Legislative Update: Water Infrastructure Appropriations

The U.S. House of Representatives has been busy marking up the FY2021 appropriations bills and intends vote on a package (H.R. 7617) of seven of the 12 annual appropriations bills next week. Included in the package is the Energy and Water Development spending bill (H.R. 7613) which funds improvements for the nation’s water infrastructure under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of the Interior programs. The FY21 spending bill invests $49.6 billion in Energy and Water Development programs, an increase of $1.26 billion, or 3 percent, above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level. The bill provides an additional $43.5 billion in emergency spending to build and repair water infrastructure projects and modernize energy infrastructure.

Army Corp of Engineers – The bill provides a total of $7.63 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion above the President’s budget request. This allocation includes $2.6 billion in construction of which $10 billion will be to accelerate projects that provide flood mitigation and other projects that restore the environment. There is also $17 billion in emergency funding to accelerate work on Corps projects that improve water infrastructure while reducing backlog.

Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation – The bill provides a total of $1.66 billion for the Department, an increase of $518 million above the President’s budget request. The bill provides $502 million in additional funding for water resources projects, including those authorized in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. An additional $3 billion is designated as emergency funding to accelerate work on the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation projects and improve water infrastructure.

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