American Rivers Welcomes Congressional Advancement of Water Infrastructure Bills
Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org
WRDA Bills Would Make Critical Investments in Infrastructure to Safeguard Drinking Water and River Health Nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 passing out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Environment and Public Works Committees, American Rivers issued the following statement:
“Advancing these bills now is a needed step toward addressing our nation’s aging water infrastructure, improving resilience to flood risk, and supporting state-led floodplain management” said Tom Kiernan, president and CEO of American Rivers. “Reliable, modern water infrastructure, transparency in project planning, and support for natural infrastructure are all essential to improving river health, ensuring clean water for communities across the country, and growing our economy. We look forward to working with both the House and Senate to finalize a strong water package.”
American Rivers commends the leadership of Sens. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Chairman of the EPW Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee in the Senate and Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The work of the committees to pass the seventh biannual Water Resources Development Act since 2014 is a clear demonstration of the importance of water infrastructure to communities nationwide.
As introduced, the bills outline investments in important programs that would improve water quality and policies that safeguard rivers and communities nationwide. Among the provisions are:
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund ($3.5 billion), including wider eligibility for usage
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund ($3.7 billion) gradually increasing through FY 2030
- EPA Geographic programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative ($475 million), Columbia River Basin ($30 million), and the Southeast New England Program (now codified at $7.5 million)
- Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse and Centers of Excellence for Stormwater programs
- Dedicated funding for natural infrastructure solutions and floodplain restoration
- National Dam Safety Program strengthened
- Assessments for watershed-scale planning for flood risk
- Support for state-level integrated floodplain management programs
- Strengthening USACE’s drought and resilience toolbox, including nature-based solutions
- Digital infrastructure for source water monitoring
- A new pilot program that serves public water systems with elevated PFAS levels
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund support initiatives to expand and expedite access to critical water infrastructure projects. The EPA’s Geographic Programs are place-based efforts designed to protect and restore local watersheds facing habitat loss and pollution. The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grant Program provides targeted assistance to communities for aging water system upgrades. The National Dam Safety Program is a partnership program with states aimed at preventing dam failures and reducing the impacts on lives and property impacted by dam failures.
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About American Rivers
American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers®. AmericanRivers.org