Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-3) today introduced the bipartisan Dam Integrity Act alongside Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-2) and Morgan McGarvey (KY-3) to mitigate future failures and flooding across America’s inland dams. The bill will require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to Congress on the status of dams in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Watershed Program.
“In Wisconsin, we know that floods can be devastating,” said Van Orden. “The Dam Integrity Act will keep our communities safer and ensure that destruction like that caused by the 2018 flooding will not happen again.”
“The recent flooding in New Hampshire underscores how important dam safety and rehabilitation are for our communities,” said Kuster. “This bipartisan legislation will help us better understand the state of our dam infrastructure to ensure we allocate critical dam safety and removal resources where they are needed most.”
In 2018, five dams failed and caused severe flooding across Wisconsin’s Third District – damaging homes and businesses. The USDA estimates that by 2030, 7,829 dams operating under the Watershed Program authority will exceed their service life and will likely need significant repairs or reconstruction in order to operate safely.
The Dam Integrity Act will address dams in need of significant repairs or reconstruction for public safety and those fit to continue providing services. It will also provide additional oversight into the maintenance and repairs of USDA Watershed Program dams, which will mitigate future dam failures and flooding.
Issues: Infrastructure
Original source can be found here.
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