{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3470", "Case Announces U.S. House Approval of Critical Water Infrastructure Projects for Hawai\u2018i", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=8", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (Hawai\u2018i \u2013 District 1) announced that the U.S. House has approved a major bill to construct projects, research activities and conduct studies to improve our nation\u2019s rivers, harbors, oceans and water infrastructure.\n\nCase\u2019s requests were included in S. 4367, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024. WRDA is developed and passed by Congress every two years. The House approved this Congress\u2019 bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 399-18. The Senate is expected to approve the bill in the coming days and send it to the President, who is expected to sign the bill into law.\n\nThis bill authorizes projects to improve the country\u2019s ports and harbors, inland waterways, flood and storm protection and other aspects of water resources infrastructure that keep our communities safe and strengthens the U.S. economy.\n\nThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) performs these projects in partnership with federal, local and state agencies, non-government organizations and tribal nations to implement the projects.\n\nThe seven provisions secured by Case in the 2024 WRDA include:\n\n1. Expanding and upgrading Honolulu Harbor.\n\nCase secured an authorization for an in-depth study of critical Honolulu Harbor improvements in an earlier WRDA, but at Case\u2019s request this WRDA amends the plan to reflect expanded complexity, scope and funding needs, including elements of coastal storm risk management. This update will help continue the project and focus its benefits on disaster resilience and enhanced national security from improved utilization of the harbor.\n\n\u201cAs the main port of the State of Hawai\u2018i, Honolulu Harbor receives and distributes all overseas cargo shipments constituting over 80% of all imports into the state, supports fishing operations and cruise ships and handles federal maritime activity including the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s 14th District,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cProviding this additional refined and expanded authorization will ensure our critical harbor is designed for resilience and that this literal lifeline for Hawai\u2018i remains operational in the face of natural disaster and other contingencies.\u201d\n\nCase previously secured $1.5 million for this project through his work on his House Appropriations Committee. With this upgraded authorization, Case will seek additional project funds in the next appropriations cycle.\n\n2. Confirming Honolulu Harbor\u2019s role in defense and national security.\n\nCase secured a complementary provision to conduct a full review of Honolulu Harbor\u2019s critical role in our nation's defense and security. \u201cWith Honolulu Harbor being the main port for the State of Hawai\u2018i, our national defense presence also depends on this harbor to remain strong and reliable to maintain a steady flow of resources for our military needs and communities,\u201d said Case.\n\nCase added: \u201cStrengthening this harbor will allow for enhanced military readiness and resilience and for our communities to be prepared for a national security threat. This provision directs USACE to consider the benefits of project modification for disaster resilience and enhanced national security from utilization of the harbor by the Department of Defense and assists in paving the way for full funding of improvement projects.\u201d\n\n3. Expediting the Ala Wai Canal flood risk management project.\n\n\u201cThe Ala Wai Flood Risk Management project is focused on protecting the homes, businesses and communities of central Honolulu from Makiki, M\u0101noa and P\u0101lolo to the ocean, as well as of Waik\u012bk\u012b, where daily over a hundred thousand residents and visitors live, work and play in the one-square mile engine of our tourism industry,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cWe all are facing the real-life evidence every day of the effects of climate change including disastrous flooding, and we must continue our efforts to mitigate catastrophic impacts to the Ala Wai Watershed including the canal.\u201d\n\nThis project began in 1999, and the USACE recently solicited public comments on a revised plan for the Ala Wai watershed community. This direction assists in keeping the project on track through the upcoming decision points and facilitates related further funding requests.\n\n4. Including Hawai\u2018i in USACE studies involving the Pacific Region.\n\nCase also won approval to authorize Hawai\u2018i to partner with USACE when it conducts a broader range of studies in the Pacific, including cultural resources preservation and environmental restoration studies.\n\n\u201cThis amendment will enable Hawai\u2018i to work fully with USACE on studies, such as ecosystem restoration, coastal storm risk management and flood risk projects, which the agency already does in the Pacific with Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas,\u201d said Case. \u201cThis change will also help streamline USACE negotiations with the Hawai\u2018i State Historic Preservation Office toward project concerns and conditions.\u201d\n\n5. Expanding eligibility for federal assistance for coastal communities dependent on key ports.\n\nCase secured an amendment allowing for expanded project eligibility for coastal communities inextricably linked to harbor accessibility. This change allows for greater consideration of unique economic, cultural, social and ecosystem benefits to such communities in cost-benefit analyses utilized by USACE in determining which projects to pursue.\n\n\u201cAs Hawai\u2018i imports such large proportions of goods and relies on our harbors for our very survival, this needed change allows for our unique situation to be factored in to USACE cost-benefit analyses and prevents Hawai\u2019i and other insular areas of our country from being unfairly penalized by a standard formula focused on a continental U.S model,\u201d said Case.\n\n6. Increasing funding for water infrastructure projects for Maui.\n\nCase, who remains focused on working with the rest of Hawaii\u2019s Congressional delegation to aid Lahaina in rebuilding following the 2023 wildfires, joined Congresswoman Tokuda (Hawai\u2018i-District 2) to jointly secure funding for water-related infrastructure projects in Lahaina to help Maui recover from the 2023 wildfire.\n\n\u201cThis funding would provide another $30 million for Maui County to rebuild damaged infrastructure following the devastating wildfires,\u201d said Case.\n\n7. Authorizing an assessment of Lahaina\u2019s watershed.\n\n\u201cThis assessment that I requested jointly with Congresswoman Tokuda will identify ways infrastructure can be improved to reduce risks and damage from future natural disasters,\u201d said Case. \u201cIt will aid the community in rebuilding and improving damaged infrastructure after the August 2023 wildfires.\n\nOther provisions in the bill that would assist the State of Hawai\u2018i include:\n\n\u00b7 A feasibility study for flood risk management for Hawai\u2018i Kai\n\n\u00b7 Modification of a navigation upgrade project for the Honolulu Deep Draft Harbor\n\n\u00b7 Flood risk management and protection projects for Kaua\u2018i\n\nNOTE: The bill text is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3470"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.966670922935009, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}