President Barack Obama signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) into law on Tuesday. The WRRDA is an important piece of legislation for agriculture and for all Americans.
WRRDA puts America’s inland waterways and port infrastructure on a solid and sustainable foundation to contribute to U.S. economic growth, jobs and global competitiveness for generations to come, according AFBF.
Ports, channels, locks, dams and infrastructure that support U.S. waterways transportation are vital to American agriculture at home and abroad. These waterways transport 60 percent of the nation’s export-bound grain, supply American farmers with fertilizer for planting and provide a competitive advantage over farm good imports.
Improvements to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund will establish minimum authorization levels and allow funding on port infrastructures. Also, the law includes provisions to the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Rule allowing self-certification by a farmer of more on-farm fuel storage, up to 6,000 gallons.