WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of the S.4367, the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which will help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to support the local oyster industry, strengthen Virginia’s coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia’s waterways, and encourage the dredging of the Chesapeake Bay to support tourism and recreation, among other Virginia priorities. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.

“We’re proud that the legislation headed to the president’s desk provides funding and resources for water infrastructure projects across Virginia,” said the senators. “It includes key provisions to keep our communities healthy and safe and combat the effects of rising sea levels and increased flooding from significant weather events while investing in tourism, recreational development, and Virginia’s oyster industry.” 

Added the senators, “We are especially pleased that this bill will honor civil rights attorney Reuben Lawson’s legacy of social justice by renaming the federal building in Roanoke in his memory.”  

The legislation would help repair aging drinking water, wastewater, and irrigation systems across the country, in addition to supporting the following Virginia priorities:

• Includes Warner and Kaine’s legislation to rename the federal courthouse in Roanoke the “Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building” in honor of the life and legacy of civil rights lawyer Reuben Lawson.
• Increases the authorized funding levels for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program from $100 million to $120 million.
• Encourages shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay, which is critical for tourism, recreation, and the fishing industry.
• Adds the City of Norfolk to the Temporary Relocation Assistance Pilot Program to boost the city’s climate resilience.
• Authorizes the Army Corps to conduct a feasibility study on enhancing downstream recreation activities for Gathright Dam, Lake Moomaw, and the Jackson River in Alleghany County.
• Authorizes $1.3 million for a wastewater infrastructure project in King William County.
• Authorizes $1 million for wastewater infrastructure, environmental infrastructure, and water quality improvements in the vicinity of the Potomac River.
• Greenlights proposed feasibility studies for projects at Cedarbush Creek in Gloucester County, Chickahominy River in James City County, Timberneck Creek in Gloucester County, York River in York County, and flood risk management in James City County. 
• Expedites completion of maintenance dredging of the federally authorized navigation channels Parrotts Creek, Jackson Creek, and Horn Harbor, Va.
• Expedites completion of a flood risk management study for the Kanawha River Basin in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.  
• Establishes an expedited completion track for Virginia Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study.
• Establishes an expedited completion track to modify the Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project to include Anchorage F.
• Establishes an expedited completion track for and requires the federal government to pick up 90% of the cost of conducting a feasibility study to identify a potential secondary water source for the Virginia-DC-Maryland region.

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