The quest for the first major water-resources bill in six years has cleared a key hurdle with House passage of an $8.2-billion measure that would authorize 23 new Corps of Engineers water projects, speed their regulatory reviews and boost funds for dredging.

房子的417 - 3在10月23日投票扫清了道路or negotiations between that chamber and the Senate, which passed its Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, in May. Amy Larson, National Waterways Conference president, says, "I think both chambers really would like to see a WRDA bill, so I think there'll be a willingness to find a middle ground." Steve Hall, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) vice president for government affairs, says, "We are guardedly optimistic."

法律和游说公司琼斯·沃克（Jones Walker LLP）的特别顾问约翰·道尔（John Doyle）说：“这两个法案之间有着显着的相似之处。”尽管绝对不完全相同，但两项措施都有旨在加速军团项目的环境评论的规定。新利18备用网址霍尔说：“众议院和参议院成员已经听到的所有投诉（关于]（尤其是大型项目）所需的项目的时间（尤其是大型项目）都获得了国会的呼吸。”新利18备用网址这两项法案还将在疏edging上加息年度港口维护信托基金支出。

这两项法案都将修剪内陆水道信托基金目前的50％份额，以建立Olmsted Lock and Dam Project，其估计成本已从1988年的7.75亿美元开始，其成本已飙升至31亿美元。参议院法案将项目的未来信托资金份额削减到零股份，要求普通基金覆盖其余标签。众议院措施将项目的信托基金份额切为25％。结果是，为全国其他项目释放更多信托基金。新利18备用网址

但是，账单之间存在一些很大的差异。道尔指出了他们的价格标签之间的广泛差异。国会预算办公室将众议院法案的10年费用降低了82亿美元，参议院的费用为122亿美元。资金受年度拨款的约束。运输和基础设施委员会主席比尔·舒斯特（Bill Shuster）（R-Pa。）表示，众议院法案还将在长期活动的项目中授权120亿美元。新利18备用网址

Another sticking point may be the Senate's proposed new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan program for Corps and Environmental Protection Agency projects. Groups such as ACEC want to keep it in the final bill. But House Republicans may balk at its scope and $500-million, five-year cost.

Neither chamber had appointed its negotiating team by ENR press time, and the House will be in recess until Nov. 12. In the meantime, House and Senate staffers are expected to lay the groundwork for a compromise final bill.