Water Resources Planning and Modernization Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-564
Sponsor: Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]
Introduced: 2007-02-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Animals
Appropriations
Army Corps of Engineers
Arts, Culture, Religion
Commemorations
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction costs
Cultural property
Department of Defense
Disasters
Drainage
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Ecosystem management
Emergency Management
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to water resources development
Federal-state relations
Fishery management
Flood control
Floodplains
Floods
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Historic sites
History
Hurricanes
Land transfers
Law
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine terminals
Navigation
Planning
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Real estate development
Restoration ecology
Standards
Storms
Transportation and Public Works
Watersheds
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-13
text: 
Water Resources Planning and Modernization Act of 2007 - Directs: (1) the Water Resources Council to report to the President and Congress on U.S. vulnerability to damage from flooding and related storm damage, including the risks to human life and property and the comparative risks faced by different regions of the country; and (2) the Administration to submit a report responding to, and including proposals to implement, the Council's recommendations.

Requires the Council: (1) to submit initial and followup reports to Congress containing a prioritized list of Corps of Engineers water resources projects, based on specified criteria; and (2) in coordination with the National Academy of Sciences, to propose revisions to the planning principles and guidelines, regulations, and circulars of the Corps to improve the process by which the Corps analyzes and evaluates projects.

Includes as members of the Council the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Chairperson of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Requires the Secretary to appoint in the Office of the Secretary a Director of Independent Review. Subjects projects meeting specified guidelines concerning cost, state interest, adverse impact, or controversy to review by an independent panel of experts, including to ensure public health, safety, and welfare.

Requires the Secretary, to mitigate losses to flood damage reduction capabilities and fish and wildlife resulting from a water resources project, to ensure that mitigation for each project fully complies with the mitigation standards and policies established by each state in which the project is located. Sets forth mitigation plan requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish a mitigation tracking system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1907-1910)
action_date: 2007-02-13
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1906-1907)
action_date: 2007-02-13
text: Introduced in Senate