Illinois Congresswoman Bustos Votes to Make Critical Investments in Nation’s Water Infrastructure
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act, legislation that will authorize crucial investments in America’s ports, inland waterways, flood management systems, ecosystems and other water resources infrastructure.
“Inland waterways like the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers are critical to delivering tons of goods to market each year – and they’re essential to bringing goods from our family farmers to the global market,” said Congresswoman Bustos. “Today’s bipartisan vote on the Water Resources Development Act is a critical step in maintaining our waterway infrastructure for the folks who rely on it.”
Earlier this year, Bustos secured $829 million in funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) on the Upper Mississippi River System. The funding will be used to complete the modernization of Lock & Dam 25, including the construction of a new 1,200-foot lock, as well as an environmental restoration project at Lock & Dam 22 and other small-scale ecosystem and navigation projects in the region.
Cheri Bustos
Bustos also successfully secured an additional $45.1 million for NESP as part of the Community Project Funding process in the final Fiscal Year 2023 government funding package signed into law earlier this year.
WRDA 2022 includes provisions that:
- Improve U.S. water infrastructure by authorizing the study and construction of locally-driven projects developed in cooperation and consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Strengthen America’s economy through investment in our ports, harbors and inland waterways, which will increase efficiency and support supply chains.
- Build more resilient communities by restoring natural infrastructure and ensuring new infrastructure helps to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, extreme weather, sea-level rise and other challenges posed by climate change.
- Improve America’s ports and harbors, while ensuring efficient and effective use of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund dollars unlocked by WRDA 2020.
- Direct the Corps to increase coordination with Tribal, indigenous and economically disadvantaged communities to ensure that water resources development needs across the nation are met.
