RL33504
Water Resources Development Act (WRDA): Corps of Engineers Authorization Issues
July 14, 2006

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Summary:

Congress authorizes Army Corps of Engineers water resources studies and projects before appropriating funds to them. The 109th Congress is considering authorizing Corps activities through a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) -- H.R. 2864 and S. 728. The House passed H.R. 2864 in July 2005; S. 728 was placed on the Senate calendar in April 2005. Reportedly some Senators are pushing for a vote by the August recess. Hurricane Katrina increased support for hurricane protection and flood control, and Louisiana and other Gulf Coast projects, while increasing interest in streamlining federal spending. The pending WRDA bills have not been acted on since before Hurricane Katrina. The Administration has expressed concerns both about the level of authorizations in WRDA bills creating false expectations for federal appropriations, and about WRDA bills not addressing the backlog of authorized Corps projects. The Administration's position has been one factor shaping the debate on the pending bills; authorization of a few controversial projects (e.g., Everglades restoration projects) and possible changes to Corps policies and practices have also been factors. A Manager's amendment to S. 728 and other amendments are anticipated during consideration on the Senate floor. Amendments may address water resources policy issues and projects receiving attention in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Some observers also anticipate amendments to provisions on Corps policy and procedures (e.g., amendments to provisions on the independent review of Corps projects) and amendments on authorizations of controversial projects. Coastal Louisiana Restoration and Protection. Prior to the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, Congress was considering authorizing coastal Louisiana wetlands restoration projects through provisions in S. 728 and H.R. 2864. These provisions drew upon a mid-2005 Corps report that recommended $1.1 billion in immediate actions, and estimated an additional cost of $0.9 billion for future projects. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, wetlands proposals with components focused more directly on storm damage reduction are being developed. Additionally, some measures proposed for fortifying the structural elements of New Orleans' hurricane protection system require congressional authorization and may be included in either WRDA or other legislation (e.g., H.R. 5461). Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway (UMR-IWW). S. 728 and H.R. 2864 include authorization of UMR-IWW navigation and ecosystem restoration investments. The Corps' Chief of Engineers recommended proceeding with construction of the proposed navigation projects; in contrast, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) supported the design of the navigation locks, but recommended waiting on construction until additional economic data is available. This report replaces CRS Issue Brief IB10133, Water Resources Development Act (WRDA): Army Corps of Engineers Authorization Issues in the 109th Congress, coordinated by Nicole T. Carter. This report will be updated as events warrant.