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The Brownsville Public Utilities Board reported Wednesday that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (ITIC) has included an authorization for Brownsville in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which could mean federal funding for critical water infrastructure projects in the city.
The legislation (House Resolution 8812), would help pay for essential upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure that would be of major benefit to the city residents, according to BPUB.
“Notably, the bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize water supply as one of its primary missions, alongside navigation, flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration projects,” said the city-owned utility.
If the water supply piece remains in the final WRDA 2024 legislation, USACE will be enabled to collaborate with local entities such as BPUB to plan, design, build, modify, operate and maintain water resources development projects, BPUB said. With Amistad and Falcon international reservoirs at or near historic low levels due to persistent drought, such legislation is doubly important.
In their most recent three-month outlook, forecasters with the National Weather Service Brownsville-Rio Grande Valley station predicted a warmer and drier than usual November through January, leading to a steady drying out from west to east across the Valley and continued decline in reservoir levels.
“This collaboration aims to address drought conditions nationwide,” BPUB said. “Specifically, the water supply authorization could help manage Falcon Lake, a vital Lower Rio Grande Valley water source. This support would aid in maintaining reservoir water levels, improving water quality and enhancing conservation practices for long-term sustainability. Falcon Lake is also critical to Brownsville’s water supply, providing essential resources during droughts and extreme weather conditions.”
H.R. 8812 also includes a provision allowing USACE to waive all or part of the local, non-federal cost share for projects such as BPUB’s Brownsville Resacas Ecosystem Restoration Project, which launched in 2013. For communities that may not be able to afford the non-federal cost share of a project — often in the millions of dollars — this provision could prove critical.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen Jr. and BPUB board members have urged the ITIC to include the local cost-share waiver provision in the WRDA 2024 legislation, according to BPUB. The Senate’s version of the legislation was passed earlier this year. The two chambers will finalize their bills in December and expect to send final legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature before the end of the year, BPUB said.
“We are thrilled to see a provision in the House WRDA 2024 bill for a $40 million authorization for water and wastewater infrastructure for Brownsville,” said BPUB General Manager and CEO Marilyn D. Gilbert.
“We appreciate Congressman Vicente Gonzalez’s leadership and his colleagues’ efforts to include this provision in the bill. We hope that the eventual passage of the WRDA legislation later this year will bring additional federal support to Brownsville, helping the city and BPUB address critical water resources projects for generations to come.”
