The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 5303, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 by a vote of 399-25. The two-year cycle legislation would authorize water infrastructure projects and programs conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), in conjunction with the Nature Conservancy and the American Society of Civil Engineers, worked with congressional Representative Reid Ribble (WI) to include a provision in WRDA encouraging the consideration of green infrastructure in the design, planning, and maintenance of water infrastructure projects. During Ribble’s testimony on behalf of the amendment, ASLA was recognized for its efforts in support of the amendment.
“The Society applauds Representative Ribble’s efforts to advance green infrastructure in Army Corps of Engineers projects, and put emphasis on the power of nature-based solutions, which landscape architects employ in their projects daily,” says Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, ASLA’s executive vice president and CEO.
The Ribble provision will ensure that nature-based solutions are considered when planning water infrastructure projects, and recognizes the role these approaches play to help meet the needs of people and communities nationwide, while also saving taxpayer dollars.
The U.S. Senate passed its version of WRDA by a vote of 95-3. The legislation also included a similar nature-based provision championed by Senator Cory Booker (NJ). Both chambers will now prepare to reconcile their respective bills.