Grace Napolitano: “I too rise in strong support of WRRDA and sincerely thank Chairmen Shuster and Gibbs and Ranking Members Rahall and…”

“I too rise in strong support of WRRDA and sincerely thank Chairmen Shuster and Gibbs and Ranking Members Rahall and Bishop and all the staff--let's not forget them--for the great bipartisan work. We thank them for including quality provisions that are important to the Nation, especially to my district, home to Santa Fe Dam and adjacent to Whittier Narrows Dam, the two largest Corps reservoirs in L.A. county. Generally, it also improves water supply and water capture at the dam. It changes levee vegetation policy not previously taken into account, local characteristics, habitats, or safety. It allows local funding of Corps projects to benefit the region. It improves invasive species management. It prioritizes Harbor Maintenance donor regions, allowing expanded use of funding, which is something I had fought for for many years. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in clarifying that section 3013 of WRRDA will require the corps to perform a new review and revision of levee vegetation policy engineering technical letters. Thanks to Transportation and Infrastructure for their leadership, and please vote ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I rise to clarify the intent of Section 3013 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Conference Report regarding Vegetation Management policy. In 2009, the Army Corps of Engineers issued new levee vegetation policy through Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) 1110-2-571.…”