Water Resources Development Act Authorization Requests
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works continues to work on the next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA is the authorizing legislation for civil works projects conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. WRDA projects may include: Chief of Engineers reports, modifications to existing Corps of Engineers’ projects, study authorizations for new projects, and miscellaneous projects consistent with the civil works program demonstrating a federal interest. Projects authorized under WRDA are subject to cost-sharing defined in statute and range from 20 percent to 100 percent non-Federal share depending on the project’s purposes.
The following projects have been submitted by Senator Leahy to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for inclusion in the WRDA reauthorization. This is authorizing legislation (funding does not result from passage of this legislation) for the programs and projects of the civil works program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These requests were submitted by Senator Leahy in 2010, further action by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has not yet been taken.
Lake Champlain Watershed
The Lake Champlain watershed continues to need critical restoration through projects, activities, and substantial ecosystem restoration, preservation, and protection. The Army Corps of Engineers works with a variety of local partners including state and local governments and non-governmental organizations in the watershed to undertake many pollution prevention and control projects as well as restoration projects basin-wide. Current projects underway include: design/construction of storm-water infiltration structures, river stabilization and habitat improvement measures, design and construction of urban watershed restoration measures to improve the stream health, and drainage improvements. The requested changes in authorizing language will 1.) increase the funds available for the watershed Army Corps Projects by $18,000,000 and 2.) make a technical change in the existing authorizing language for how smaller projects in the Lake Champlain watershed are approved to allow them to proceed in a timely manner. The current lengthy timelines for even the smallest projects are forcing these smaller but equally important projects to rely solely upon state funding rather than utilize this authority.
Burlington Harbor and Waterfront Improvements
A study was requested for the Secretary to determine if various harbor, shoreline and waterfront improvement projects are feasible. These improvements could include but are not limited to the restoration of the shoreline through a natural “softening” as well as repair, stabilization and improvement of existing rip-rap, bulkheads, the removal of lake bottom debris that create navigational hazards, installation of passive and/or mechanical systems to treat surface water runoff into Lake Champlain, recreational amenities to enhance public access to the Lake, wave attenuation structures to protect boat moorage, and a comprehensive landside and harbor bottom survey of environmental conditions.
Shelburne Bollards
Abandoned fuel depot bollards in Shelburne Bay presents a hazard to navigation in an area that is very popular for sailors and other boaters. There is an existing authorization for a similar removal oil bollards in Burlington, VT and the efficiency of combining the two projects would result in the removal of obstructions from the navigable waters of Shelburne Bay. These bollards were once used by barges to transport fuel to the great Burlington area and now several decades later they have become a hazard to boats that frequent Shelburne Bay. The Shelburne bollards may also represent an ongoing toxic pollution hazard to Lake Champlain in that there may be residual fuel in standpipes and traps, subject to leaking into the lake.
Vermont Dam Remediation Program
A request to amend Section 543 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, as amended by Sec. 3156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, by adding four dams to the list of Vermont dams for which the Corps is directed to evaluate the structural integrity and need for modification or removal, to provide designs and cost estimates for the repair, restoration, modification, and removal, and to carry out measures if the Corps determines that any of the dams present an imminent and substantial risk to public safety, or to restore, protect, and preserve an ecosystem. No change in the authorization amount is required. The four dams to be added are: Institute Pond Dam, Lyndon; Pleasant Valley Reservoir Dam, Brattleboro; Windsor Upper Dam, Windsor; and St. Albans South Reservoir Dam, Fairfax.
National Sustainable Rivers Program
The purpose of the National Sustainable River Program is to improve the environmental health of the nation’s river systems through the establishment and maintenance of an effective program to bring together the expertise and resources of the Federal and non-Federal communities to improve water management practices in order to restore, maintain, and enhance environmental health, social benefits, and resiliency to climate change. It is not the intent of this section to preempt any other Federal or State authorities nor is it the intent of this section to mandate State participation in the program to be established under this section.