{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-wins-for-alaska-in-major-water-infrastructure-bill", "Sullivan Secures Wins for Alaska in Major Water Infrastructure Bill", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=9", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, celebrated the Senate\u2019s passage last night of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which includes the Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2024 and the Fiscally Responsible Highway Funding Act of 2024. The legislation features key victories for Alaska, including reauthorization of and funding for the Denali Commission through 2029, a novel Denali Commission Housing Fund, a new river-erosion program to mitigate damage from storm and flood events throughout the state, and provisions to cut red tape and significantly reduce costs for the Barrow Seawall project.\n\n\u201cMy team and I worked hard over these past few months to craft provisions in this year\u2019s WRDA reauthorization that maintain progress on major transportation projects throughout our great state, remove red tape and regulatory hurdles, improve safety and access for Alaskans, and close Alaska\u2019s historic infrastructure gap as a young state,\u201dsaid Sen. Sullivan. \u201cWe are a resource rich, but infrastructure poor state. This important legislation supports the vital work the Army Corps of Engineers is doing in so many of our communities\u2014from Barrow to Seward\u2014and improves the Corps\u2019 ability to work cooperatively with Alaska Native tribal entities for the benefit of Alaskans. Lastly, I want to thank my fellow committee members for their continued recognition of the important role the Denali Commission plays in our state\u2014providing funding for vital infrastructure in our rural communities. I\u2019m particularly excited about the new opportunity the Denali Commission will have to address the shortage of affordable housing in rural Alaska.\u201d\n\nRegarding Alaska\u2019s priorities, Sen. Sullivan\u2019s provisions in WRDA 2024:\n\nExtend the long-term management authorities of the Lowell Creek Flood Diversion System upgrade project for five years, or until 2032.\n\nNarrow the scope of the floodplain management prerequisite for the Barrow Coastal Erosion Mitigation Project so that North Slope Borough is not on the hook for flood insurance across an area the size of the State of Wyoming for a project taking place in a small area of one community.\n\nAdd eligibility for \u201criverine erosion\u201d to the storm damage prevention and reduction, coastal erosion, and ice and glacial damage program in Alaska with a 10 percent cost share for economically disadvantaged communities.\n\nMake the Tribal Partnership Program permanent, improving the Corps\u2019 authorities to partner with Indian Tribes. This provision will assist with the installation of the mooring and anchoring system at Port Clarence.\n\nEstablish a Tribal Construction Partnerships Pilot Program that enables the Corps to partner with tribal groups on eligible projects to carry out construction of a project that will be transferred to the tribe.\n\nContinue an ongoing study under the Tribal Partnership Program to examine building a protected dock inAkutan Harbor to provide access to the village airport.\n\nReauthorize the Denali Commission through 2029.\n\nEstablish a dedicated Denali Commission Housing Fund for building new housing to meet the needs of low-income and moderate-income households.\n\nWRDA 2024 ensures the Army Corps of Engineers is responsive to local and regional water resources needs, including environmental infrastructure authorities critical to water and wastewater infrastructure. The legislation avoids one-size-fits-all requirements and maintains the Corps\u2019 flexibility in developing project alternatives with non-federal sponsors. It also extends existing programs that allow the Corps to carry out feasibility studies and water resources development projects in economically disadvantaged communities, many of which are located in rural areas.\n\nThe Economic Development Reauthorization Act reauthorizes Economic Development Act (EDA) programs, modernizes the federal cost-share requirements for EDA programs and activities so distressed communities can have better access to EDA funding, and addresses hurdles for certain broadband projects that seek to use EDA funding. Finally, the legislation includes the Fiscally Responsible Highway Funding Act, which would make unspent Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program funding eligible to states via formula, allowing states to utilize this funding for high-priority transportation infrastructure projects.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "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://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-wins-for-alaska-in-major-water-infrastructure-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.781425042077899, "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"}