Water Infrastructure Bill Unanimously Passes EPW Committee, Includes Fischer Provision to Help Omaha Better Manage Water Projects

Statement

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) voted today to advance the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee's bipartisan America's Water Infrastructure Act. The bill will cut government red tape, streamline the permitting process to accelerate project delivery, and give state and local leaders more control over water infrastructure projects. This legislation passed out of the EPW Committee unanimously.

Included in the legislation is Senator Fischer's bipartisan Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act. This bill, which passed the full Senate unanimously last year, would also give communities more autonomy as they prioritize and plan for wastewater and stormwater investments. With this added flexibility, communities, like Omaha, would be able to address water infrastructure updates in a manner that does not increase utility bills for residents.

"This important infrastructure bill will cut government red tape and streamline the approval process for projects to keep families healthy and safe. A bipartisan provision in the bill would give Omaha the needed flexibility to address its combined sewer overflow update in a manner that would not raise water bills for residents. Additionally, this bill increases navigability of our nation's inland waterways system, which our ag producers use to transport commodities to our ports and out to the world," said Senator Fischer.

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