congressman Rouzer secured authorization for the Corps to carry out the National Coastal Mapping Program to provide recurring national coastal mapping along the coasts of the United States to prevent flood risk.
    
    
• Clarifying Local Use of Dredged Material Placement Sites: For years, coastal municipalities and businesses in North Carolina have dredged their canals and marinas in nearby areas referred to as “spoil sites”.  Since the creation of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Corps has had indefinite access to simultaneously use those spoil sites.  However, in 2017, the Corps issued guidance that effectively prohibited nonfederal entities from disposing of dredged materials where Corps is authorized to use it—even if they have not in decades.  As a result, these nonfederal entities could not access these sites despite the fact the Corps did not use them.  Congressman Rouzer secured a provision to clarify the ability for nonfederal entities to use these sites.
  
  
• Improving Flood Resiliency and Coastal Storm Risk Management: WRDA 2024 authorizes the Corps to study projects for flood protection as well as the protection and restoration of coastal shorelines and riverbanks from erosion and other damaging forces.  Congressman Rouzer worked to specifically include:
  
  
  • Flood risk management feasibility studies for Jackeys Creek, the Northeast Cape Fear River and Black River, as well as Highway 53 between I-40 and HWY 50 which serves as the main transportation route between Burgaw, as well as outlying areas of Pender County.  
  • A feasibility study for beach renourishment projects for Bald Head Island.
    
    
• Authorizing UNCW to Work with the U.S. Army Corps: Congressman Rouzer secured a provision to add UNCW to a list of authorized institutions of higher education eligible to conduct academic research alongside the Corps.  This allows them to join efforts in researching flood mitigation, coastal resiliency, water resource ecology, water quality, aquatic ecosystem restoration, coastal restoration, and more.
  
  
• Supporting the North Carolina Environmental Infrastructure Program: WRDA 2007 authorized the North Carolina Environmental Infrastructure Program, which allows the Corps in North Carolina to conduct water infrastructure improvement projects subject to the availability of funds.  Congressman Rouzer secured additional funding to allow the program to continue participating in activities such as wastewater treatment, strengthening drinking water infrastructure, environmental restoration, and improving stormwater infrastructure.
  
  
  • Strengthening Local Water Infrastructure: Within the North Carolina Environmental Infrastructure Program, Congressman Rouzer included a provision to authorize funding for the Town of Fairmont’s water main replacement.  With the oldest lines within the Town’s system believed to be installed with the original system in the 1910s, much of the remaining material has passed its useful service life and poses an ongoing maintenance concern.
    
    
• Expediting the Surf City Coastal Storm Risk Management Project: The Surf City and North Topsail Beach renourishment project was authorized in WRDA 2014 and funded through the Construction Account of the Disaster Relief Act, 2019. However, North Topsail Beach withdrew from the project in 2021, triggering the need to authorize a Surf City-only project to use the Disaster Relief Act of 2019 funds.  Congressman Rouzer secured language for the Corps to expedite the report, allowing the project to move forward.

Click here for legislative text and for more information on WRDA.