(Washington D.C.) Iowa U.S. District #3 Representative Cindy Axne and the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously advanced the final version of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, which authorizes Army Corps of Engineers flood prevention projects, repairs locks, and dams, and addresses water management issues.
Axne says nearly a decade ago, the town of Hamburg was told to either come up with $5.6 million dollars or tear down a temporary levee that provided protection. She says despite their best efforts, the levee was reduced and last spring the community faced more flooding. Axne called this an unacceptable issue, and fought at every turn to ensure the Army Corps has the authority to make this type of fix so no other community has to suffer through the bureaucratic red tape that Hamburg had to.
The House of Representatives passed WRDA earlier this year and now, after clearing bicameral negotiations with the Senate, the legislation heads to the President’s desk for his signature.
The legislation passed by the House today includes numerous priorities that Rep. Axne has repeatedly advocated for, including:
- New authority for the Army Corps of Engineers to address the needs of communities facing repeated flooding events, such as Hamburg, Iowa – which Rep. Axne sought to address through legislation introduced last year
- An increase in funding authority for the Des Moines Birdland Levee, which flooded communities along the Des Moines River in 2008 and needs additional repairs
- Increased adjustments for the federal cost share of Inland Waterways projects to develop critical infrastructure along the Mississippi River
- Expedited processing of permits and approvals for repairs of flood control infrastructure caused by flooding in 2019
- Language that directs the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the comprehensive Lower Missouri River Basin study
