WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2002

WHEREAS, the United States Congress will consider reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) during the current 107th Congress; and

WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) provides leadership for important water resources projects for navigation, flood damage reduction and environmental restoration that are important to communities throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, authority for these projects is provided biennially in even numbered years by Congress through WRDA; and

WHEREAS, the Water Resources Development Act is important because with few exceptions, USACE projects are individually formulated, developed and authorized in this legislation; and

WHEREAS, the Water Resources Development Act often includes new policy initiatives that either empower new programs or improve the delivery of existing programs; and

WHEREAS, many communities interested in water resources development have put forward numerous proposals for new projects as well as proposals to make USACE project delivery more responsive to non-federal interests, including the nation's cities,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the United States Conference of Mayors supports this critical legislation that will ensure authorization of projects important to the nation's cities and empower USACE to secure appropriations to construct these important infrastructure investments; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act in 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Conference of Mayors requests Congress act expeditiously to pass this important legislation.