Foster Priorities Signed into Law as part of Water Resources Development Act
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) announced that four of his requests were signed into law by President Biden as part of the Water Resources Development Act. These requests authorize crucial investments in the waterways and environmental infrastructure for Will County and the entire Great Lakes region.
Foster’s requests include:
- Increased federal funding from 80 percent to 90 percent for the Brandon Road Ecosystem Project, which is the last line of defense for preventing invasive Asian Carp from reaching Lake Michigan and all of the tributaries and lakes in the Great Lakes basin. This increased funding will be used for the project’s remaining design, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation.
- $30 million in federal funding to improve water and wastewater infrastructure, including stormwater management, in Will County, Illinois.
- A hydraulic evaluation of the upper Mississippi River and Illinois River to evaluate flow frequency probabilities and develop updated water surface profiles to help predict and prevent floods.
- Various ecosystem restoration projects for the Fox River, Illinois River, Chicago River, Calumet River, Grand Calumet River, Little Calumet River, and other waterways in the Chicago suburbs.
“During my time in Congress, it’s always been one of my top priorities to give Illinois its fair share of federal resources,” said Foster. “These projects are critical to the ecosystems and environmental infrastructure in Will County and the entire Great Lakes region, and I’m proud this legislation invests in the water infrastructure that future generations deserve.”
The Water Resources Development Act was included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
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