Possible Delay for Federal Water Projects Bill

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There could be a delay ahead for the federal water projects bill.

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House-Senate negotiations on a long-awaited water projects bill to reform locks modernization and speed up funding may take a bit longer – but some funding may increase before then. Waterways Council Senior Vice President Debra Colbert says negotiations on the Water Reform and Resources Development Act – key for ag trade – could slip past the expected January timeline.

But with next week’s holiday recess and attention on the President’s State of the Union the following week – February seems like a better bet for the WRRDA bill. Still slowing the measure – incomplete chief of engineers’ reports on some projects and the overall WRRDA cost.

Other outstanding differences – creation of a National Ocean Endowment Fund and a water infrastructure-financing bank.