WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, praised the Senate for passing the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) (S. 601) by a vote of 83 to 14. 

Barrasso successfully included provisions to WRDA that will cut waste in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget, restore important stream gauges that monitor flooding and drought, provide funding for rural communities to comply with federal regulations, protect Wyoming water rights and give tribes access to water project financing. 

“Today, the Senate came together to pass bipartisan legislation that will help communities in Wyoming and all across the country better predict and prepare for floods. This bill will help save lives and property, while cutting wasteful spending at the same time,” said Barrasso.

Background on the Barrasso Provisions Included in WRDA:

Deauthorization Process – Senator Barrasso authored and secured language to create an Army Corp project deauthorization process that mimics the BRAC process that the Department of Defense uses to close or reconsolidate military bases.  This is a process where an independent 8 member commission called the Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission (IDC), would pick projects for deauthorization based on established criteria.  Then the Commission would submit those projects as one package for an up or down vote in Congress.  According to the National Academy of Sciences, there is a $60 billion backlog in Corps projects.

Upper Missouri Basin Flood and Drought Monitoring – Senator Barrasso secured an authorization for $11.25 million to restore the stream gauges and snow pack monitors through the Upper Missouri Basin.  These gauges are used to monitor snow depth and soil moisture to help inform agencies like the Corps as to potential flooding and drought. 

Rural Water Technical Assistance – Senator Barrasso authored and secured technical assistance funding to help rural communities comply with environmental regulations.  Rural communities often do not have the expertise or funding to make important upgrades to their water systems as a result of environmental mandates.  

Protecting Wyoming Water Rights – Senator Barrasso secured language to protect Wyoming water rights in the Northern Rockies Headwaters Extreme weather title.  This section allows environmental groups to apply for funding to manage “instream flows restoration projects” and do “floodplain restoration” along the headwaters of the Columbia, Missouri, and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries. Barrasso secured language that states that “Nothing in this section invalidates, preempts, or creates any exception to State water law, State water rights, or Federal or State permitted activities or agreements in the States of Idaho and Montana, or any State containing tributaries to rivers in those States.”

Making Tribes Eligible for Water Project Financing – Senator Barrasso secured language to make tribes eligible for loans that can go to repairing and replacing of an aging water distribution facility and community water system.   

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