[StBernard] House overwhelmingly passes WRDA conference report despite veto threat

[Westley Annis]

House overwhelmingly passes WRDA conference report despite veto threat

WASHINGTON – By an overwhelming – and substantially veto-proof – majority vote of 381-40, the U.S. House of Representatives voted late last night to pass a conference committee-approved final draft of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA), legislation that promises historic investments of more than $3 billion for Louisiana flood control, hurricane protection, coastal restoration, waterway improvements, and ecosystem rehabilitation projects, including, on the local level, an authorization of $187 million for flood control projects in East Baton Rouge Parish.

U.S. Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, who serves as ranking member of the Water Resources subcommittee, and served as a House conferee on the House-Senate conference committee, praised last night’s action by the House and the response it represents to a veto threat from the White House.

“With the incredible challenges facing Louisiana since Katrina and Rita, last night’s vote is just an enormous step forward to getting authorization on projects like Morganza and the Louisiana Coastal Area, which represents the largest coastal restoration project in American history,” said Baker.  “I can understand the fiscal concerns of the White House, but I think it’s important for them to consider that because of the long time it’s taken to pass this bill, it’s really three WRDA bills in one.  I would also hope that the White House understands and respects just how vitally important the projects in this bill are for Louisiana, and I for one will fight to make sure a veto is not the last word on the subject."

Highest at stake in the bill – the first WRDA legislation in seven years – for post-Katrina and Rita Louisiana, is authorization of over $1.9 billion in funding and Corps work on numerous coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects in the Louisiana Coastal Area, as well as $886.7 million for hurricane and flood protection projects for the Atchafalaya Basin from Morganza to the Gulf.

On the authorization of $187 million for flood control projects in East Baton Rouge, Baker said:

“Between raising the authorization level and changing the cost-share formula, we’re talking about a substantial increased federal investment and savings to the parish of $40 million for projects that mean greater safety to people and property."

Also, the bill includes language by Baker that would authorize the Corps for the first time to participate with other agencies to assess and seek solutions for the “hypoxia” problem or the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico impacting Louisiana fishing, which recent reports indicate is growing worse.  The provision would bring the Corps’ unique expertise in wetlands, specifically nutrient filters that mitigate against hypoxia, and waterways that deliver the nutrients, to bear on a unified plan to deal with hypoxia.

New Baton Rouge-area projects included in the conference report:

St. Francisville Drainage: Authorizes the Corps to initiate improvements for flood-prone areas of the town.

False River: Expedites Corps work to address the siltation problem harming this vital Pointe Coupee Parish lake.

Intracoastal Waterway Stream Bank Restoration: Directs the Corps to address severe erosion problems on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Bayou Sorrel Lock in Iberville Parish.

Louisiana and Baton Rouge area projects in the WRDA bill include:

Louisiana Coastal Area: Authorizes $1.9 billion, which represents the largest coastal restoration project in American history.

Morganza to Gulf: Authorizes the $886.7 million project for the area between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers from the Morganza Floodway in Pointe Coupee Parish to the Gulf Coast and including the watershed area that makes up most of Acadiana. Project authorizes the Corps to conduct massive, extensive flood and hurricane protection; wetlands, natural resource, wildlife habitat, ecosystem conservation; and to help facilitate recreational, commercial, and sportsman activities.

East Baton Rouge Riverfront:  Expands a 1998 authorization for the Corps’ riverfront work in West Baton Rouge Parish now to include East Baton Rouge Parish and West Feliciana Parish.

University/City Park Lakes: Authorizes the Corps to expedite this dredging and ecosystem restoration project.

East Baton Rouge Parish Flood Control: Authorizes a new, higher level of $187 million. The bill language also changes the federal cost share from 65/35 to 75/25.  The higher authorization, combined with the cost-share change, will provide a $40 million rise in federal investment and savings to the parish.

Bayou Sorrel Lock: Authorization to reconstruct the $100 million lock in Iberville Parish, a critical choke point for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Bayou Plaquemine: Saves the city of Plaquemine $400,000 toward this $2 million project that provides environmental enhancement of Bayou Plaquemine by increasing the dissolved oxygen and lowering the temperature of bayou waters which are currently experiencing habitat degradation.

Watershed Management programs: Provides technical, planning, and design assistance to non-federal interests for carrying out watershed management, restoration, and development projects at the Amite River Basin and East Atchafalaya River.

Flood mitigation priority areas: Provides technical, planning, and design assistance to non-federal interests for carrying out flood mitigation, restoration, and development projects in Ascension, EBR, Iberville, Livingston, and Pointe Coupee parishes. Here the Corps is authorized to conduct projects that reduce flooding while trying to restore rivers to their natural condition.

EBR, Livingston, and Ascension parish wastewater - Increases authorized funding level from $20 million to $35 million.

Plaquemine sanitary, sewer and wastewater infrastructure improvements:  Authorizes funding level of $7 million.

Hypoxia: Authorizes the Corps to begin working with other federal, state, and other agencies to address the hypoxia situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

-30-

For more news about Congressman Baker, please visit
www.baker.house.gov