The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure released its oversight plan on Jan. 23. On the top of the list for the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment are funding issues for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. As such, a key priority for the full committee is reauthorizing the Water Resources Development Act, which helps fund flood control, water supply, and environmental restoration projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The committee is also interested in improving stormwater management and specifically calls for focus on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s integrated planning efforts, management of sewer overflows, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System implementation, and water quality trading. According to the plan, “continued improvement of water quality will likely require a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory approaches, as well as continued investment in water infrastructure programs.”