WC Wisconsin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) voted in favor of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s 2024 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA is legislation that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of water resources infrastructure. This legislation directly impacts Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District.

“The Third District of Wisconsin has the largest continuous section of the Mississippi River than any other congressional district in the country,” said Congressman Van Orden. “That makes having a comprehensive and effective WRDA package that much more important to me and my constituents. Today’s committee markup included multiple provisions and policies that provide for the Third District, especially as it pertains to flood risk management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and operations. I am very proud of the work we did together to pass this bipartisan bill out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and I look forward to it being passed out of the House and signed into law.”

The committee's bill included several measures beneficial to the Third Congressional District:

- New study authorization for levee accreditation in La Crosse City, investigating flood risk issues associated with the Mississippi River and its local tributaries, including Black and La Crosse Rivers.

- An increase in spending limits from $10 million to $15 million for Continuing Authorities Programs (CAPs), allowing smaller Army Corps projects to be implemented more efficiently. This includes ongoing projects:

- Flood risk management on Trempealeau River in Arcadia

- Ecosystem restoration for River Falls Kinni Corridor Project in River Falls

- Authorization for a new Upper Mississippi River System Flood Risk and Resilience Study, enabling collaboration between the Corps and non-federal interests on system-wide flood risk management.

- The Lake Access Keeping Economies Strong (LAKES) Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Van Orden, permitting portions of recreation fees collected at Army Corps recreational sites to be retained on site for public-private investments, management, and operations improvements.

- Section 150 demanding an update from the Army Corps on its 2018 WRDA report concerning backlog maintenance.

- Reauthorization through 2028 for FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program along with enhancements to the High Hazard Potential Dam program.