WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee issued the following statement today after the Senate voted 78-21 to pass S. 612, The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. This legislation authorizes 30 Army Corps of Engineers projects that address navigation, flood control, and environmental restoration. The WIIN Act authorizes $170 million in funding to address drinking water emergencies in communities like Flint, Mich., and other communities suffering from the health impacts of lead contamination, and to provide clean water and drinking water assistance around the country. The bill will rehabilitate high hazard potential dams, includes Gold King Mine spill recovery, allows state permitting of Coal Combustion Residuals, and includes Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) relief for farmers. The bill now moves to the President's desk to be signed into law.
“The road to final passage of WRDA has not been easy but I am very pleased that this bill has passed with strong, bipartisan support," Inhofe said. “This water infrastructure bill is important to our country's economic vitality while also serving as a lifeline for disadvantaged communities like Flint, Michigan. I am proud of my colleagues who have worked on this legislation alongside many staff who also deserve credit for this important bill. The WIIN Act will benefit job-creators, businesses big and small, every single state across the country, and consumers alike and I am pleased that this bill will be signed into law.
