Federal bill would improve Arkansas water infrastructure resources

WASHINGTON, D.C (KAIT) – A bill headed to the president’s desk includes provisions to strengthen water infrastructure resources in the Natural State.

According to a news release from U.S. Senator John Boozman, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 passed in the Senate.

The bill would authorize water and wastewater projects, invest in ports and inland waterways, and improve U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs.

“It is incredibly important for Congress to come together in a bipartisan way to preserve and enhance it so our economy can grow and our quality of life continues to improve,” Boozman stated.

According to the news release, several provisions authored by Boozman aim to make key investments in Arkansas water infrastructure:

• Advancing the reallocation study for the Beaver Water District

• Modifying the federally authorized area of Osceola Harbor to manage the increased barge traffic, supporting the growth of the port and regional steel industry which significantly contributes to economic development in the region

• Prioritizing funding for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System to mitigate cost overruns with a cost-share adjustment. This would allow the nation to realize sizable economic returns, reduce the supply chain’s environmental footprint, and address uncertainty in the global agricultural and energy markets

• Creating a comprehensive approach to managing the Lower Mississippi River and implementing restoration practices to support animal habitats in Arkansas and Tennessee

• Addressing levee safety guidelines under development and ensuring adherence to congressional intent

• Examining digital infrastructure and real-time data collection by authorizing a study on water distribution optimization;

• Encouraging the Corps to reinvest recreation fees to improve facilities where the funds were collected to maintain facilities and provide quality recreational opportunities on our public lands; and

• Reauthorizing the Economic Development Administration and its subsidiary, the Delta Regional Authority that strengthens economic opportunity in the eight-state Delta region, and establishing an Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience – a bipartisan initiative Boozman led to formalizing the agency’s role in economic recovery efforts within communities impacted by natural disasters.

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