Carper Advances Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2024, Delivers Wins for Delawareans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today led a committee markup to advance the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) unanimously by a 19-0 vote. WRDA 2024 is biennial legislation that authorizes flood control, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) across the country, including significant investments for Delaware.

Delaware relies on partnerships with the Corps to address some of the state’s biggest challenges, like sea level rise, inland flooding and other effects of climate change, all of which impact the state’s economy. The Corps works with Delaware to protect and renourish Delaware’s beaches, restore Delaware’s ecosystems, and construct and maintain infrastructure that supports Delaware’s economy, including the Port of Wilmington and intracoastal waterways.

“As the lowest-lying state in our nation, Delaware’s economic well-being is directly linked to the maintenance of our ports and waterways and the protection of our beaches and coastal communities,” said Chairman Carper. “That is why we worked hard to ensure the water resources needs of the First State are met in this year’s reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act. This bill directs the Corps to construct critical water infrastructure projects and continue vital flood risk management and ecosystem restoration programs — all while creating good-paying jobs and making Delaware’s coastal communities more resilient to climate change. I look forward to the work ahead to get this important legislation to the President’s desk.”

Among its provisions, WRDA 2024 would:

• Establish the Delaware Coastal System Program to promote efficiency and share resources among the many critical coastal hurricane and storm risk reduction projects throughout Delaware.

• Invest in Delaware’s beaches and beach economy by reducing the local contribution requirement for renourishing Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and South Bethany beaches from 35 percent to 20 percent. The bill also reduces the local contribution requirement for renourishing Fenwick beach from 50 percent to 20 percent.

• Direct the Corps to reevaluate the Lewes Beach project to determine which additional areas should be included for beach renourishment along the Lewes shoreline.

• Add Broadkill Beach to the bay beach restoration initiative so that the state cost match to renourish Broadkill is reduced from 35 percent to 10 percent like the rest of the bay beaches.

• Reduce the state contribution requirement from 50 percent to 10 percent for completing the Delaware Back Bay Study and makes the state contribution for future construction of projects resulting from the study 10 percent.

• Authorize feasibility studies for flood risk management projects for flood-prone Delaware communities including Milton and Wilmington.

• Authorize a new Delaware Inland Bays Watershed Study to comprehensively consider ecosystem restoration needs in the inland bay area.

• Authorize Delaware State University to conduct research on water resources and environmental quality in collaboration with the Corps.

• Authorize a new $25 million environmental infrastructure project for Delaware’s bay beach communities to help improve sewers, stormwater treatment systems, water storage and other related wastewater infrastructure.

• Authorize a new $25 million environmental infrastructure project for Delaware’s Atlantic beach communities to help improve sewers, stormwater treatment systems, water storage and other related wastewater infrastructure.

• Authorize a new $25 million environmental infrastructure project in Wilmington, Delaware to help improve sewers, stormwater treatment systems, water storage and other related wastewater infrastructure.

• Increase the authorized funding for environmental infrastructure projects in New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties to $40 million for each county.

Bill Text | Section-by-Section | Bill Summary

 

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