WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today praised the Senate’s passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA). The legislation includes provisions championed by Wicker that would authorize at least $153.6 million in various Army Corps infrastructure projects throughout the state.

The legislation passed the Senate 93-1.  The House of Representatives passed its version of WRDA in June.

“The Water Resources Development Act is a major step forward for Mississippi’s infrastructure and economic growth,” Wicker said. “I am confident that this legislation, which includes a range of important Army Corps projects, would help to improve our quality of life and offer a better future for our state.”

Among other policies that would benefit Mississippi, WRDA would:

• Increase authorized funding for the Section 592 Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure account from $200 million to $300 million.
• Expand eligible uses for these Section 592 account dollars to include stormwater management, drainage systems, and water quality enhancement. 
• Authorize Section 219 funding for environmental infrastructure in five Mississippi communities. Those funds and communities include $13.6 million for Clinton, $10 million for Meridian, $10 million for Oxford, $10 million for Rankin County, and $10 million for Madison County.
• Expedite an Army Corps study to construct a future flood control project in DeSoto County.
• Direct the Army Corps to expedite environmental infrastructure projects.
• Authorize the Army Corps to cooperate with industry on Civil Works research and development projects.
• Establish a Research and Development account line for the Army Corps.
• Expand the pilot program for controlling Asian Carp to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. 
• Remind the Army Corps that addressing shoreline sloughing and erosion is an eligible Operations and Maintenance activity for Okatibbee Lake. 
• Lower the non-federal sponsor match to 10% for a Lower Mississippi River study to identify changes and new features that could help reduce the risk of flooding and decrease reliance upon the Bonnet Carré Spillway.
• Establish a pilot program to allow localities and private entities to apply for funding assistance for conservation projects in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.