{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-wyden-critical-water-infrastructure-bill-headed-to-the-presidents-desk", "Merkley, Wyden: Critical Water Infrastructure Bill Headed to the President\u2019s Desk", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Ron Wyden", "W000779", "www.wyden.senate.gov", "wyden", "https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that critical projects and policy initiatives for Oregon included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 have passed Congress and now head to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law. Their authorization sets the stage for Oregon to secure essential water infrastructure funding.\n\n\u201cWater is the lifeblood of our state. Updating and modernizing aging water infrastructure \u2013 including ports, levees, dams and much more \u2013 will better prepare Oregonians and their communities for droughts and floods, and give them access to safe, reliable drinking water,\u201d said Merkley, who helped write the bill as a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. \u201cThis critical bill is indispensable to waterways across Oregon and ensures water infrastructure is maintained and improved for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cOregon\u2019s ports, harbors, waterways and more generate jobs statewide that are a must to keep our economy flowing,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cAll of that vital infrastructure requires investments just like these to keep it modern, safe and effective so Oregonians can count on clean drinking water and reliable transport of goods.\u201d\n\nWRDA 2024 includes several projects and policy initiatives in Oregon including:\n\nPort of Portland Dredging Vessel: Includes authority to replace the Dredge Oregon vessel at the Port of Portland.\n\nOregon Statewide Environmental Infrastructure Authority: Authorizes $200 million in funding for water infrastructure efforts across Oregon such as water conservation projects, ecosystem restoration projects, stormwater management, surface water protection, and environmental restoration.\n\nConfederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Projects: Includes a technical correction regarding CTUIR projects in the Walla Walla River.\n\nColumbia and Willamette River Pile Dike Maintenance Definition Clarification: Clarifies and directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Portland District to maintain the pile dikes in the Lower Columbia River.\n\nHarmful Algal Bloom Demonstration Program (HAB) for Willamette River: Authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 HAB Demonstration Program\u2014which occurs when certain environmental conditions intensify algae growth and harm ecosystems and human health\u2014to include a focus on the Willamette River.\n\nStudy on Microplastic Pollution: Requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prepare a report to identify measures that could be implemented to reduce the release of microplastics associated with the Corps\u2019 civil works mission into the environment.\n\nAquatic Invasive Species Cost-Share Program Cost-Share Modification: Modifies the cost-share percentage for the federal program to help state, Tribal, and university partners meet the needed cost-share requirement.\n\nU.S. Army Corps of Engineers Funding Capability Report: Authorizes a report on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers capability versus Annual Funding in each Army Corps District.\n\nFunding for Emerging Harbors: Includes language allowing for additional uses of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for activities at emerging harbors.\n\nAdditionally, WRDA 2024 included the reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to:", 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.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-wyden-critical-water-infrastructure-bill-headed-to-the-presidents-desk"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8222570177167654, "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"}