December 23, 2020 By Waterways Journal
At the end of an eventful and disruptive year, Jupiter and Saturn aligned for their first conjunction observable from Earth in 800 years, forming a “Christmas star.” In Washington, D.C., too, the “stars” aligned, as both houses of Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act by large margins (359 yeas to 53 nays in the House, 92 to 6 in the Senate). It was passed as part of an omnibus appropriations bill that also included $900 billion in COVID-19 relief measures. The funding package is headed to the White House for the president’s signature.
Both the inland waterways and ports have reason to celebrate the bill. The package included the top priority of the Waterways Council Inc. to adjust the cost-share for construction and major rehabilitation of inland waterways projects from 50 percent Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) / 50 percent general revenues to 35 perc
Governor asks for direct federal aid to states and local governments
Gov. Laura Kelly today asked the Congressional delegation from Kansas to continue to push for additional funding for state and local governments.
Direct aid to state and local governments to support critical services was not included in the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill that passed the Senate last night and the House earlier, the governor said at a 4 p.m. news conference Tuesday.
“Without that funding we risk having to make further budget cuts,” Gov. Kelly said.
She said she was grateful for the relief bill that passed, providing funding to individuals, small businesses, vaccine distribution, extension of unemployment benefits and extension of the amount of time to use the CARES Act funding. But states and municipal governments did not receive direct aid.
WASHINGTON (AP) The huge pandemic relief and spending bill includes billions of dollars to promote clean energy such as wind and solar power while sharply reducing over time the use of potent coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators that are considered a major driver of global warming.
The energy and climate provisions, supported by lawmakers from both parties, were hailed as the most significant climate change law in at least a decade. Republicans and Democrats are working together to protect the environment through innovation,” said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“This historic agreement includes three separate pieces of legislation that will significantly reduce greenhouse gases, Barrasso said, citing measures that promote technologies to “capture” and store carbon dioxide produced by power and manufacturing plants; reduce diesel emissions in buses and other vehicles; and authorize a 15-year reductio
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Ag interests received welcomed news with the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which was included in the year-end funding bill. The nation’s inland waterways system is critical to the U.S. agriculture industry and economy overall, and this legislation promises to modernize and rehabilitate the system, while helping to significantly reduce the backlog of authorized projects.
Bobby Frederick, National Grain and Feed Association’s vice president of legislative affairs and public policy says, “Since 2014, each Congress has passed a WRDA into law, and NGFA has viewed each bill as an opportunity to enhance U.S. inland waterways and port infrastructure. WRDA 2020 ensures continued investment in U.S. waterways infrastructure, helps bring U.S. waterways infrastructure into the 21st century and will help maintain American agriculture’s competitive transportation advantage against other countries.”